Effects of Individual Difference Variables, Gender, and Exclusivity of Sexual Attraction on Volunteer Bias in Sexuality Research

(Dis)Similarities in Attitudes Between Partners About Women's Solo Masturbation: A Dyadic Approach to Solo Masturbation and Its Associations with Sexual Satisfaction

Attitudes among couples about women's solo masturbation are not well understood. The primary aim of this study was to assess (dis)similarities in attitudes between partners about women's solo masturbation and associations of each partner's attitudes with women's and their partners' sexual satisfaction. One hundred and four mixed-sex couples (M = 27.43 years), recruited through social networking websites and Prolific (an online research participant platform), completed an online survey about demographics, their experiences of solo masturbation, and validated measures of attitudes about women's masturbation and sexual satisfaction. Dyadic data were analyzed using correlational methods and the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model. Women and their partners reported similar and positive attitudes about women's solo masturbation. For women, reports of positive attitudes toward women's solo masturbation were associated with both their own and their partner's sexual satisfaction; there were no associations for men. The role of solo masturbation within romantic relationships is complex but our results support the idea that women's masturbation is now less stigmatized than commonly thought. Normalizing and including masturbation in the sexual script for individuals in relationships may help maximize their, and their partners,' sexual satisfaction.

Polycystic ovarian syndrome elevates the distress of sexual pain in Iranian women with infertility

BACKGROUND

Sexual dysfunction may lead to sexual distress in women with infertility, while polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) may escalate this distress. This study aimed to investigate the role of PCOS in the relationship between sexual dysfunction and sexual distress in Iranian women with infertility.

METHODS

The Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), Female Sexual Distress Scale-Revised (FSDS-R), and Depression and Anxiety modules of the DASS-21 were cross-sectionally investigated in 190 women with infertility (103 women with PCOS and 87 women without PCOS).

RESULTS

There were negative correlations between sexual function domains and sexual distress (P < .001) in the total sample. Moderation analysis revealed that higher levels of impaired desire, arousal, and pain elevated sexual distress in the PCOS group. After adjusting for depression and anxiety, only the association between sexual pain and sexual distress was moderated by PCOS condition (P = .008).

CONCLUSIONS

The findings suggest that impaired sexual function is associated with increased levels of sexual distress in infertile female patients. Importantly, comorbid PCOS renders patients susceptible to sexual distress where sexual pain is increased. Further research may shed light on the physiological, psychological, and relational aspects of sexual pain and associated distress in infertile female patients with comorbid PCOS.

Does the Paraphilia Scale Work for Everyone? Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Measurement Invariance Across Gender and Sexual Orientation Groups

We conducted three studies to examine the factor structure and measurement invariance of the Paraphilia Scale, a measure of paraphilic interests used in multiple studies. In the first study, we conducted a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) testing different a priori models with a community sample of 1,040 adults previously reported by Seto et al. (2021), and found support for a hierarchical four-factor model: An agonistic continuum involving coercion or physical pain (biastophilia, sexual sadism, masochism), chronophilias (pedophilia, hebephilia), courtship disorders (voyeurism, exhibitionism, and frotteurism), and fetishism (object fetishism, transvestic fetishism, urophilia-coprophilia). This factor structure was replicated in a second study comprising a combined sample of 400 mTurk participants and 870 university students. The third study analyzed the community sample and found evidence of configural invariance but not scalar or metric invariance across gender (man or woman) and sexual orientation for gender (heterosexual or other sexual orientation). This indicates that the factor structure of the Paraphilia Scale is robust for gender and sexual orientation for gender, but factor loadings differ across these groups, as do the loadings of individual items on the four factors. Implications for research on gender and sexual orientation differences in paraphilic interests are discussed.

Nonresponse data in sexual well-being among breast reconstruction patients-who are we overlooking?

BACKGROUND

Missing data can affect the representativeness and accuracy of survey results, and sexual health-related surveys are especially at a higher risk of nonresponse due to their sensitive nature and stigma. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the proportion of patients who do not complete the BREAST-Q Sexual Well-being relative to other BREAST-Q modules and compare responders versus nonresponders of Sexual Well-being. We secondarily examined variables associated with Sexual Well-being at 1-year.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of patients who underwent breast reconstruction from January 2018 to December 2021 and completed any of the BREAST-Q modules postoperatively at 1-year was performed.

RESULTS

The 2941 patients were included. Of the four BREAST-Q domains, Sexual Well-being had the highest rate of nonresponse (47%). Patients who were separated (vs. married, OR = 0.69), whose primary language was not English (vs. English, OR = 0.60), and had Medicaid insurance (vs. commercial, OR = 0.67) were significantly less likely to complete the Sexual Well-being. Postmenopausal patients were significantly more likely to complete the survey than premenopausal patients. Lastly, autologous reconstruction patients were 2.93 times more likely to respond than implant-based reconstruction patients (p < 0.001) while delayed (vs. immediate, OR = 0.70, p = 0.022) and unilateral (vs. bilateral, OR = 0.80, p = 0.008) reconstruction patients were less likely to respond. History of psychiatric diagnosis, aromatase inhibitors, and immediate breast reconstruction were significantly associated with lower Sexual Well-being at 1-year.

