Couples who practice ” sexting “, that is, who send themselves sexually suggestive or explicit images via mobile phone or social networks, have better sex and are more satisfied in their relationship, according to a study from Drexler University in the United States.

Misuse of sexting can lead to psychological problems

The “sexting” (a term that comes from the contraction between sex and texting , which is also called sexting in Spanish) has become very popular with the emergence of social networks and smartphones, and consists of exchanging images or videos of oneself and of high erotic or sexual content with someone you trust . For several years now, this practice has spread among young people and adults.

Sexting is considered a risky sexual practice, as there may be certain risks associated with its use. For example, access by minors to inappropriate content or dissemination of the material to those known (without the consent of the author of the image or video).

Some cases of sexting that ended badly

As has happened on several occasions, some private images have come to light, undermining the moral integrity and reputation of the person whose compromised photos have fallen into the public domain .

In Spain, one of the most famous cases was that of the councillor of Los Yébenes (province of Toledo) Olvido Hormigos. A video that Hormigos sent to a sentimental couple and in which he appeared masturbating, ended up coming out in public, a fact that unleashed a real media storm .

These cases have also sparked some debate about the risks of sending erotic photos to someone, precisely because of the danger that this third person might misuse them. Moreover, it is not uncommon for specialists in hacking to be able to access information on smartphones , and to be able to extract all the videos and photos stored in the device’s memory. In fact, a few months ago a handful of celebrities of the stature of Jennifer Lawrence, Kim Kardasian or Selena Gomez admitted to being victims of the theft of intimate photos.

The distribution of this type of material can have serious legal consequences and the development of psychological problems when young people or adults lose control over the content and it ends up reaching unwanted audiences.

Sexting” is an increasingly common courting practice

According to a study carried out by researchers from the University of Michigan (USA), who used a sample of 3,447 men and women, ranging in age from 18 to 24, “sexting” is not a sexually risky behaviour, but rather is part of courtship , as social networks have provided new ways of interpersonal relationships. However, one of the most widely used platforms for sexting is instant messaging offered by WhatsApp.

“The appearance of technology in people’s lives provokes this type of sexual practice,” argues José Arturo Bauermeister, director of the Sexuality and Health Laboratory and co-author of this study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

Couples who sext are more satisfied in their relationship

Sexting” is not only widespread among young people, but adults also enjoy this practice . According to research from the Laboratory of Women’s Health Psychology at Drexler University, the use of sexting between partners is associated with good health in the relationship.

The research involved 870 American subjects between the ages of 18 and 82 and was presented at the 123rd Annual Convention of the American Psychological Society in Toronto. Eighty-eight percent of the subjects who participated in the study acknowledged having practiced “sexting” at some point in their lives, and 82% in the past year. Seventy-five percent of the respondents said that they had done so in a stable relationship and 43 percent in a more casual relationship.

Finally, the researchers found a relationship between higher levels of partner satisfaction and more frequent use of this practice , that is, that the couples most satisfied with their relationship practice more “sexting”.