Sexting away at the office? A new study conducted by researchers at Drexel University has found that sending explicit messages to a partner via cell phone could be fostering increased satisfaction among those in relationships.
In the study, 870 participants between the ages of 18 and 82 were asked to complete a survey on sexting and relationships.
Emily Stasko, a doctoral candidate in the department who ran the study, found that 82% of participants had sexted in the past year.
Those who stated that they sexted more often were found to be more likely to answer that they were very satisfied with their relationship.
“This research indicates that sexting is a prevalent behavior that adults engage in for a variety of reasons,” researchers stated. “These findings show a robust relationship between sexting and sexual relationship satisfaction.”
The study was done in contrast to the belief that sexting between partners can harm a relationship.
“Sexting has received growing attention as a risky activity,” Stasko says. “(It’s) associated with numerous other sexual risk-taking behaviors and negative health outcomes. This perspective, though, fails to account for the potential positive effects of open sexual communication with a partner”.
43% of the participants in the study sexted as part of casual dating, and 75% admitted to doing the act in the context of a committed relationship.
On the whole, the majority of sexters perceived their behavior as “fun and carefree” and held a higher level of belief that sexting is expected in relationships.
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