CONCLUSION

Sexual Well-being is the least frequently completed BREAST-Q domain, and there are demographic and clinical differences between responders and nonresponders. We encourage providers to recognize patterns in nonresponse data for Sexual-Well-being to ensure that certain patient population's sexual health concerns are not overlooked.

Pornography Use and the Acceptance of Gender Norm Violation in a School Context

Although media effect studies have quite extensively investigated the association between pornography use and gendered attitudes, some questions remain. The present study aimed to address two of these questions by exploring how gendered attitudes and gender beliefs may be influenced by gender typicality and pornography use. First, the literature has not yet accounted for individual differences based on gender typicality. Second, the influence of pornography use on gender beliefs going beyond pornography's script application is understudied. This online cross-sectional study (N = 1,440, Mage = 23.86, SD = 4.79) contributes to the field by investigating the indirect association between pornography use and acceptance of gender norm violation through gendered attitudes and the moderating role of gender typicality. Acceptance of gender norm violation was measured via vignettes describing a school context in which a teacher and a student violated gender norms. Findings indicated that gendered attitudes negatively relate to the acceptance of gender norm violation. Moreover, compared to women, men's pornography use indirectly relates to lower acceptance rates through gendered attitudes. Additionally, for men, specific levels of gender typicality and atypicality form a strengthening and buffering role, respectively. This applies to the association between pornography use and gendered attitudes as well as to the indirect relationship of pornography use with acceptance of gender norm violation. These findings suggest that pornography use may also affect gender beliefs that are unrelated to the scripts present in pornography. Future studies should take into account the type of preferred pornography and unravel the specific impact of women's pornography use.

The Development and Psychometric Evaluation of the Sexual Fantasy Experience Scale

Clinicians and researchers consider sexual fantasies to be a central aspect of human sexuality. Although these are subjective experiences, most studies have assessed only their frequency and content. A measure that assesses individuals' subjective experience of sexual fantasies is therefore needed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of a new measure, the Sexual Fantasy Experience Scale (SFES). In Study 1, the SFES was administered to 391 participants (240 defined themselves as women, 149 as men, and 2 as other). In Study 2, the SFES was administered to 426 participants (255 defined themselves as women, 167 as men, and 4 as other), along with a battery of questionnaires including the New Sexual Satisfaction Scale Short Form and the Global Measure of Sexual Satisfaction, both of which measure sexual satisfaction, as well as the Sexual Fantasy Checklist, which evaluates the content of sexual fantasies and their frequency. Five reliable SFES subscales emerged from Study 1: playfulness, limitlessness, functionality, intrusiveness, and shame. In Study 2, a confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the scale's underlying factor structure, which was obtained in Study 1. The subscales of the SFES contributed to the explained variance of the assessments of sexual satisfaction, beyond the contribution of the fantasies' content and frequency, demonstrating the incremental validity of the subscales. The results of the present analyses suggest that the SFES has good psychometric properties, making it useful as an assessment tool for future research, clinical practice, and sex education.

Exploring Women's State-Level Anxiety in Response to Virtual Reality Erotica

Virtual Reality (VR)-based treatments for anxiety disorders are efficacious but there is a lack of research examining anxious responses to VR erotica, which could innovate treatments for sexual difficulties. We examined erotica features that elicited anxiety and sexual presence in women. Thirty-eight women viewed erotic videos from different modalities (2D, VR) and points of view (1st, 3rd person) and completed anxiety and sexual presence measures before and after each video. Women experienced greater anxiety for VR than 2D films and reported the most anxiety for VR 1st person films. Sexual presence was affected by modality and point of view.

The Dual Control Model of Sexual Response: A Scoping Review, 2009-2022

The Dual Control Model proposes that sexual arousal and related processes are dependent on the balance between sexual excitation and sexual inhibition, and that individuals vary in their propensity for these processes. This scoping review provides an overview and discussion of the questionnaires used to measure the propensities for sexual excitation and inhibition, their translation and validation in other languages, and their application in empirical research on topics ranging from sexual desire and arousal, sexual (dys)function, sexual risk taking, asexuality, hypersexuality, and sexual aggression. A total of 152 papers, published between 2009 and 2022 and identified using online databases, were included in this review. The findings, consistent with those reviewed by Bancroft et al. (2009), suggest that sexual excitation is particularly relevant to sexual desire and responsivity and predictive of asexuality and hypersexuality. Sexual inhibition plays a role in sexual dysfunction. sexual risk taking, and sexual aggression, although often in interaction with sexual excitation. Suggestions for the further development of the model and for future studies are discussed.

