Teen Sexting: A Brief Guide for Educators and Parents

sexting-fact-sheet

This research summary reviews what is currently known about teen sexting. Research from across the United States is discussed, along with practical solutions for parents, educators, and other adults to prevent and respond to teen sexting.

Citation information: Hinduja, S. & Patchin, J. W. (2022). Sexting – A Brief Guide for Educators and Parents. Cyberbullying Research Center. Retrieved (insert date), from https://cyberbullying.org/sexting-research-summary-2022.pdf

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Keywords: teen sexting, prevention, response, explicit images

Note: This resource is updated from the guide published in 2018.

12 Comments

  1. Strategies for parents and other caregivers (Post)

    Some strategies may include learning about the impact of sexualization on girls from media with and how the influences by media messages are interpreted. As a parent of my future children, I will make sure I’m well aware about a lot. Rather it’s from the old age or new, I will be able to know it all. Now days’ parents are old and not up to date with the new age and things going on, which they tend to ignore it. Ignoring situations in today’s’ world is a big no and negative, because it can have a big affect on your children. Action by parents and families has been effective in confronting sources of sexualized images of girls. They are the ones that can help the situation, because to me they lay down the laws in the house.

    Here are six examples of the strategies we elaborate on in the book that help parents work with (rather than against) their children in positive and meaningful ways:

    • Know the media your child is seeing so you can have real conversations together about it and make informed decisions about what limits to set that you can explain and discuss with your child.

    • Create rituals and rules about the media in your child's life as well as when, how and what shopping occurs. This helps avoid constant nagging and stress. Children do better when they know what is going to happen and when.

    • Work to establish safe channels of communication, where your child knows she can talk to you about what she sees, hears and thinks without being embarrassed, ridiculed or punished. Children need a safe place to process what the sexualized environment exposes them to — and parents can play an essential role in providing it.

    • Have give-and-take conversations that help you find out about what your child thinks and feel, so you can base your response on your child's understanding and needs.

    • Reduce gender stereotypes. Help daughters (and sons) develop a broad range of interests, skills and behaviors that get beyond the narrow focus on appearance that the sexualized childhood provides.

    • Work at all levels to create a society that is more supportive of children's healthy gender and sexual development. This includes promoting public policies that reduce the sexualization of children and limiting the power of corporations to market sex to children.

    The following strategies were found on the following website: (link defunct)

  2. Strategies for parents and other caregivers (Post)

    Some strategies may include learning about the impact of sexualization on girls from media with and how the influences by media messages are interpreted. As a parent of my future children, I will make sure I’m well aware about a lot. Rather it’s from the old age or new, I will be able to know it all. Now days’ parents are old and not up to date with the new age and things going on, which they tend to ignore it. Ignoring situations in today’s’ world is a big no and negative, because it can have a big affect on your children. Action by parents and families has been effective in confronting sources of sexualized images of girls. They are the ones that can help the situation, because to me they lay down the laws in the house.

    Here are six examples of the strategies we elaborate on in the book that help parents work with (rather than against) their children in positive and meaningful ways:

    • Know the media your child is seeing so you can have real conversations together about it and make informed decisions about what limits to set that you can explain and discuss with your child.

    • Create rituals and rules about the media in your child's life as well as when, how and what shopping occurs. This helps avoid constant nagging and stress. Children do better when they know what is going to happen and when.

    • Work to establish safe channels of communication, where your child knows she can talk to you about what she sees, hears and thinks without being embarrassed, ridiculed or punished. Children need a safe place to process what the sexualized environment exposes them to — and parents can play an essential role in providing it.

    • Have give-and-take conversations that help you find out about what your child thinks and feel, so you can base your response on your child's understanding and needs.

    • Reduce gender stereotypes. Help daughters (and sons) develop a broad range of interests, skills and behaviors that get beyond the narrow focus on appearance that the sexualized childhood provides.

    • Work at all levels to create a society that is more supportive of children's healthy gender and sexual development. This includes promoting public policies that reduce the sexualization of children and limiting the power of corporations to market sex to children.

    The following strategies were found on the following website: (link defunct)

  3. Great information my preteen and teen Grandkids use my pc all the time on FB, this new information helps me know what to tell them as I am a mature adult.This communication was not around, and all so new .
    thank You
    55 and Older

  4. Great information my preteen and teen Grandkids use my pc all the time on FB, this new information helps me know what to tell them as I am a mature adult.This communication was not around, and all so new .
    thank You
    55 and Older

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