Psicothema was founded in Asturias (northern Spain) in 1989, and is published jointly by the Psychology Faculty of the University of Oviedo and the Psychological Association of the Principality of Asturias (Colegio Oficial de Psicología del Principado de Asturias).
We currently publish four issues per year, which accounts for some 100 articles annually. We admit work from both the basic and applied research fields, and from all areas of Psychology, all manuscripts being anonymously reviewed prior to publication.
Mónica Ojeda1, Arta Dodaj2, José A. Casas3, Kristina Sesar4 and Rosario Del Rey1
1 Universidad de Sevilla (Spain) 2 University of Zadar (Croatia) 3 Universidad de Córdoba (Spain) 4 University of Mostar (Bosnia y Herzegovina)
Background: The proliferation of sexting among adolescents around the world today has woven a complex tapestry of sexual expression and exploration. However, its implications extend beyond consensual engagement, occasionally manifesting as a form of cyberviolence. Varied prevalence rates further complicate our understanding of the extent of youth sexting worldwide. Therefore, this study aims to provide a tool to measure sexting in young people from different countries by validating the Sexting Behaviours and Motives Questionnaire (SBM-Q), a comprehensive instrument that captures the diversity of consensual and non-consensual sexting behaviors and motives in different countries. Method: A total of 4739 students, aged 15 to 25, participated. They were from Spain (1563), Croatia (1598), and Bosnia and Herzegovina (1578). Confirmatory factor analyses and multigroup analyses were conducted. Results: The validity of the instrument was confirmed, endorsing its six-factor structure, which includes the dimensions of sending, reasons for sending, victimization by non-consensual forwarding, receiving, forwarding, and reasons for forwarding. Internal consistency across the three countries further underscores the robustness of the SBM-Q. Conclusions: This validated questionnaire provides a reliable measure for understanding sexting behaviors and motives in different countries. Cultural nuances are discussed.
Antecedentes: La proliferación del sexting entre los adolescentes que crecen actualmente alrededor del mundo ha tejido un complejo entramado de expresión y exploración sexual. Sin embargo, sus implicaciones van más allá de la participación consentida, manifestándose en ocasiones como una forma de ciberviolencia. Las diferencias en la prevalencia dificultan aún más la comprensión del sexting juvenil a nivel mundial. Por ello, este estudio pretende proporcionar una herramienta para medir el sexting en jóvenes de diferentes países, validando el SBM-Q, un instrumento exhaustivo que recoge la diversidad de comportamientos y motivos de sexting, con y sin consentimiento, en diferentes países. Método: Participaron 4739 estudiantes, de 15 a 25 años, de España (1563), Croacia (1598) y Bosnia y Herzegovina (1578). Se realizaron análisis factoriales confirmatorio y análisis multigrupo. Resultados: se confirmó la validez del instrumento, respaldando su estructura de seis factores, que abarca las dimensiones de envío, razones para enviar, víctimización de reenvío sin consentimiento, recepción, reenvío y razones para reenviar. La consistencia interna en los tres países subraya la solidez del SBM-Q. Conclusiones: Este cuestionario proporciona una medida fiable para comprender los comportamientos y motivaciones de los jóvenes para realizar sexting en diferentes países. Se discuten los matices culturales.
SPANISH
ENGLISH
https://doi.org/10.70478/psicothema.2025.37.07