Sexual Wellbeing according to Transgender Individuals

Objective

Sexual wellbeing is an important aspect of quality-of-life. In transgender individuals who seek gender affirming treatment, various aspects of sexuality have been assessed. However, not much is known on how transgender individuals themselves perceive sexual wellbeing. This study aims to explore the perception of sexual wellbeing in transgender-individuals (an emic-perspective).

Methods

To explore sexual wellbeing from an emic perspective, qualitative interviews with transgender individuals were conducted, recorded and transcribed verbatim. Inductive coding and thematic analysis were used to assess topics and themes pertaining to sexual wellbeing.

Results

Based on interviews wih15 participants (19-74 years) with diverse self-identified genders, four main themes, relating to sexual wellbeing were derived: (1) given description of sexual wellbeing, (2) conditions for sexual wellbeing, (3) factors affecting sexual wellbeing, and (4) experienced sexual wellbeing.

Conclusion

Positive experiences, feeling comfortable with body/self, intimacy, acceptation and communication with partner appeared helpful to overcome hurdles and experience sexual wellbeing.

Examining Attentional Biases Elicited by Sexual Stimuli Using MouseView.js: An Online Paradigm to Mimic Eye Movements

Attention is a key mechanism underlying many aspects of sexuality, with eye-tracking studies revealing that attention is both sustained by sexual stimuli and corresponds with sexual interest. Despite its utility, eye-tracking experiments typically require specialized equipment and are conducted in a laboratory setting. The overarching objective of this research was to assess the utility of a novel online method, MouseView.js, for assessing attentional processing of sexual stimuli outside of a laboratory context. MouseView.js is an open-source, web-based application where the display is blurred to mimic peripheral vision and an aperture is directed using a mouse cursor to fixate on regions of interest within the display. Using a discovery (Study 1, n = 239) and replication (Study 2, n = 483) design, we examined attentional biases to sexual stimuli among two diverse samples with respect to gender/sex and sexual orientation. Results revealed strong attentional biases toward processing sexual stimuli relative to nonsexual stimuli, as well as dwell times that correlated with self-report sexuality measures. Results mirror those observed for laboratory-based eye-tracking research, but using a freely available instrument that mirrors gaze tracking. MouseView.js offers important advantages to traditional eye-tracking methods, including the ability to recruit larger and more diverse samples, and minimizes volunteer biases.

Predictors of Participation for Sexuality Items in a U.S. Population-Based Online Survey

Online surveys are a popular tool in sex research and it is vital to understand participation bias in these surveys to improve inferences. However, research on this topic is limited and out of date given the increase in online survey methodology and changes in sexual attitudes. This study examined whether demographics and sexual abuse and assault history predict opting into online survey questions about sex. The sample was recruited for a longitudinal mental health study using a probability-based sampling panel developed to represent the US household population. Participants were masked to the inclusion of sexual content and given a choice to opt into sex questions. Analyses were run on raw and weighted responses to adjust for sampling bias. Of the total sample (n = 476, 62.6% female), 69% opted into sex questions. Raw analysis showed that participants were more likely to be younger, have higher education and income, and have a history of sexual abuse or assault. No racial, gender, relationship status, or regional differences were found. After weighting, effect sizes were reduced for most predictor variables, and only a history of sexual abuse or assault still significantly predicted participation. Results suggest that key demographic features do not have a strong association with participation in sex survey questions. Reasons for participation bias stemming from sexual abuse or assault history should be examined further. This study demonstrates how researchers should continue to monitor participation bias in sex survey research as online methodologies and sexual attitudes evolve over time.

Use of sexual stimuli in research and clinical settings: expert opinion and recommendations

Background

Sexual stimuli, such as sexual videos, images, and narratives describing sexual interactions, are one of many tools used by clinicians and researchers to elicit or augment sexual response. Given the wide variability within sexual stimuli and their effects on sexual response, we provide guidance on when and how to use sexual stimuli, selecting sexual stimuli, and standardizing the use and reporting of sexual stimuli in research and clinical practice.

Aim

This expert opinion review article discusses standard operating procedures when using sexual stimuli in clinical and research applications, addressing 3 broad areas: settings in which sexual stimuli are used, characteristics and contexts of the stimuli, and practical and ethical considerations when using the stimuli.

Methods

This article is based on an expert opinion review of the sexual psychophysiology literature.

Results

First, we discuss the settings in which sexual stimuli are typically used and evaluate the ecological validity of each setting. Second, we review the types of sexual stimuli used in sexual response research, including physical characteristics, depicted sexual activity, and context, and the impacts of these characteristics on sexual response. Last, we discuss the practical and ethical considerations that come with the choice and use of sexual stimuli in clinical and research settings. We address potential limitations of certain sexual stimuli, including practical and ethical considerations such as participant vs experimenter choice, diversity and representation, and proper sourcing of sexual stimuli for use in clinical and research applications. Discussions on the future applications of sexual stimuli, such as the use of virtual reality, and ethical considerations in terms of user-generated Internet sexual stimuli are also explored.

