Kristina Sesar

Policymakers seeking to limit climate change have many policy options to choose from, but in general, those popular with the public will be easier to enact and sustain. What then makes policies more or less popular? We propose that perceptions of policies’ consequences shape their relative popularity, and those perceptions are widely shared. We tested this theory in a study of 54 climate policies across 75 societies in all world regions (n = 14,053). Societies differ in overall support, yet they show close agreement about policies’ consequences, most importantly whether they are effective, fair, and low-cost. Together these perceived consequences predict which policies are globally popular (predictive R2 = 0.78 in leave-one-out cross-validation). An embedded experiment supports a causal interpretation: expert statements shift support to the extent that they shift perceived consequences. The experiment also reveals a communication dilemma: negative statements about consequences reduce support everywhere, whereas positive statements backfire in societies where institutional quality is low.

With the aim of reviewing previous approaches in the research on sexting among adolescents and young adults, a systematic search was conducted for English-language scientific papers published from 2009 to 2022 in databases such as Google Scholar, PsychINFO, ScienceDirect, ERIC, PubMed, ProQuest, MEDLINE, PsycARTICLES, ISI Web of Knowledge, and PsycEXTRA. An analysis of 57 scientific papers revealed a significant increase in the number of publications on sexting during this period, particularly in Europe. Predominantly, cross-sectional studies conducted via internet-based or paper-pencil surveys were found. Most studies were conducted among participants of both genders in late adolescence and young adulthood. Variations were noted in the definitions of sexting (the medium used, activities involved, characteristics, and sexual content features). Consent for involvement in sexting was examined in fewer studies, mostly in more recent research, along with understanding sexting behaviors through various theoretical concepts. In conclusion, definitions and measurements of sexting vary significantly among researchers, complicating the comparison of research results and the understanding of sexting as either developmentally acceptable or risky behavior. Researchers should focus on clearer operationalization of sexting to achieve more consistent results in future sexting research.

There is little research on sexting in the LGBTQ+ population, especially among LGBTQ+ adolescents and emerging adults who face particular challenges such as body image concerns. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate the role of body image factors (body surveillance, body shame, control beliefs) in predicting sexting motivations and behavior in LGBTQ+ youth, adolescents and emerging adults. A total of 847 LGBTQ+ individuals (366 adolescents and 481 emerging adults) from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia participated in the online study. The results suggest that, on average, LGBTQ+ adolescents are more motivated to sext than LGBTQ+ emerging adults, but do not differ in the frequency of sexting behavior. The body shame was significantly positively correlated with sexting motivation, while other body-related variables were not correlated with sexting (motivation and behavior). Additionally, among adolescents, control beliefs were negatively correlated with sexting motivation. The strength of these correlations differs between adolescents and emerging adults and is stronger in adolescents. The results of this study provide novel evidence of the complex interplay between body image and sexting motivation and behavior in adolescents and emerging adults, highlighting that body variables are generally more important for adolescents than for emerging LBTQ+.

Background: The proliferation of sexting among adolescents around the world today has woven a complex tapestry of sexual expression and exploration. However, its implications extend beyond consensual engagement, occasionally manifesting as a form of cyberviolence. Varied prevalence rates further complicate our understanding of the extent of youth sexting worldwide. Therefore, this study aims to provide a tool to measure sexting in young people from different countries by validating the Sexting Behaviours and Motives Questionnaire (SBM-Q), a comprehensive instrument that captures the diversity of consensual and non-consensual sexting behaviors and motives in different countries. Method: A total of 4739 students, aged 15 to 25, participated. They were from Spain (1563), Croatia (1598), and Bosnia and Herzegovina (1578). Confirmatory factor analyses and multigroup analyses were conducted. Results: The validity of the instrument was confirmed, endorsing its six-factor structure, which includes the dimensions of sending, reasons for sending, victimization by non-consensual forwarding, receiving, forwarding, and reasons for forwarding. Internal consistency across the three countries further underscores the robustness of the SBM-Q. Conclusions: This validated questionnaire provides a reliable measure for understanding sexting behaviors and motives in different countries. Cultural nuances are discussed.

Objective – This study examines the correlation between demographic characteristics (age and gender), attitudes toward sexting, and peer pressure and sexting behavior among adolescents.Materials and Methods – The current study was conducted among 359 adolescents ages 15-17 in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with data collected again one year after baseline. Participants completed questionnaires on demographic data, sexting behavior, attitudes toward sexting, and peer pressure.Results – Descriptive analyses showed that although adolescents have negative attitudes toward sexting, they do participate in sexting, reporting more receiving (62.95 % –64.06 %) than sending (30.91 % – 32.31 %) and posting (8.91 % – 8.63 %) sexts. Regression analysis revealed that age, gender, attitudes toward sexting and the influence of peer pressure in the fields of risky behavior and parental relationships are significant predictors of various types of sexting. Attitudes toward sexting and peer pressure to engage in risky behavior were also a predictor of sexting behavior one year later. Conclusion – The findings highlight the importance of addressing attitudes toward sexting and peer pressure in future preventive interventions related to sexting.

The purpose of this study was to compare attitudes toward sexting using vignettes. Participants were 49 university students (ages 19-26) who participated in five online focus group discussions and responded to five written vignettes describing sexting. The five vignettes about sexting were composed of five types of sexting experiences: 1) sexting under intimate partner pressure, 2) revenge sexting, 3) consensual sexting with intimate partner, 4) sexting under peer pressure, and 5) sexting to flirt with others. Students gave their opinions on the vignettes presented. Revenge sexting was perceived as a behaviour more negative than any other type of sexting experience. The vignette that depicted sexting with an intimate partner in a long-distance relationship was perceived as the least negative of all types of sexting. The results of this study aim to inspire future studies to use vignettes as a methodological tool to determine youths' attitudes, beliefs, and opinions about sexting.

Encouraged by increasing public and scientific attention, research has made great strides in recent years to improve our understanding of sexting. However, despite these advances, scientifically based and evaluated prevention strategies are not available and are still in development. There is a need to design sexting prevention strategies in order to implement and evaluate them. For this reason, we have developed a comprehensive sexting prevention program, the background, structure, content, and future evaluation of which are presented in this paper. We have proposed a program that needs to be evaluated to train psychologists, parents, and students in order to prevent the negative consequences of sexting and to develop resources for dealing with it.

One of the goals of research in the field of psychotherapy is to improve knowledge about processes and outcomes of psychotherapeutic treatments. Researchers and professionals have been discussing the best methods for evaluating the effectiveness and efficiency of psychotherapeutic treatments for many years. This paper aims to give an overview of the specifics of quantitative and qualitative research methods, by noting the advantages and disadvantages of these methods in the evaluation of psychotherapeutic treatments. Within the quantitative scientific research, three approaches are described: randomized controlled research, mood enhancement by psychoanalytic and cognitive therapies, and meta-analysis. The most common collection methods (observation, interview, other verbal techniques and visual approaches to data collection) and data analysis (comprehensive process analysis, consensual qualitative research and grounded theory) are described within a qualitative scientific methodology. Finally, an approach related to integration of qualitative and quantitative methodology, as well as this related with application of case studies in the evaluation of psychotherapeutic treatments are described. Scientists and professionals in the field of social sciences should use both quantitative and qualitative research methods, separately or in combination, depending on the goal and problems of the research.