About 1 in 7 American teens with cellphones say they have received nude or nearly nude photos by text message, according to a new survey on the phenomenon known as "sexting."

Helping to define the little-understood trend in teen life, the poll found that 15 percent of adolescents ages 12 to 17 have received sexually suggestive photos or videos on their personal cellphones. Just 4 percent acknowledged sending out a naked image.

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Overall, the poll may offer relief to some parents in its finding that a majority of teens are not passing along nude images.

But school and safety officials warn that parents should be vigilant in monitoring how their teens use technology. And researchers say sexting has clearly become a part of teen culture and may have unintended consequences . "It's a part of teens' lives. It's something they deal with, they grapple with, they talk about," says Amanda Lenhart, senior research specialist at Pew. "Even though the numbers are quite low, I think it is an important issue to be talking about."

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