Hopeful par-ents, a new study has bad news for you: According to a study of Los Angeles area youth ages 12 to 18, kids who "sext" are not using it as a replacement for actual sex. In fact, the study shows that those who admit to sexting are significantly more likely to also say they engage in sexual intercourse.
Researchers had won-dered if kids might use sexting as a safer but still thrilling activity without the risk of pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases.
That turned out not to be the case. In fact, the study found that kids who sext were a whopping seven times more likely to say they also had sex. This does not mean that sexting leads to sex - though that can't be ruled out, according to the research.
Instead, it means that sexting and sex form parts of "clustering of sexual-risk behaviours." Find one, and you'll likely find others.
The article, published online Monday in the journal Pediatrics, suggests sexual education programs in schools should take on the topic alongside other discussions of safe sex.