Conclusion

We provide an expert opinion review of the literature regarding use of sexual stimuli for clinical and research applications and offer best use practices and recommendations.

Examining Visual Attention Patterns among Asexual and Heterosexual Individuals

Asexuality has garnered much attention, and empirical data support its classification as a sexual orientation. Asexuality is defined as a lack of sexual attraction to others, with approximately 1% of the population falling in this category. As theoretical models situate attention as a central component of sexual response, the current study examined attentional processing of erotic stimuli in asexuals and heterosexuals. We hypothesized that heterosexual participants would have initial and controlled visual attention patterns favoring erotic images over non-erotic images. We predicted that asexual participants would have significantly smaller or non-existent differences in attention to erotic versus non-erotic images. Ninety-five adults completed an eye-tracking task viewing erotic and non-erotic images. Eye-tracking data showed no group differences in initial attention to erotic images. For controlled attention, there was a large effect size in the hypothesized direction. Heterosexual participants exhibited more and longer fixations on erotic images, whereas asexuals exhibited a more even distribution of attention across image types. Exploratory analysis of group differences in the association between visual attention and ratings of sexual attractiveness revealed a complex pattern of differences, with some indication of a stronger association between total fixation and sexual attraction for heterosexual participants. These findings suggest that differences in attention to sexual stimuli may represent key underlying differences between asexual and allosexual orientation. Findings also contribute to the larger literature on visual attention and attraction.

Predictors of Non-Response to a Sexual Health Survey in a North American Preconception Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Refusal to participate in studies related to sexual health can compromise the internal and external validity of findings. Research examining non-response to sexual health studies has primarily focused on predictors such as specific sexual attitudes and behaviors.

AIM

Evaluate predictors of non-response to a supplemental sexual health survey added to a web-based cohort study, focusing on predictors that may be important in epidemiologic studies of sexual health.

METHODS

In March 2021, we added the "Sexual Health and Wellbeing Questionnaire" (SQ), an optional supplemental sexual health survey, to the protocol for Pregnancy Study Online , a web-based North American prospective cohort study. Eligible participants identified as female and were aged 21-45 years, actively trying to conceive, and in a relationship with a male partner. Participants completed a baseline questionnaire at enrollment and follow-up questionnaires every 8 weeks. Participants were invited to complete the SQ 30 days after baseline questionnaire completion. The analytic sample included all Pregnancy Study Online participants who enrolled between March 2021 and December 2021 and was divided into 3 mutually-exclusive groups: (i) those who completed the baseline questionnaire only (ie, did not complete a follow-up questionnaire or the SQ), (ii) those who completed at least 1 follow-up questionnaire but not the SQ, and (iii) participants who completed the SQ (with or without a follow-up questionnaire). We compared sociodemographic, medical, lifestyle, and reproductive factors across these groups.

RESULTS

Of the 1,491 enrolled participants, 302 (20.3%) completed the baseline questionnaire only, 259 (17.4%) completed a follow-up questionnaire but not the SQ, and 930 (62.4%) completed the SQ. Strong predictors of non-response (absolute difference in response >10% comparing SQ responders to baseline-only responders) included longer pregnancy attempt time at study entry, a history of infertility, and lower income and education. Compared with response to the follow-up questionnaire only, SQ response was lower among Hispanic/Latina participants and participants aged <25 years.

CLINICAL TRANSLATION

The addition of sexual health surveys to established cohort studies may be an effective way to expand epidemiologic sex research efforts.

STRENGTHS & LIMITATIONS

Study strengths include the prospective design, geographic heterogeneity of the cohort, and use of online methods. Our findings may not generalize to clinic-based sex research.

CONCLUSION

We report that in an established North American cohort study, response to the SQ exceeded 60%. We observed few strong predictors for SQ non-response among engaged participants. Bond JC, Abrams J, Wesselink AK, et al. Predictors of Non-Response to a Sexual Health Survey in a North American Preconception Cohort Study. J Sex Med 2022;19:1707-1715.

What Does It Mean to Be Responsive to a Partner's Sexual Needs? Toward a Definition of Sexual Need Responsiveness

Being responsive to a partner's sexual needs in relationships (i.e., sexual need responsiveness) is associated with higher sexual and relationship satisfaction. Previous research has focused on researcher-led definitions of sexual need responsiveness. The purpose of the present study was to develop a participant-informed definition of sexual need responsiveness. A total of 305 individuals responded to five open-ended questions concerning the definition and behaviors pertaining to sexual need responsiveness. The content analysis results showed that the most common elements in participants' definition included listening to and accommodating each other's sexual needs and wishes whenever possible, while respecting both partners' safety and boundaries. Both verbal and non-verbal communication in various forms was used to express and share needs with partners and participants often evaluated responsiveness in terms of their sexual satisfaction. The results provide a participant-informed definition of sexual need responsiveness and can be used to inform research and clinical practice.

