Electronic media, the Internet and mobile have become frequently used resources among youth. In a time of rapid development of technology, relatively new behaviors of youth are emerging. One of the new patterns of behavior that requires a deeper understanding is sexting. Sexting is a phenomenon that has caught the attention of scientists in recent years. This is an extremely propulsive research area, as evidenced by the fact that in 2009, 11 scientific studies on sexting were published, and by 2013, the total number of scientific studies published in this field of sexting has increased to 1750. Despite the growing number of research in this area in the world and slightly weaker in our country, this topic is only in the beginnings of systematic research and needs to be approached by multidimensional operationalization of sexting, testing of theoretical concepts and carrying out clearer and better methodology in line with research problems. This project plans to approach sexting research, relying on existing theories and more complex methodological approaches by exploring the nature and psycho (bio) determinants of sexting in the period from early adolescence to early adulthood in two countries, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia. This is the cross-cultural research that will comprehensively examine the potential motivational determinants of sexting during the early adolescence and early adulthood period using a complex theoretical framework and mixed methodology. Combining qualitative and quantitative methodology, with longitudinal monitoring of two independent samples, high school and university adolescents from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia, will enable a more thorough insight into the nature and determinants of sexting in two different cultures, as well as capture the dynamics of sexting, which will enable analysis of correlates of inter-individual and its intra-individual determinants. Unlike previous studies, the proposed research will include different measures of sexting and examine the role of individual factors based on biological approaches. With these analyses based on biological approach it will also be possible to verify mutual influence of technology, maturation and other factors on neurobiological changes. To our knowledge, there are no such findings in the field of sexting.

This study is innovative in four aspects. First, the focus is on issues arising from social trends related to the development of technology and its impact on youth. The proposed study, which involves two different age groups from different cultures with an emphasis on their longitudinal monitoring, will certainly enrich current knowledge about the experience of youth in sexting and the mechanisms of sexting. So far, there are relatively few cross-cultural sexting studies covering both developmental period, adolescence, and early adulthood. We expect that this research will help us to better understand the factors that determine adolescent and youth behavior, from two different cultural backgrounds, to participate in sexting and advance existing theoretical models. Second, the importance of proposal is also reflected in the use of exploratory sequential design and innovative approaches to assess sexting and its determinants (eg, online focus groups, ecological momentary assessment, neuropsychological measures, and physiological measure), contributing to a clearer and more comprehensive understanding of the sexting, or improved operationalization of sexting, development and testing new instruments, replicating findings, and quantifying interaction effects of the determinants of sexting. Third, in addition to theoretical implication, the research has significant practical implications. We expect that the findings of the research will provide the information needed to implement education and health policy in creating effective interventions and prevention in the area of sexual behavior of youth. Fourth, the realization of the research will contribute to the creation of a stimulating environment that will enable scientists to improve the quality of the research carried out, increase the number of published publications, and include them in future mutual research projects.