ABSTRACT Drawing from expectancy-value theory, the current study documented expected likelihoods (i.e., expectancies) of orgasm, non-orgasmic sexual pleasure, and emotional closeness during sex with a romantic partner, then tested their causal roles In sexual desire. Participants (N = 582, 50.3% women) were drawn from college student and online samples of young adults in the US. Expectancies were high

ABSTRACT Once perceived as a means for those unsuccessful at traditional dating, online dating has become normalized as a way to seek sexual or romantic partners. In 2019, we interviewed 40 British adults on the role of digital technologies in their sexual lives; this paper draws on the accounts of 22 who had used such technologies for seeking partners. We analyzed qualitative accounts of online partner

ABSTRACT Approximately a decade ago, Wright and colleagues published three studies probing the nature of the relationship between heterosexual U.S. adults’ attitudes toward homosexuality and pornography consumption. Adopting an “effects” perspective (while acknowledging the nonexperimental nature of their data), they reasoned that pornography use could either lead to more antagonistic attitudes (by

ABSTRACT Advocates argue that sexual safety, access to sexuality-related services, sexual health and well-being, sexual privacy, and sexual autonomy are universal and inalienable rights of all people. However, for those relegated to the social, economic, and political margins, their sexual rights can only be secured with the support of others. In the current study, we examined whether a sample of 307

ABSTRACT Measuring sexual assault experiences is considered a methodological challenge in survey research. Researchers can test the validity of sexual assault measures by comparing responses to different, albeit related, measures of sexual assault to determine if they identify similar groups of women. The goal of this study was to compare two measures of sexual assault victimization to determine if

ABSTRACT Progress toward establishing the effectiveness of biopsychosocial treatment for patients with sexual problems is limited by the lack of brief measurement tools assessing change across various domains of the treatment model. We developed and psychometrically validated a new clinical evaluation tool, the Sexual Function Evaluation Questionnaire (SFEQ) to meet this gap. The SFEQ combines into

ABSTRACT Although the quantity of pornography use (QPU, i.e., frequency/time spent on pornography use) has been positively associated with the severity of pornography use (i.e., problematic pornography use, PPU), the magnitudes of relationships have varied across studies. This meta-analysis aimed to assess the overall relationships and identify potential moderating variables to explain the variation

ABSTRACT Sexual scripts serve as cognitive representations of typical elements of sexual interactions that guide sexual behavior. To the extent that cognitive scripts for consensual sex comprise elements associated with a risk of experiencing nonconsensual sex, they may be indirectly linked to sexual victimization via risky sexual behavior. A longitudinal study with 2,425 college students in Germany

ABSTRACT Although paraphilic interests represent significant risk factors for recidivism among sexual offenders, little is known about the magnitude of concordance between paraphilic interests and behaviors in the general population. The goal of this follow-up study was to conduct secondary analyses based on a sample of 1040 adults (475 men; 565 women) recruited in the general population. Levels of

ABSTRACT Public reaction to Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court of the United States initially centered around abortion. However, approximately two months after the nomination, sexual assault accusations against Kavanaugh were made public. We examined the extent that people’s perceptions of Kavanaugh’s stance on abortion and people’s attitudes toward whether Kavanaugh committed sexual

ABSTRACT Using data from the third British National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal-3) we examined associations between salivary testosterone (Sal-T) and sexual function and behavior. Single morning saliva samples were self-collected from a subsample of participants aged 18–74 years and analyzed using mass spectrometry. 1,599 men and 2,123 women were included in the analysis (40.6%

ABSTRACT Female sex workers (FSW) often face severe stigma and discrimination and are extremely vulnerable to HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. In the fields of HIV and mental health, internalized stigma is associated with poor health care engagement. Due to the lack of valid, standardized measures for internalized sex work-related stigma, its dimensions and role are not well-understood

ABSTRACT Whom we date and are intimate with is structured by race and racism. Recent research has focused on “personal preference” discourse and sexual stereotyping to highlight how and why race and racism affect online and offline interactions. Yet relatively less work focuses on racial fetishization – race-based fixation on a bodily part or characteristic that involves both idolization and demonization

ABSTRACT Romania is a major source country of labor migration to other EU countries, being commonly perceived as a source country for sex workers operating in more prosperous economies. However, very little is known about population attitudes in relation to prostitution in Romania. Based on nationally representative data from the Romanian Gender Barometer (2018) survey, we analyzed data on 860 individuals

ABSTRACT In long-term care facilities where older adults may reside, negative attitudes about later life sexuality can result in restrictive facility policies and staff behaviors that suppress residents’ rights to sexual expression. No assessment instrument specifically focuses on the sexual behaviors of long-term care residents and existing measures of attitudes toward older adult sexuality do not

