Patchin doesn't discount that sexting can have serious ramifications. "You can look at high-profile examples, of people with severe psychological problems," he said, referring to two publicized cases of young girls committing suicide where sexting was a factor.
In his center's dealings with sexting, he said, "We've talked with frustrated, embarrassed, upset kids."
Merritt cautioned against overreacting about the findings and said she would like to see more data, for instance, on how sexting relates to teens' gender orientation.
Kessler Schneider's group does intend to do more studies in that area. For now, she said, the Boston findings should "draw attention to the link between sexting and mental health, which should be addressed by anti-bullying and health-promotion initiatives."
Because the new study was presented at a medical meeting, the data and conclusions should be viewed as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.
More information
The Pew Research Center has more about teens and sexting.
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