Teenagers who text at least 120 times a day are more likely to have had sex or used alcohol and drugs than their peers who don’t send as many messages, according to provocative new research.
The study’s authors aren’t suggesting that “hyper-texting” leads to sex, drinking, or drugs, but they say it’s startling to see an apparent link between excessive messaging and risky behavior.
The study, involving confidential surveys of more than 4,200 students in the Cleveland area, found that those who text a minimum of 120 times a day are nearly 3 times more likely to have had sex than their peers who don’t text as much, and were more likely to have been in a physical fight, binge drink, or use illegal drugs.