ABSTRACT Although not all couples achieve high levels of sexual satisfaction during pregnancy, evidence of variability in couple sexual satisfaction during pregnancy indicates that sexual dissatisfaction in pregnancy does not apply to all. Subsequently, the current study examined whether a nationally representative U.S. sample of wives and husbands (N = 523 couples) fell into subgroups in terms of

ABSTRACT Research has identified power/dominance and sexual arousal as key motivators of men’s sexual aggression; however, little research has examined the interplay of these two factors in alcohol-involved sexual aggression. Two alcohol administration experiments investigated the roles of power-related sex motives and power- and sexual arousal-related emotions on men’s sexual aggression intentions

ABSTRACT This article presents the findings of a systematic review of the empirical literature related to Black American same-sex couples (BASCs). We found 16 articles that met inclusion criteria. Most articles were published in journals that focused on interdisciplinary studies, HIV/AIDS, and couples and families’ studies. Approximately 63% of the articles reported external funding support. However

ABSTRACT The degree to which an identity is an important aspect of one’s self-concept (i.e., identity centrality) relates to both health and prejudice experiences of minority groups. Individuals with greater levels of identity centrality view their world through the lens of that identity. This allows them to engage in more positive identity-relevant experiences. However, it could also heighten their

ABSTRACT Infidelity can be a disruptive event in a romantic relationship with a devastating impact on both partners’ well-being. Thus, there are benefits to identifying factors that can explain or predict infidelity, but prior research has not utilized methods that would provide the relative importance of each predictor. We used a machine learning algorithm, random forest (a type of interpretable highly

ABSTRACT Lifestyle changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic had mostly negative consequences for individual, relationship, and sexual functioning. However, some individuals have reported increases in sexual desire and made new additions to their sex lives. Given that stress-provoking situations can sometimes make mortality more salient and heighten sexual desire, it is possible that lifestyle changes

ABSTRACT Sexual harassment and its negative consequences continue to affect a large percentage of higher education students in the US. Previous research has identified a limited number of harassment risk factors, and has generally not examined them in combination. In this study, an expanded set of individual, relationship, and community-level risk factors were examined using hurdle models and classification

ABSTRACT Latinx sexual and gender minority individuals are at increased risk for engaging in risky sexual behavior given the intersection of their sexual orientation and ethnic identities. Many studies have found that sexual and gender minority Latinx folks experience nonacceptance and discrimination from within their families due to their identity. However, none have explored how underlying familial

(2021). Editor’s Introduction. The Journal of Sex Research: Vol. 58, No. 7, pp. 817-817.

ABSTRACT In 2012, the U.S. FDA approved the first drug for use as HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), which is nearly 99% effective when taken as prescribed. Although the manifest function of PrEP is to prevent HIV infection in the event of exposure, the drug has also had a significant impact on various facets of sexuality. In this review, we focus on research that emerged in the near decade since

ABSTRACT Sexting in young adolescents may be an online form of early sexual debut. We assess the link between potentially problematic sexting (i.e., pressured and receiving unwanted sexts) with known risky behaviors (i.e., substance use and early sexual behavior) among middle school students aged 12 and under. The ethnically diverse sample consisted of 1131 youth (53% female) enrolled in the 7th grade

ABSTRACT Sexual minority men (SMM) are at increased risk for mental health problems due to effects of sexual minority stigma (e.g., internalized homonegativity (IH)). Both IH and emotion dysregulation are contributors to sexual compulsivity; however, the role of feelings of sexual shame have not been examined in this association. A sample of 982 HIV-negative SMM completed online surveys (Mage = 42

ABSTRACT Sugar dating is a form of dating typically characterized by wealthier, older men providing financial support to younger, less financially secure women in exchange for companionship and sexual intimacy. The goals of the current study were to (1) quantitatively assess the sexual practices of sugar dating women in their arrangements with sugar daddies, including time spent on sexual activity

ABSTRACT First sex is an important event in an individual’s sexual development. Previous literature has, however, primarily investigated first heterosexual sex, overlooking important contextual factors specific to same-sex/gender sexual experiences. Seventeen in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and other sexual minority (LGB+) individuals, ages 18–23 years

ABSTRACT Regulatory focus theory contends that when making decisions people are either more inclined to focus on avoiding negative consequences (more prevention-focused) or achieving pleasurable outcomes (more promotion-focused). Some research suggests that regulatory focus is related to health behaviors, although this has not been thoroughly investigated in the sexual health domain. The purpose of

