Citation

Ganson KT, O'Connor C, Nagata JM, Testa A, Jackson DB, Pang N, Mishna F. Sex. Health 2024; 21: SH23202.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2024, CSIRO Publishing)

DOI

10.1071/SH23202

PMID

38626204

Abstract

Background Sexting is the sending and receiving of nude or partially nude images or videos. Despite it being a part of contemporary relationships, it can have adverse effects. This is particularly the case when receiving non-consensual sexts. To date, there remains a gap in the literature on whether receiving non-consensual sexts is associated with poor sleep. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the association between receiving non-consensual sexts and average sleep duration.

METHODS Data from Wave 2 (2022) of the Canadian Study of Adolescent Health Behaviours (N =906) were analysed. Multinomial logistic regression analyses were used to determine the association between receiving non-consensual sexts (both image and video) in the past 12months and average sleep duration (≤5h, 6h, 7h, 8h, and ≥9h) in the past 2weeks. Analyses were stratified by gender.

RESULTS Girls and women who received non-consensual image and video sexts, compared to those who did not, were more likely to report ≤5h of average sleep in the past 2weeks, relative to 8h of average sleep. There were no significant findings among boys and men.

CONCLUSION Findings underscore that receiving non-consensual image and video sexts may negatively impact sleep among girls and women, which may be contextualised by trauma responses experienced because of gender-based sexual violence. Healthcare and mental health professionals should be made aware of this association to provide effective care to girls and women.

Language: en