Researchers from the University of Utah surveyed 1,130 undergraduate students about their experiences sexting in high school.
Nearly 20 per cent reported they had sent a nude photo of themselves to another via cellphone and 38 per cent had received such a picture. Of the number who had received a sext, nearly one in five had forwarded the picture to someone else.
"The results are nearly identical to the findings from our 2013 study of high school students," said Don Strassberg, professor of psychology at the University of Utah and lead author on both studies.
According to Strassberg, the results of the two sexting studies from his lab, as well as those from studies conducted across the US, demonstrate that sending naked selfies is going on in high schools across the country and in significant numbers.
The research, published in the journal Computers in Human Behavior, was conducted at the University of Utah over a three-year period.
Participants were students enrolled in undergraduate psychology classes and queried about their experiences sexting during high school - after 2007, when it became more commonplace.
That may be in large part because of the participants who had received a sext, men were significantly more likely to have forwarded the picture than were women, 24.2 per cent versus 13 per cent, researchers said.
Sexts were mostly sent to 'boyfriend/girlfriends', although women indicated that as the target 83 per cent of the time, while for men it was 55 per cent.
Men said they sexted "someone I wanted to date or hook up with" (12 per cent) or "an acquaintance I just met" (2.4 per cent), while women did neither.
Strassberg concluded that these differences, which are all statistically significant, are consistent with findings that men have more positive attitudes toward casual sex than do women.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app