ABSTRACT This study tested adolescent sexual behavior patterns at age 14, their association with mental health at age 17 (psychological well-being, substance use, and self-harm attempts), and the influence of early life adversities upon this association. A British birth cohort (5,593 boys and 5,724 girls from the Millennium Cohort Study) was used. Latent class analysis suggested five subgroups of adolescent

ABSTRACT In an online survey of 274 self-identified child-attracted persons (CAPs), we examined the attraction ratings given to sets of 9 physical and 12 psychological features of children, and asked CAPs to identify additional features that were not listed. We also examined the relationships between these attraction ratings and attraction to children dimensions (age mono-/polymorphism, exclusivity

ABSTRACT Our grounded theory analysis derives from in-depth interviews conducted with 24 gay, bisexual, queer, and other men who have sex with men (GBM) living in Toronto, Canada, to understand their experiences of sexual coercion. Participants drew on discourse from the #MeToo movement to reconsider the ethics of past sexual experiences. The idea that gay or queer sex is inherently risky and unique

ABSTRACT While the sexual acceptability of contraception – or, the impact of contraceptive methods on individuals’ sexual experiences – is a growing area of research, less frequently do studies engage the importance of individual emotions around sex when it comes to perceptions of sexual acceptability. Building on Higgins and Smith’s model of sexual acceptability and drawing upon insights from the

ABSTRACT Young people describe refusing sexual activity as difficult or embarrassing; however, what specific internal feelings young adults associate with refusing sexual activity is unclear. We assessed the positive and negative internal feelings related to refusing different sexual behaviors using sentiment analysis. We also examined if positive and negative internal refusal feelings varied by gender

ABSTRACT Erectile dysfunction (ED) has been shown to have a considerable impact on romantic relationships. The purpose of the present research was to examine whether the associations that ED had with men’s mate retention behaviors, partner-directed insults, partner-directed violence, and injuries inflicted on the partner were mediated by suspicious jealousy but not reactive jealousy. These associations

ABSTRACT Sexual violence, comprising all non-consensual sexual acts, is an important driver of HIV infection in sub-Saharan Africa. Definitions of sexual violence rely on understandings of sexual consent, understood as a feeling of willingness that is communicated via shared indicators of consent. In this paper, through analysis of young authors’ narrative-based social representations, we sought to

ABSTRACT Sexual role preference or self-label (i.e., top, versatile, or bottom) has been well studied in samples of sexual minority men (SMM) but lacks research among adolescent sexual minority men (ASMM). In response, data were collected from 302 ASMM (15–18 years old), measuring sexual self-label, relationship and sexual experience, sexually explicit media use, use of geosocial networking applications

ABSTRACT With the emergence and global proliferation of “sugar dating” websites, the phenomenon of sugar dating is gaining increased attention. Sugar dating is described by these websites as arrangements based on an exchange of financial or other forms of support for intimacy and companionship. The framing of sugar dating as something in between a business transaction and mutually enjoyable dating

ABSTRACT This national web-population study from Norway (N = 4,148) assessed 1) the prevalence of BDSM and role-play interests and behaviors, 2) the socio-demographic characteristics of the BDSM-oriented participants, and 3) the associations between a) BDSM and b) role-play interests and behaviors, and sexual satisfaction, relationship satisfaction, and relationship closeness. Over one in three study

ABSTRACT Sexual responding in transgender people has typically been investigated from a medical and functional perspective. Aligning with the biopsychosocial model, it is however equally important to consider psychological aspects of sexuality in this population. We propose that the Sexual Self-Concept (SSC) theory offers a valuable framework to understand (sexual) wellbeing in transgender people,

ABSTRACT Many young adults report poor sexual function, but research typically fails to consider relationship context and how problems might evolve over time. Research is needed to provide insights into how sexual problems are experienced across relationships, as well as the types of sexual function problems associated with various trajectories. We investigated retrospective trajectories of sexual

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to examine Norwegians’ reports of seven varied sexual acts. Data were obtained from a questionnaire survey of a probability-based web sample of 2,181 men and 1,967 women aged 18–89 years. Among seven acts of sexual variety, the most common sexual experiences were trying to watch pornography with a partner, engaging in sex in unusual places, and using sex toys

ABSTRACT Women with eating disorders experience difficulties related to sexual activity, yet little is known about the indirect association between eating disorders and sexual satisfaction. This study examined the indirect association between eating disorders and sexual satisfaction using body image self-consciousness during physical intimacy and dissociation as mediators. Online questionnaires were

ABSTRACT Sex-related cannabis expectancies have been found to be associated with intentions to use cannabis, cannabis use, and sexual behavior. However, the construct of sex-related cannabis expectancies has been adapted from research with limited examination of the scales themselves. We tested (N = 350 adolescents age 13–17; N = 929 young adults age 18–29) measurement invariance of a sex-related cannabis

