Texting Leads to Sexing?

How is it possible that teenagers sending text messages and indulging in risky behavior such as sex, drinking, and drugs is related? A new study suggest that there is a link. Especially among "hyper-texters" who send out more than 120 text messages a day.

While 120 text messages at first look may seem substantial, it really isn't that alarming given the average day of a high-schooler. If the average teenager has eight hours from the time they get off of school until the time they go to bed then 120 messages equates to 15 messages per hour. This could well be a back and forth conversation with one friend.

The study, conducted with 4,200 students from 20 high schools in the Cleveland, Ohio area,  found that one in five students were "hyper-texters" and one in nine "hyper-networkers" who spend more than three hours a day on social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook.

Minorities, girls, and those whose parents have less education as well as teens living in single mother households were more likely to be "hyper-texters" or "hyper-networkers". Another study, done by a female psychiatrist, may explain the higher rate for girls. In her book, Dr. Luan Brizendine's findings show that women are three times more talkative than men.

Teenagers engaged in extra curricular activities, participating in sports, or various arts and classes are likely to be preoccupied. Students, whose parents are not able to afford the fees and cost associated with these classes are likely to find their social interaction through other means, texting and networking.

Could it be that the modern day "social butterfly" lives in a cocoon expressing themselves only through strokes of a keyboard, web chats, and tweets? Is this study simply stating that children who have enough time on their hands will find ways to entertain themselves and texting is just one way where sex, drinking and drugs possibly others?

In this era, where teenagers have embraced technology like no other, there is sure to be many studies on the social effects and trends of this "Electronic Generation".