A Penny for Your (Sexual) Thoughts: Qualitative Analysis of Women's Self-Described Reactions to Sexual and Nonsexual Stimuli

Women display a wide range of subjective (self-reported), physiological (genital response), and emotional responses to sexual stimuli. Sexual responses are often assessed using quantitative methodologies; qualitative data can corroborate quantitative data and reveal novel information and avenues for discovery for understanding variations in patterns of sexual response. The current study examined women's (n = 148) responses to various sexual and non-sexual stimuli through open-ended, free response thought journals immediately after watching various neutral (nature themed) and sexually explicit video clips (e.g., solitary masturbation, intercourse). A qualitative content analysis of 842 responses was conducted by five independent coders to determine participants' thoughts immediately after viewing stimuli. Prominent themes included: (1) stimulus appraisals; (2) emotional expressions; and (3) self-reflections and disclosures, which further included participants' sexual-self-disclosures; (4) various degrees of sexual arousal (or lack thereof); and (5) sexual and non-sexual desires. Additional analyses include frequencies and comparisons of specific themes between stimulus types. Findings contribute to understanding cognitive and emotional components of sexual response.

Gayzing Women's Bodies: Criticisms of Labia Depend on the Gender and Sexual Orientation of Perceivers

The heterosexual male gaze is often credited with producing bodily anxieties among women, yet empirical and popular cultural evidence suggest gay men have especially negative views toward women's bodies, particularly women's genitalia. Across two studies (N = 6,129; M_age = 27.58; 2,047 women, 4,082 men) we conducted secondary analyses of existing datasets to test the hypotheses that gay men would evaluate labia more negatively than heterosexual men, and that lesbian women would evaluate labia more positively than heterosexual women. We conducted fixed-effects mini meta-analyses to estimate summary effect sizes for perceptions of normalcy and fit with societal ideals; we additionally assessed an outcome of disgust in Study 2. We found support for our hypotheses: For normalcy and societal ideal, we found small summary effects such that gay men evaluated labia more negatively than heterosexual men, and medium summary effects such that lesbian women evaluated labia more positively than heterosexual women. Gay men also rated labia as more disgusting than any other demographic group, and lesbian women rated the stimuli as less disgusting than heterosexual women, supporting our hypotheses. The current findings suggest a pressing need to acknowledge and incorporate gay men's perceptions of women's bodies into literatures on misogyny, objectification, and body image more generally.

Women's Cognitive and Emotional Appraisal of Sex Pictures: The Predictive Role of Age, Exposure Time, and Sexual Beliefs

This study researched how age predicts women's cognitive and emotional appraisal of sex pictures. One hundred and fifty five women were exposed to romantic, sexually moderate and sexually explicit pictures. Women reported on the emotional valence, subjective sexual arousal, and level of sexual content attributed to the pictures; women's sexual beliefs were further evaluated. Findings revealed that age predicted increased pleasantness to sexually moderate and explicit pictures, as well as higher subjective sexual arousal to all type of pictures. Some predictions were moderated by sexual beliefs and exposure time, pointing the role of contextual factors in women's appraisal of erotica.

Can the Vaginal Photoplethysmograph and Its Associated Methodology Be Used to Assess Anal Vasocongestion in Women and Men?

Forty years ago, researchers documented changes in vascular and muscular activity within the anal canal of women and men who engaged in sexual self-stimulation. Vascular changes were assessed using a photoplethysmograph that aimed to detect changes in pelvic vasocongestion. An important advantage of detecting sexual response within the anal canal is that the device, its anatomical placement, and the data output are identical for women and men, therefore facilitating gender comparisons of response patterns. In this study, the vaginal photoplethysmograph (VPP), the most common measure of genital response in women, was administered intra-anally as an anal photoplethysmograph (APG) to examine its validity and sensitivity as an indicator of sexual response. The final sample comprised 20 women and 20 men who were exposed to 12, 90-s sexual and nonsexual film clips while their APG responses were recorded. Participants also rated their sexual arousal and affective responses to the stimuli. There was evidence that APG responses were specific to sexual stimuli and were sensitive to erotic intensity in women. The degree of discrimination between sexual and nonsexual stimuli was lower in men. Unlike most sexual psychophysiological studies, the positive correlation between physiological and self-reported sexual arousal was stronger in women than in men. There was a relatively high number of data artifacts and the waveform morphology was uncharacteristic of that typically observed with VPP. The potential role of anal musculature interference on the APG signal is discussed, as well as avenues for future research.

Exploratory Factor Analysis of Unusual Sexual Interests

BACKGROUND

Unusual sexual interests are largely intercorrelated, yet not much is known about underlying patterns of clusters between various sexual interests.

