Understanding the longitudinal continuity of defending behavior against non-consensual sexting among adolescents: The role of empathy and perceived school climate

Previous research has highlighted the crucial role of bystander intervention in mitigating the spread of harmful content and reducing victim impact in the context of non-consensual sexting. This two-wave longitudinal study examined the continuity of adolescents' defending behaviors over one yea...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Villa Henao, Daniela, Wachs, Sebastian, Rey Alamillo, Rosario del, Mora Merchán, Joaquín Antonio
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2026
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Sevilla (US)
Repositorio:idUS. Depósito de Investigación de la Universidad de Sevilla
OAI Identifier:oai:dnet:idus________::17a17174afed04bd15732a7e7c7d4510
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/11441/185692
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2026.102137
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Non-consensual sexting
Defending behavior
Empathy
School climate
Adolescents
Descripción
Sumario:Previous research has highlighted the crucial role of bystander intervention in mitigating the spread of harmful content and reducing victim impact in the context of non-consensual sexting. This two-wave longitudinal study examined the continuity of adolescents' defending behaviors over one year, and the influence of empathy and perceived school climate. The sample comprised 698 adolescents aged between 12 and 18 years (M = 14.10, SD =1.31), with a gender distribution of 50.5% boys (n = 349), 48.6% girls (n = 336), and 0.9% gender-diverse (n = 6). Participants completed self-report questionnaires assessing their defending behaviors against non- consensual sexting, empathy, school climate, and sociodemographic characteristics. Using structural equation modeling, results showed that defending behavior at Time 1 (T1) predicted defending at Time 2 (T2). Empathy and perceived school climate were positively associated with defending at (T2), and the model yielded statistically significant indirect effects linking T1 defending with T2 defending through these psychosocial variables. Gender-specific analyses revealed differentiated patterns for boys and girls. These findings underscore the importance of strengthening personal skills and supportive school environments to foster bystander intervention against non-consensual sexting. Practical implications suggest focusing on empathy development and positive school climate to address non-consensual sexting effectively.