Adult attachment and sexting in Chinese college students’ romantic relationships

This study investigated the mediating role of loneliness in the relationship between attachment styles and sexting among Chinese college students in romantic relationships. Participants comprised 656 college students who completed surveys measuring attachment styles, sexting, and loneliness. Results were as follows: (a) attachment anxiety was positively correlated with sexting, (b) attachment avoidance was negatively correlated was sexting, (c) loneliness mediated the associations between attachment styles and sexting, and (d) the indirect effect of loneliness in the relationship between attachment anxiety and sexting was stronger than that in the relationship between attachment avoidance and sexting. These findings expand the understanding of the psychological mechanisms at play in the relationship between adult attachment and sexting by introducing a theoretical framework that incorporates uses and gratification theory. This study also provides practical insights for sex education providers that can empower students with information regarding the psychological motivations and physical risks related to sexting.