AIM

To identify underlying clusters of unusual sexual interests using exploratory factor analysis.

METHODS

We conducted exploratory factor analysis with self-reported interest in a wide variety of unusual sexual acts for an online, international sample (N = 669; 61% female), and for women and men separately. Factor regression weights were correlated to self-reported sex life satisfaction, sexual outlet, and psychiatric symptoms.

OUTCOMES

Participants rated the attractiveness of 50 unusual sexual activities, and reported on their sex life satisfaction (Arizona Sexual Experiences Scale), sexual outlet, and symptoms regarding ADHD (Adult ADHD Self-Report Screening Scale for DSM-5), depression, anxiety, and stress (Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale).

RESULTS

We identified 5 factors of unusual sexual interests that were largely comparable for women and men: submission/masochism, forbidden sexual activities, dominance/sadism, mysophilia (attraction to dirtiness or soiled things), and fetishism. For women, unusual sexual interests related to more psychiatric symptoms and higher sexual outlet, whereas this relation was less explicit for men.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Different factors of unusual sexual interests may serve different underlying functions or motivations, for instance related to sexual, and emotional regulation. A better understanding of the nature of unusual sexual interests is important to be able to influence sexual interests that are unwanted or cause damage to others.

STRENGTHS & LIMITATIONS

Strength of this study include its anonymity, the avoidance of sexual orientation effects, and the possibility to indicate only a slight endorsement toward sexual items. Limitations include the sample's generalizability and the truthfulness of online responding.

CONCLUSION

Unusual sexual interests could be clustered into 5 factors that were largely comparable for women and men: submission/masochism, forbidden sexual activities, dominance/sadism, mysophilia, and fetishism. Schippers EE, Smid WJ, Huckelba AL, et al. Exploratory Factor Analysis of Unusual Sexual Interests. J Sex Med 2021;18:1615-1631.

Intimate Partner Sexual Violence Among Canadian University Students: Incidence, Context, and Perpetrators' Perceptions

Men's sexual violence against women is pervasive and is commonly committed against young women by intimate partners. Limited research has examined occurrence rates of intimate partner sexual violence among university students separated by various tactics and sexual acts. Using surveys with convenience samples of 142 Canadian university women and 441 Canadian university men, we examined women's self-reported intimate partner sexual violence victimization and men's self-reported perpetration rates in their most recent heterosexual intimate relationship in the past year. We examined a detailed breakdown across different tactics (i.e., verbal coercion, intoxication, and threats of harm/physical force) and sexual acts (i.e., nonpenetrative sexual contact; oral, vaginal, and anal penetration). Thirty-three percent of women reported at least one victimization experience, and 16% of men reported at least one perpetration experience. The most common tactic reported was verbal coercion for both women's victimization and men's perpetration, and the most common sexual act reported was vaginal penetration for women's victimization and oral sex for men's perpetration. We also examined contextual features and perceptions of the effects of perpetrators' most memorable incidents. These most memorable incidents often occurred either in their own or their partner's home and involved alcohol consumption. Most men reported no significant effects of their sexual violence on their relationships and sometimes normalized their behavior. We briefly discuss the implications of our results for future research and interventions.

Sexual satisfaction of older adults: testing the Interpersonal Exchange Model of Sexual Satisfaction in the ageing population

Having a satisfying sex life is important to older adults. Thus, this study aimed to provide information about the sexual satisfaction of older adults in a relationship, using the Interpersonal Exchange Model of Sexual Satisfaction (IEMSS) as a theoretical framework. Participants were 187 sexually active individuals (98 men and 89 women) in a romantic relationship (age 65–75 years). They were recruited using Amazon's Mechanical-Turk, and completed the Interpersonal Exchange Model of Sexual Satisfaction Questionnaire and two open-ended questions asking what they enjoyed most and least about their sexual relationship. On average, participants were highly sexually satisfied. In keeping with the IEMSS, greater sexual satisfaction was predicted by a more favourable balance of sexual rewards to costs, greater equality of sexual costs and higher satisfaction with the non-sexual aspects of the relationship. Four themes emerged regarding what participants liked most and least about their sexual relationship: emotional aspects of the relationship, physical aspects of the relationship, dyadic aspects of the relationship and age-related aspects of being sexual. None of the four themes were specific to men or women, although some gender/sex differences were found. The results paint a positive picture of the sexual relationships of older adults and support the utility of the IEMSS as a framework to understand sexual satisfaction in older adults.

Disordered Eating and Body Dissatisfaction Associated with Sexual Concerns in Undergraduate Women

While research has shown an association between eating disorders and sexual dysfunction, few studies have examined the association between disordered eating and sexuality in non-clinical samples. Here we measured self-reported symptoms of disordered eating, body dissatisfaction, and psychological features characteristic of eating disorders in relation to sexual difficulties among a sample of n = 656 (mean age = 20.59 years) undergraduate women. Disordered eating symptoms were associated with sexual distress, sexual function problems, more cognitive distractions during sexual activity, and poorer sexual self-efficacy. Psychological features characteristic of those with an eating disorder were found to mediate the association between disordered eating and sexual concerns. These findings suggest that eating concerns are associated with sexual difficulties even among women without an eating disorder diagnosis. Further, results highlight the importance of assessing eating disorder symptoms and body dissatisfaction among those seeking treatment for sexual concerns.

