Sexting and High Sexual Risk-Taking Behaviors among High School Adolescents: Lemi Kura Sub-city, A.A.
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Date
2025-05
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Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Abstract
The study examines the prevalence, cause, and consequence of sexting and high sexual risk taking behavior among high school students in Lemikura Sub-city, Addis Ababa. With the rapid
spread of digital technology and social media, the communication and sexual experimentation of
adolescents has been transformed in a manner that invokes concern about associated health and
psychological vulnerability. The study used a descriptive mixed-method design with structured
interviews and questionnaires among a sample of 2427 selectedstudentswhose age range is 14-
19 using probability sampling. Data analysis using SPSS version 25 identified that social media
websites extensive impacts on sexting behaviors, with Instagram, Telegram, WhatsApp,
Facebook, and YouTube being major players. The study established a positive correlation
between sexting and sexual risk behavior, alcohol and substance abuse, and negative mental
health outcomes like anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. Furthermore, sexting was also
observed to have effects on long-term sexual attitudes and emotional well-being, with common
results of shame and emotional distress in adulthood. The results demand the pressing need for
comprehensive interventions through digital literacy, mental health services, and culturally
sensitive sexual education to mitigate risks and foster healthy adolescent development. The
findings of the study have implications for the need for concerted efforts among health
practitioners, parents, educators, and policymakers in mounting comprehensive programs that
address the multifaceted nature of adolescents' sexual and online lives in Ethiopia.
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Keywords
sexting, adolescent risk behaviors, social media impact, teenagers in high school, digital literacy and sexual health education.