Sexting is associated with a range of negative outcomes among youth. While parents and caregivers can play a critical role in the prevention of youth risk behaviors, nationally representative research has yet to examine U.S. caregivers’ perceptions of youth’s sexting motivations to help inform sexting risk prevention efforts. Using 2018 and 2019 Fall ConsumerStyles online panel survey data (N = 1,034), this study estimated and examined U.S. caregivers’ perceptions of youth’s sexting motivations and the associations of such perceptions with concerns about their children (ages 10–17) getting and sharing sexts (sexual messages, photos, videos). Weighted percentages were calculated to describe caregivers’ perceptions of youth’s sexting motivations. Logistic regression analyses were performed to examine associations between caregivers’ perceptions and concerns about youth’s sexting. Results suggest that many caregivers perceive youth sext because they think it is harmless (72.79%), they want to be popular or boast (70.51%), they have low self-esteem (52.00%), and/or it is part of their sexual exploration process (49.05%). Fewer caregivers perceived that youth sext because they want revenge (21.80%) or to harm others (16.06%). Caregivers’ concerns about their children getting and sharing sexts were related to perceiving that youth sext because of low self-esteem, sexual exploration processes, or to harm others. The perception that youth sext because they want to be popular or boast was related to concern about youth getting but not sharing sexts. Odds of concern were significantly higher among caregivers from some racial/ethnic subgroups. Findings can inform sexting prevention efforts that include caregivers.

色情短信与青少年的一系列负面结果有关。虽然父母和看护人可以在预防青少年危险行为方面发挥关键作用，但具有全国代表性的研究尚未检查美国看护人对青少年发送色情短信动机的看法，以帮助为发送色情短信的风险预防工作提供信息。使用 2018 年和 2019 年秋季 ConsumerStyles 在线小组调查数据 （N = 1,034），本研究估计并检查了美国看护人对青少年发送色情短信动机的看法，以及这种看法与担心他们的孩子（10-17 岁）获得和分享 sexts（性信息、照片、视频）的关联。计算加权百分比以描述护理人员对青少年发送色情短信动机的看法。进行 Logistic 回归分析以检查照顾者的看法与对青少年色情短信的担忧之间的关联。结果表明，许多照顾者认为青少年性爱是因为他们认为这是无害的 （72.79%），他们想受欢迎或吹嘘 （70.51%），他们自尊心低 （52.00%），和/或它是他们性探索过程的一部分 （49.05%）。较少的照顾者认为青少年发短信是因为他们想要报复 （21.80%） 或伤害他人 （16.06%）。照顾者对他们的孩子获得和分享 sext 的担忧与认为青少年发送色情短信是因为自卑、性探索过程或伤害他人有关。认为年轻人发送性短信是因为他们想受欢迎或吹嘘，这与担心年轻人获得但不分享性爱有关。来自某些种族/族裔亚群体的护理人员的关注几率明显更高。调查结果可以为包括护理人员在内的色情短信预防工作提供信息。