Only 1% of children send messages, photos and videos of an intimate nature

A new study by scientists refutes the fact that the exchange of intimate photos between teenagers on the Internet or via mobile phones is widespread.

According to a nationally representative study, only 1% of children aged 10 to 17 have intimate photos of themselves or others.

The study was published in the journal Pediatrics.

Previous studies have shown significant prevalence of intimate information sharing among teenagers. The new study suggests that sharing text or sexually explicit photos among children and teenagers is quite rare.

"Teen sexting is minor, usually non-malicious, and not a cause for parental panic," said lead study author Kimberly Mitchell, a psychologist at the University of New Hampshire.

Previous reports have found that 1 in 5 young people, or 20%, have taken part in "sexting." But this study included older teens and people in their 20s. And some young people defined "sexting" as text messages of a sexual nature without photos or underwear images.

An Associated Press-MTV online poll found that 7 percent of 14- to 17-year- olds have sent intimate photos of themselves to others.

The latest study looks exclusively at the sharing of intimate photos between children.

The researchers also conducted a separate study of the relationship between law enforcement and teen sexting. Contrary to some reports, the study suggests that few children are prosecuted or are sex offenders. The study estimates that about 4,000 cases of teen sexting were reported to police nationwide in 2008 and 2009.

The authors added that most children who took part in the exchange of explicit sexual photographs did so:

• As a prank
• At the time when they were in a close relationship
• Under the influence of alcohol or drugs (31%)

Just over one-third of these cases resulted in arrests. About one-third of all cases involved juveniles; adults were more likely to be arrested.

Research shows that sexting can range from minor incidents to malicious cases with serious consequences.

For example, one case involved a 10-year-old boy who sent pictures of his genitals to an 11-year-old girl via mobile phone. The girl's mother called the police. The boy was subsequently questioned by the police, who concluded that the child did not understand the extent of his actions and left the matter to the parents to resolve.

Another case involved a 16-year-old girl who accidentally posted a nude photo of herself on a social network. A 16-year-old boy from her school found the photo and distributed it to 100 people when she refused to forward him more intimate photos when he asked. As a result, the boy was charged with a criminal offense and placed on probation.

"The results suggest that police are not overly strict in their response to teen sexting," said Janice Walack, lead author of the second study. "Some incidents that are not criminal are distressing and alarming and require parental intervention."

In the first study, researchers interviewed 1,560 children by phone with parental permission between August 2010 and January 2011. The second study relied on questionnaires from nearly 3,000 police departments and follow-up telephone interviews with investigators about sexting cases handled in 2008 and 2009.

"Exploring your sexuality is a normal behavior for teenagers and taking pictures of yourself and others is one way to learn about yourself," Walack said.

Dr. Victor Strasburger, a medical expert at New Mexico State University, said parents and law enforcement "need to understand that teenagers are neurologically programmed to do stupid things." Their brains are not mature enough to fully understand the consequences of their actions, including sexting.

The expert denies the need for criminal liability for such actions and calls for greater involvement of parents, who should develop morality and responsibility in their children.

* Sexting - sending messages, photos and videos of an explicit nature