Does body dissatisfaction influence sexting behaviors in daily life?

Background: The current study explores the effect of body dissatisfaction (both stable, trait-level and specific, state-based instances in daily life) on sexting behaviors, and the impact of sending and receiving sexts on body dissatisfaction levels in daily life. Method: One hundred and forty-seven women aged 18–42 years completed baseline measures of body dissatisfaction and sexting (i.e., trait-level), and took part in a 7-day experience sampling period measuring sexting behaviors and body dissatisfaction 10 times daily (state-level data). Results: No relationship was found between trait body dissatisfaction and general tendency to send sexts. However, participants were less likely to sext in general or as a result of pressure when they experienced heightened states of body dissatisfaction. When participants sent or received sexts, they experienced a momentary decrease in body dissatisfaction states. Conclusion: Affective factors associated with sexting behaviors may prove useful for understanding what perpetuates and prevents sexting.