The theory of planned behavior (TPB) is a widely used framework for predicting behavior. Considering that technology supported sexual behavior (e.g., sexting) is widespread among emerging adults, it is logical to assume that it is driven by existing social norms, accepted standards of behavior, and the opinions of others, all of which are core constructs of TPB. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine whether intention to sext can be predicted by the constructs of the theory of planned behavior. A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted with 314 emerging adults aged 18–29 years who completed a self-report questionnaire online. The modified Theory of Planned Behavior Questionnaire for the sexting context, which measures attitudes toward sexting, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control, and sexting intention, was used. The results of the path analyses mainly confirmed the model proposed by the Theory of planned behavior. Of the three TPB core factors, only subjective norm did not significantly have effect on sexting intention. Our results show that attitude, normative beliefs, and control directly predict sexting intention, and control beliefs indirectly predict sexting intention via perceived behavioral control, partially confirming the sequential relationship proposed by the Theory of planned behavior.

The purpose of this study was to compare attitudes toward sexting using vignettes. Participants were 49 university students (ages 19-26) who participated in five online focus group discussions and responded to five written vignettes describing sexting. The five vignettes about sexting were composed of five types of sexting experiences: 1) sexting under intimate partner pressure, 2) revenge sexting, 3) consensual sexting with intimate partner, 4) sexting under peer pressure, and 5) sexting to flirt with others. Students gave their opinions on the vignettes presented. Revenge sexting was perceived as a behaviour more negative than any other type of sexting experience. The vignette that depicted sexting with an intimate partner in a long-distance relationship was perceived as the least negative of all types of sexting. The results of this study aim to inspire future studies to use vignettes as a methodological tool to determine youths' attitudes, beliefs, and opinions about sexting.

Encouraged by increasing public and scientific attention, research has made great strides in recent years to improve our understanding of sexting. However, despite these advances, scientifically based and evaluated prevention strategies are not available and are still in development. There is a need to design sexting prevention strategies in order to implement and evaluate them. For this reason, we have developed a comprehensive sexting prevention program, the background, structure, content, and future evaluation of which are presented in this paper. We have proposed a program that needs to be evaluated to train psychologists, parents, and students in order to prevent the negative consequences of sexting and to develop resources for dealing with it.

ABSTRACT Prior research has mainly focused on why individuals are engaging in sexting. However, little is known about sexting in intimate relationships, particularly sexting coercion. This study examined sexting coercion using social learning theory in a sample of young adults who had experience with a romantic relationship (N = 315, aged 14–28 years, 67.94% female). Individuals completed the sexting coercion scale and the social learning scale online. The results showed that over 33% of the respondents reported being victims of sexting coercion in an intimate relationship, while about 28% of them had perpetrated sexting coercion. The results suggest that sexting coercion in an intimate relationship is significantly predicted by differential association, differential reinforcement, and imitation. The findings of this study highlight the importance of exposing youth to evidence-based preventive educational interventions on sexting from the earliest age, based on the constructs of social learning theory. Practice Impact Statement The findings of this study of sexting coercion among young adults are relevant to educational programmes given recent evidence of the prevalence of sexting coercion victimisation and sexting coercion perpetration among youth in romantic relationships. The findings suggest that those who engage in sexting coercion use a social learning mechanism that should be considered when developing educational interventions to prevent sexting coercion.

One of the goals of research in the field of psychotherapy is to improve knowledge about processes and outcomes of psychotherapeutic treatments. Researchers and professionals have been discussing the best methods for evaluating the effectiveness and efficiency of psychotherapeutic treatments for many years. This paper aims to give an overview of the specifics of quantitative and qualitative research methods, by noting the advantages and disadvantages of these methods in the evaluation of psychotherapeutic treatments. Within the quantitative scientific research, three approaches are described: randomized controlled research, mood enhancement by psychoanalytic and cognitive therapies, and meta-analysis. The most common collection methods (observation, interview, other verbal techniques and visual approaches to data collection) and data analysis (comprehensive process analysis, consensual qualitative research and grounded theory) are described within a qualitative scientific methodology. Finally, an approach related to integration of qualitative and quantitative methodology, as well as this related with application of case studies in the evaluation of psychotherapeutic treatments are described. Scientists and professionals in the field of social sciences should use both quantitative and qualitative research methods, separately or in combination, depending on the goal and problems of the research.

Objective − The aim of this research was to evaluate the physical and mental health of emerging adults who lost a parent before the age of 18, and to examine the predictors of satisfaction with physical and mental health. Materials andMethods − The subjects who participated in this study were emerging adults (18-29 years of age) from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia. For this study, the equivalent pairs method was used - participants who had experienced the death of a parent were matched with those who had not experienced such a loss in relation to the variables of sex, age, and socioeconomic status, comprising a sample of 29 pairs, i.e., 58 subjects - 50 women and 8 men. The research was conducted via an online questionnaire. Participants completed the Psychosomatic Symptoms Questionnaire, CORE-OM questionnaire for evaluation of general psychopathological difficulties, and were asked to rate their satisfaction with their physical and mental health.Results − The results show no statistically significant difference between the two groups in the levels of satisfaction with physical health, the presence of physical symptoms, and the presence of general psychopathological difficulties. A statistically significant difference was found between the groups in the level of satisfaction with mental health - those who had experienced the loss of a parent reported lower satisfaction with their mental health. The experience of the loss of a parent explained their mental health satisfaction level, above the results of the standardized measures of mental health.Conclusion − The results indicate the need for assessing levels of satisfaction with mental health beyond the assessment of levels of general psychopatological symptoms when working with adults who experienced the early death of a parent.