Archives of Sexual Behavior最新文献

Minority stress theory posits that discrimination contributes to increased distress among individuals with minoritized identities, including individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, and bisexual. Theory-driven studies have increasingly shown that intersectionality is critical to inform research on distress and discrimination among sexual minorities. Extant literature, however, has often examined discrimination and distress as homogeneous constructs. Overlooking nuances in specific forms of discrimination and distress may mask the potential effects of intersectionality in investigating sociodemographic factors that intersect with minoritization in sexual minority populations. Additionally, empirically deriving intersections among a broad set of sociodemographic factors in terms of their influences on discrimination and distress can offer new insights for population subgroups. The current study identified sociodemographic correlates (e.g., age cohort, race, gender identity, sexual identity, education, urbanicity, and poverty) related to patterns of specific distress and discrimination. These patterns are each related to subgroups within sexual minorities defined by intersections of these sociodemographic correlates. We applied a novel data mining method—the multivariate conditional inference tree—to a nationally representative sample of US adults of sexual minorities (N = 1518) from 2016 to 2018. We identified three groups—adults, adults in poverty, and bisexual and other sexual minority adults—that showed elevated patterns of minority stress. Theoretically, we found minority stress among sexual minority adults in the USA to be heterogeneous. Methodologically, we demonstrated that conditional inference tree modeling is an important tool to better position intersectionality studies moving forward to inform policy and intervention development.

Research indicates that pornography is not inherently harmful for the individual; however, many users consider their use to be problematic. The majority of research concerning problematic pornography use (PPU), often referred to as pornography addiction, discusses nomenclature rather than having an applied focus. Given the lack of theoretical development in this area, a constructivist grounded theory was undertaken with the aim of creating an understanding of the development and maintenance of PPU. All participants were required to have self-reported PPU and were recruited from online sources. A total of 258 journals of pornography use and 21 semi-structured interviews were completed. Five interlinked categories were constructed from the data. All participants were seen as having distinct problems prior to their self-reported PPU. Over time, their pornography use changed function, from enjoyment to using habitually, instrumentally, or as a form of emotional regulation. The participants’ discovery of “having PPU” occurred by proxy, through an external means. When participants reached out for information, they were met with an addiction narrative and consequently saw themselves as addicted to pornography. Once this narrative was internalized, the participants displaced their distinct problems, the participants now saw their main problem as addiction, rather than their preexisting distinct problems. This process of displacement was conceptualized as the core category in this grounded theory in that it led participants to committing to a mission, attempting to conquer their addiction. Having once embarked upon their mission, the underlying distinct problems became secondary to the participants, often seen as resulting from their pornography use. The constructivist grounded theory was situated within current theory and research. Some aspects of the grounded theory were judged as having similarities to existing theories, but when taken as a whole it is proposed that the grounded theory, with its focus upon displacement, is original, having clear implications for future research and clinical application.

A growing body of research suggests that males can have internalized sexualities such as autogynephilia (sexual attraction to the thought or image of oneself as female) which lead to the development of trans identity. Here I present evidence that females can have analogous internalized sexualities such as autoandrophilia (sexual attraction to the thought or image of oneself as male) which similarly lead to the development of trans identity. The case for female autoandrophilia presented here uses both direct and indirect lines of evidence. Female autoandrophilia is directly evidenced by cross-gender eroticism such as sexual arousal from dressing as male or imagining oneself as male. Qualitative evidence of cross-gender eroticism is found in firsthand narratives which depict female sexual interest in being male or masculine. Quantitative evidence of cross-gender eroticism is found in paraphilia prevalence surveys which reliably find that some females endorse measures of cross-gender eroticism. Indirect evidence for female autoandrophilia is found in the broader observation that some females report rarer forms of trans identity (e.g., animal identity) and eroticism consistent with internalized sexuality (e.g., sexual fantasies of being an animal), and that transgender identity arises among them at elevated rates. A simple, straightforward explanation for these various observations is that females can have internalized sexualities such as autoandrophilia which lead to corresponding forms of trans identity. Female autoandrophilia and male autogynephilia appear to be analogous forms of internalized heterosexuality—a type of sexuality which can collectively be described as autoheterosexuality (attraction to oneself as the other sex).

The kin selection hypothesis (KSH) proposes that same-sex attracted individuals offset their lowered direct reproduction via kin-directed altruism that increases close genetic relatives’ reproduction, thereby enhancing inclusive fitness. Retrospective research found that childhood concerns for kin’s well-being are elevated among birth-assigned males who are androphilic (i.e., sexually attracted to adult males) and are positively associated with childhood femininity. This pattern is posited to be a developmental precursor of avuncular/materteral tendencies in adulthood. Also, prior research indicates that male androphiles have elevated neuroticism, which is associated positively with attachment but negatively with prosocial behavior. Thus, neuroticism may promote a developmental disposition toward kin-directed altruism while inhibiting such tendencies in adulthood. Associations between femininity, childhood concerns for kin’s well-being, facets of neuroticism, and avuncular/materteral tendencies were examined in Thai individuals assigned male at birth (N = 776), including 315 heterosexual men, 232 gay men, and 229 sao praphet song (transfeminine androphiles). Avuncular/materteral tendencies were elevated among the androphilic groups in comparison with heterosexual men. Path analysis revealed that an anxiety-related facet of neuroticism and childhood femininity had indirect positive effects on avuncular/materteral tendencies through increased childhood concerns for kin’s well-being. Adulthood femininity and emotional stability (which is contra to neuroticism) had direct positive effects on avuncular/materteral tendencies. The findings support the KSH, align with previous literature on developmental precursors for kin-directed altruism, and suggest that neuroticism is relevant to consider when testing this hypothesis.

Most self-reported victims of child sexual abuse are harmed by peers or known older youth. Among youth who cause harm, the average age of first-time sexual perpetration is between 11 and 16 years. In this study, we describe the creation of a social media campaign strategy to engage young people with questions about their sexual thoughts, behaviors, or interests in US-based helpline services. The campaign consisted of eight youth-focused advertisements to promote awareness of the WhatsOK.org site and helpline services. Advertisements were posted to Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok. We examined the success of the campaign in reaching and engaging young people (as measured by impressions, reach, and engagement) as well as the advertisement cost to accomplish each across as a 26-month study period (October 2021 to December 2023). The campaign was viewed over 8.2 million times by over 6 million young people. Advertisements were clicked or swiped over 100,000 times with an overall ratio of clicks to views (click-thru-rate) of 1.26%. Most (79%) of the 76,766 WhatsOK.org website users came directly from clicked advertisements. The cost of reaching young people through advertisement is relatively low, with impressions (i.e., views of an ad) averaging < $.01 USD each and clicks/swipes (i.e., engaging with an ad) averaging $.22 USD. Advertising cost to yield a single ad-linked web user was $.38 USD. This study illustrates that young people with concerns about their sexual interests and/or behaviors can be reached via social media advertisements and these advertisements can be effective drivers of help-seeking behavior. Support in reaching young people who may benefit from the resource from social media platforms will be critical to the success of prevention programs serving these youth.