Psychological and social impacts of the divulgation of intimate images in adolescence: a multiple case study

• Grant number: 19/20704-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2019
• End date: January 31, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Psychology - Human Development Psychology
• Principal Investigator: Alex Sandro Gomes Pessoa
• Grantee: Giovanna Maria Duarte
• Host Institution: Centro de Educação e Ciências Humanas (CECH). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Sexting is defined as a practice that includes posting, sharing, or sending sexually content messages or images. It may include the production and sharing of videos and photos of themselves or others in situations of nudity and/or sexual acts. Beyond the moralistic discourses, it is understood that the practice of sexting in adolescence may be associated with the initiation of sex life. In addition, it can be a way of exploring possibilities and sexual freedom, starting relationships, strengthening bonds of intimacy, or relating sexually. On the other hand, such practice may constitute a potent risk factor for the subjects who practice it, especially due to the possibility of unauthorized divulgation of intimate images. Based on these observations, the objective of this project is to analyze the motivations for sexting and the social and psychological impact of the divulgation of intimate images released without the consent of female adolescents. The research will be of a qualitative nature, in cross-sectional period, conducted from a multiple case study. The fieldwork will be done with four female adolescents, who were victims of the dissemination of intimate images without consent. The participants will be recruited from CREAS and the Judiciary System of a city in the interior of the state of São Paulo. For data collection will be used three instruments: Semi-structured Interview, Reflective Interviews and Focus Group. Data analysis will be done through Thematic Analysis and will be used Atlas IT software for corpus organization. The results obtained may provide important and little explored information about the motivation and social and psychological consequences that the leakage of intimate images can cause in adolescents' lives. It can also contribute to the understanding of risk and protection factors that victims have.