ABSTRACT Prostate cancer treatments disrupt receptive anal intercourse (RAI) for gay and bisexual men (GBM). Sexual dysfunction following prostate cancer treatment may include severe pain in the anorectum during RAI (i.e., anodyspareunia). The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of prostate cancer and its treatments on RAI among GBM. Data were from a cross-sectional online survey of 100

ABSTRACT Research shows that the female relatives of androphilic (i.e., sexually attracted to adult males) males have more children than the female relatives of gynephilic (i.e., sexually attracted to adult females) males. The mechanisms by which this occurs are unclear. The hypergyny hypothesis suggests that the female relatives of androphilic males have elevated attractiveness which allows them to

ABSTRACT Despite sexual activity being safe for the majority of expectant couples (i.e., the pregnant individual and their partner), negative attitudes toward having sex during pregnancy are common and are related to lower sexual well-being across this vulnerable life period. Using dyadic response surface analysis in a sample of 254 first-time expectant couples, we examined the degree to which expectant

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to evaluate the acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary efficacy of using an online educational resource that presents research-informed strategies for women’s pleasure, OMGyes.com, as a resource to empower women to broaden the ways in which they understand, advocate for, and enjoy sexual pleasure. A cohort of 870 adult women was given access to OMGyes.com

ABSTRACT Past research on virginity loss definitions revealed that emerging adults’ definitions of virginity loss are associated with emerging adults’ own sociodemographic characteristics. However, previous research has not systematically studied whether emerging adults applied different criteria for virginity loss depending on the context of the judged behavior. The current study used vignettes to

ABSTRACT Next to its benefits for HIV prevention, PrEP may have psychosocial benefits relating to improved quality of sex life. The aim of the current study was to investigate the onset of changes in the quality of sex life and sexual pleasure of PrEP users in the first months of commencing PrEP use. Moreover, we investigated what factors were related to the quality of sex life of PrEP users. We recruited

ABSTRACT Research evidence of the attributes of sexual boredom is extremely limited. Understanding variability in the experience of sexual boredom may offer relevant insights for the field of human sexuality. This study aimed to explore the co-occurrence of sexual boredom and other sexuality-related dimensions. The sample consisted of 1021 participants aged between 18 and 75 years old (M = 32.68, SD = 8

ABSTRACT Parent-adolescent sexual health communication (SHC) is a protective factor that can reduce adverse adolescent sexual health outcomes, and the frequency, quality, and content of SHC predicts its effectiveness. However, research on this topic has been limited in scope, overwhelmingly focused on mothers; and often has only included the parent or adolescent perspective, not both members of the

ABSTRACT Sexual role identities for anal sex and anal sex positionings are often conflated in research. This study aimed to identify profiles of sexual minority men based on sexual role identity and anal sex positioning and determine correlates of these profiles, including individual (i.e., HIV-status identity, condom use, partner type, sexual orientation) and cultural (i.e., same-race partnering,

ABSTRACT Abortion has been alternately legalized and criminalized, tacitly approved of, and stigmatized, in various settings over time. The contours of its treatment are dependent on social and political contexts, including concern over women’s sexuality, but it is not clear that existing conceptual frameworks enable expansive examination of the relationship between abortion and sexuality. We conduct

(2021). Christine Elizabeth Kaestle: January 28, 1972 to July 16, 2020. The Journal of Sex Research: Vol. 58, No. 7, pp. 914-914.

ABSTRACT We examined if motives for security (i.e., prevention focus) or pleasure (i.e., promotion focus) were uniquely associated with intentions to get tested for STIs and behavioral control over condom use, over and above variables already identified in theoretical models. We conducted an online survey with Portuguese adults (N = 836; Mage = 22.27, SD = 5.14). Overall, 99.4% of the participants

(2021). Correction. The Journal of Sex Research: Vol. 58, No. 9, pp. W1-W2.

ABSTRACT Adolescent sexual development is informed by individual, relational, generational, institutional, and cultural perspectives. Families matter: they are the social institution at the intersection of adolescent development and broader social systems, charged with the responsibility for rearing children and adolescents to adulthood. This narrative review maps insights from family theory and research

ABSTRACT Accurate, reliable self-reports of sexual behavior are a crucial component of valid HIV risk-estimation and behavioral intervention evaluation, yet this data’s reliability remains understudied. The goal of this study was to describe interpartner agreement on recent receptive anal intercourse (AI) and condomless receptive AI frequencies, among a sample of male couples. We quantified interpartner