Effect of a Condom Cover on Vaginal Photoplethysmographic Responses

INTRODUCTION

The vaginal photoplethysmograph (VPP) is a reusable intravaginal device often employed in sexual psychophysiology studies to assess changes in vaginal blood flow, an indicator of sexual arousal.

AIM

To test whether placing a disposable cover on the VPP probe impacts the acquired data. A condom cover would reduce risk of disease transmission and likely increase participant comfort but may negatively impact the VPP signal.

METHOD

The genital responses of 25 cisgender women (mean age = 21.3 years, standard deviation = 2.6) were assessed with VPP in a within-subjects design with 2 conditions-with and without a polyisoprene condom cover. Sexual responses were elicited by audiovisual film clips that varied in erotic intensity: nonsexual (nonsexual male-female interaction), low-intensity sexual (nude exercise), and high-intensity sexual (male-female intercourse). Women continuously rated their sexual arousal during stimulus presentations.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Change in vaginal pulse amplitude and also self-reported sexual arousal.

RESULTS

The magnitude of sexual response to each stimulus category and the overall pattern of results were found to be highly similar in the cover-off and cover-on conditions. The high-intensity sexual stimulus category elicited a greater sexual response than all other categories. The low-intensity sexual category elicited a (small) genital response in only the cover-on condition, although we suspect this is a spurious finding. There was no difference in the average number of edited movement artifacts across conditions.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Potential benefits of encasing the VPP probe with a protective cover include enhanced participant safety and comfort, especially if assessing genital responses of high-risk or immunocompromised samples. The use of a cover complies with current guidelines for reprocessing semi-critical medical devices (eg, vaginal ultrasound probes) in many regions.

STRENGTHS & LIMITATIONS

Although the idea of a VPP probe cover had been discussed among sexual psychophysiology researchers, this is the first study to empirically test whether a cover could jeopardize VPP data. Potential limitations include the use of a 10-Hz VPP sampling rate and a cover that was not tailored to the size of the VPP probe.

CONCLUSION

Placing a protective cover on the VPP probe did not appear to meaningfully impact sexual arousal or the VPP data. Based on these results and the potential advantages of a protective cover, researchers may wish to integrate the use a condom cover in their experiment protocols and clinical applications. Sawatsky ML, Lalumière ML. Effect of a Condom Cover on Vaginal Photoplethysmographic Responses. J Sex Med 2020; 17:702-715.

Exploring Comfort Levels and the Role of Compensation in Sexual Psychophysiology Study Participation

A number of devices have been developed to assess physiological sexual response. Some come into direct contact with the genitals (e.g., vaginal/clitoral/penile plethysmography [VPP/CPP/PPG], labial thermistors [LT]), whereas others capture images of the genitals remotely (e.g., thermal imaging [TI], laser Doppler imaging [LDI]). Researchers have speculated about the relative invasiveness of these measurement tools, with limited empirical work examining participants' perceptions of different devices and how these may impact volunteer bias. We investigated individuals' levels of comfort with participating in hypothetical sexual psychophysiology studies and their reasons for discomfort. We also examined the relationship between comfort level and compensation for participation. Men (n = 291) and women (n = 716) completed an online survey where they were presented with vignettes describing studies using VPP, CPP, PPG, LT, TI, and LDI. Participants reported their comfort level with the idea of participating in each study, the amount of compensation that would be reasonable, and factors influencing their decision not to participate if they were unwilling. Participants were similarly comfortable with some studies involving genital contact (VPP) or remote imaging (TI), and somewhat less comfortable with others (LDI, LT, PPG; small or small-medium effect sizes). Along with our qualitative analysis, these findings reveal that direct genital contact is one aspect of study intrusiveness, but that it is not necessarily the most important study feature influencing comfort with participation. Our results suggest that providing additional information regarding protocols at screening and offering $50 compensation might attract wider samples of participants.

Development and Validation of a Measure of Responsive Sexual Desire

According to the incentive motivation model, sexual desire does not occur spontaneously but can be triggered by sexual stimuli and stems from one's experience of sexual arousal. Until now, research into responsive sexual desire has been challenged by the lack of measures capturing desire that emerges following sexual arousal. The aim of this study was to validate the 18-item Report of Behavior and Feelings-Desire (RBF-D) scale in a sample of 291 women (M_age = 22.41, SD = 5.82) with varying degrees of sexual desire. Items on the RBF-D were selected to reflect 5 aspects of responsive sexual desire: sexual activity with a primary partner, sexual desire for a primary partner, sexual activity with other persons, sexual desire for other persons, and autoerotic activities. A 5-factor solution was confirmed via exploratory structural equation modeling. Internal consistency of 4 out of 5 factors was good. Convergent validity was established via small to medium associations of the RBF-D factors with other measures of sexual desire. Low and nonsignificant correlations with depression and sexual inhibition supported the discriminant validity. The RBF-D is a valid and reliable measure that can be useful in clinical and research settings where assessment of responsive sexual desire and behavior is needed.

