Sexting Profiles, Mental Health and Quality of Life in Adolescents and Emerging Adults

Abstract

Although sexting has become increasingly normalized among youth, less is known about how distinct patterns of sexting involvement relate to mental health and quality of life across developmental stages, and how gendered sexual norms shape these associations. This study analyzed a nationally representative sample of 3,534 Spanish adolescents and emerging adults aged 14–25 (M = 19.8, SD = 3.1; 49% girls/women) who reported engaging in at least one sexting behavior; analyses were conducted separately for adolescents (14–19 years) and emerging adults (20–25 years). Latent profile analyses identified two profiles in each age group. An Occasional Primary Sexting profile showed low involvement in all sexting behaviors (sending, receiving, non-consensual forwarding, and victimization), mainly reflecting occasional, consensual exchanges of one’s own erotic content. In contrast, a Frequent Extensive Sexting profile showed high and generalized engagement across all behaviors, with especially frequent receiving of sexual content, including both directly sent and forwarded material, along with increased involvement in non-consensual forwarding. Frequent Extensive Sexting was consistently associated with poorer quality of life and higher depression, anxiety, and stress. Endorsement of sexual double standards mediated anxiety in adolescents, and depression, anxiety, and stress among emerging adults. Additional analyses revealed notable gender differences, with girls/women reporting poorer mental health and boys/men exhibiting higher endorsement of sexual double standards, with indirect effects through these standards being particularly evident among them. These findings highlight the importance of considering heterogeneous patterns of sexting involvement and the role of sexual double standards in understanding how digital sexual behaviors are linked to youth mental health and quality of life.