Cybersex activity, self-control, and premarital sexual behaviors among adolescents

Rapidly growing internet use among adolescents had positive and negative effects. It offers benefits, such as facilitating communication, but it also has negative impacts, including premarital sexual behaviors. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between cybersex activity and premarital sexual behaviors, as well as the association between self-control and premarital sexual behaviors in adolescents. The research employed a descriptive-analytic approach with a cross-sectional design, and the total sample consisted of 147 adolescents. The independent variables were cybersex activity and self-control, while the dependent variable was premarital sexual behaviors. The instruments used were the Internet Sex Screening Test (ISST), the Self-Control Scale (SCS), and the Adolescent Sexual Activity Index (ASCI). Data were analyzed using the Spearman correlation test. The majority of students involved in cybersex activities were at-risk users: 43.5% (64 respondents) had low self-control, and 27.2% (40 respondents) reported having early sexual activity. Additionally, there was a significant relationship between cybersex activity and premarital sexual behaviors (p=0.001) and between self-control and premarital sexual behaviors (p=0.001). These findings underscore the necessity of promoting positive internet usage among adolescents to mitigate cybersex activity, as it correlates with premarital sexual behaviors. Parents can encourage adolescents to have good self-control to avoid premarital sexual behaviors. Further, educators and policymakers can use these findings to develop programs that teach teenagers responsible internet use, enhance their self-control, and promote safe online behavior. Additionally, they can incorporate lessons and establish rules that support healthy internet habits.