More than one flavour: University students’ specific sexual fantasies, interests, and experiences

Sexual fantasies, interests, and experiences are three important aspects of human sexual expression that likely are related yet distinct. Updated and comprehensive information on patterns in these three areas of sexual expression is important for developing knowledge on the extent to which fantasies are distinct from interests and experiences as well as whether social sexual norms are changing. Thus, the overall goal of this study was to explore patterns in university students’ sexual expression. Participants (N = 236; 65 men, 171 women) completed a background questionnaire and a measure of 43 specific sexual fantasies, interests, and experiences. We used Joyal, Cossette, and Lapierre’s (2015) categories to determine which specific fantasies, interests, and experiences were typical, common, uncommon, unusual, and rare. The results suggested that typical and common fantasies, interests, and experiences are those that fit with sexual norms and evolutionary pressures. However, some activities that fall outside of social norms, or evolutionary benefits, may be common or uncommon, rather than unusual or rare. For the most part, the prevalence and diversity of sexual fantasies aligned closely with sexual interests. We found more gender similarities than differences; when men and women differed, it was in specific sexual fantasies and interests rather than sexual experiences. Our findings suggest that young men and women fantasize about, are interested in, and engage in diverse sexual activities that are somewhat guided by social norms and evolutionary pressures. These findings provide novel, contemporary information on social norms, gender similarities, and diversity in young adults’ sexual expression.

“I can see you”: The impact of implied social presence on visual attention to erotic and neutral stimuli in men and women

The watchful eye of others often leads people to alter their behaviour. Eye tracking methodology has been used to create implied social presence, as well as to examine gaze patterns to erotic stimuli, but the effects of implied social presence on visual attention to erotic and neutral stimuli remains largely unknown. In the present study, we examined precisely this issue. We compared looking behaviour of men and women who were either aware that their gaze patterns were being monitored (implied social presence) and those who lacked this knowledge (no implied presence). Women in the aware condition made significantly fewer fixations than men, whereas no such gender differences were found in the unaware condition. Across both conditions, men made significantly more fixations to the erotic stimuli compared to the neutral stimuli and the background. For women, no significant differences were found in the number of fixations to the erotic stimuli and the background, although women look at these areas more than the neutral stimuli. These results demonstrate that eye tracking creates an implied social presence, and this differentially affects the looking behaviour of women versus men. Moreover, gendered sexual norms coupled with the need to manage self-presentation may influence women’s sexual urges and expressions. The inhibition of sexuality displayed by women indicates that sexual double standards still exist in society and need to be addressed. As well, theoretical, methodological, and clinical implications of eye tracking methodology should be taken into consideration in future research.

"That's not what was originally agreed to": Perceptions, outcomes, and legal contextualization of non-consensual condom removal in a Canadian sample

Non-consensual condom removal (NCCR) is the removal of a condom before or during sexual intercourse without one’s partner's consent. Despite considerable news and media attention devoted to the trend (as stealthing), little empirical research to date has examined people’s views of the practice. The present study aimed to contribute toward generating empirical evidence to guide the discussion surrounding NCCR. We asked participants about whether or not they felt NCCR is wrong, whether there should be consequences for its perpetration, and contextualized responses within legal context. A total of 592 undergraduate students took part in an online survey inquiring about their experiences with and views of NCCR. We used descriptive statistics to determine sample prevalence and outcomes of NCCR and qualitatively analyzed responses to open-ended questions asking about perceptions of NCCR. Of participants who had engaged in penetrative sexual intercourse with a male partner using an external condom, 18.7%, 95% CI [14.4, 22.7] reported that they had NCCR perpetrated against them. The majority of these participants reported that they experienced NCCR negatively and encountered related consequences; several reported contracting an STI, experiencing an unplanned pregnancy, or both. Nearly all participants expressed that NCCR is wrong, citing reasons that included the lack of consent, possibility of unplanned or unwanted outcomes, and a betrayal of trust. In this study, we found that there was agreement that NCCR is wrong, but variability in responses regarding the circumstances under which there should be consequences for the action. These perceptions reflect the current uncertainty in law. We recommend researchers refer to the phenomenon as NCCR (rather than stealthing) and discuss related issues to encourage future research to adopt consistent and accurate labels and definitions for NCCR. We hope that our findings will guide future research and spur public and legal discussion on NCCR.