Motivations for Nonuniversity-Based Adults Who Sext Their Relationship Partners

Abstract Little is known about motivations of adults who sext their relationship partners. Participants (N = 126, 71 male) completed an online questionnaire to assess their motivations for sexting their current relationship partner(s). The results of a MANOVA indicated the overwhelming motivation was to initiate sexual behaviors for all groups. Other motivations of instrumental/aggressive reasons were significantly higher for heterosexual men, and body image reinforcement was significantly higher for sexual-minority men. With results indicating the main motivation to sext was to initiate sexual behaviors, the potential of using sexting as an intervention to increase sexual intimacy in relationships is discussed.

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