Sexting expectancies and psychological correlates of sexting behavior among Indian young adults: a cross-sectional study

Background Sexting is increasingly recognized as a common form of online sexual communication among young adults, with potential implications for intimacy, emotional wellbeing, and digital sexual safety. However, limited evidence exists regarding sexting expectancies and their psychological correlates among young adults in collectivistic sociocultural settings such as India. The present study explored sexting behaviors and expectancies among Indian young adults and examined their associations with impulsivity, psychological distress, and social media addiction. Methods The sample was comprised of 189 young adults (29.1% male and 70.9% female; age range 18–30 years). They were assessed using Sexting Behavior Scale (SBS), Sexting Expectancy Measure (SEM), UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale, Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21, and Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale. Results Approximately 41.3% of participants reported receiving sexting messages and 29.6% reported sending them. Although sexting behavior was associated with psychological distress and selected impulsivity dimensions, multiple regression analysis showed that positive sexting expectancy was a significant positive predictor of sexting behavior, whereas negative expectancy was a significant negative predictor. Stress was also a significant positive predictor, whereas the examined impulsivity dimensions were not statistically significant predictors in the regression model. Conclusion The findings suggest that sexting behavior among Indian young adults reflects the interplay of cognitive expectancies and psychological factors. They highlight the relevance of cognitive expectancies in understanding sexting behavior and suggest that preventive and clinical interventions may benefit from addressing sexting expectancies alongside psychological factors such as stress. Clinical trial number Not applicable.