Is Bondage and Discipline, Dominance and Submission, and Sadomasochism Recreational Leisure? A Descriptive Exploratory Investigation

INTRODUCTION:

Recent studies have suggested that, in contrast to traditional psychopathologic explanations, bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, and sadomasochism (BDSM) could be understood as recreational leisure. However, the theoretical framing of BDSM as potential leisure has not been empirically explored.

AIM:

To conduct an initial empirical exploration to determine whether BDSM experience fits established characteristics of recreational leisure.

METHODS:

A convenience sample of BDSM participants (N = 935) completed an online survey (9 demographic questions and 17 leisure questions) that assessed BDSM experience according to important attributes of leisure. Responses also were assessed and statistically compared as being primarily casual or serious leisure according to general BDSM identities (ie, dominants vs submissives vs switches).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:

BDSM experiences were assessed as a form of potential leisure.

RESULTS:

Most BDSM experiences met leisure criteria. Participants reported that "most of the time or nearly always" BDSM was associated with a sense of personal freedom (89.7% of participants), pleasure or enjoyment (98.5%), sense of adventure (90.7%), use of personal skills (90.8%), relaxation or decreased stress (91.4%), self-expression or exploration (90.6%), and positive emotions (96.6%). BDSM seemed to function as primarily serious, rather than casual, leisure, but important statistical differences were observed based on specific BDSM identities.

CONCLUSION:

A leisure science perspective could be valuable to researchers and clinicians in reinterpreting the wide range of diverse BDSM motivations and practices.

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By: Dj Williams1, Prior EE2, Alvarado T3, Thomas JN4, Christensen MC5.

• 1Center for Positive Sexuality, Burbank, CA, USA; Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID, USA. Electronic address: willdj@isu.edu.
• 2Center for Positive Sexuality, Burbank, CA, USA; College of the Canyons, Santa Clarita, CA, USA.
• 3College of the Canyons, Santa Clarita, CA, USA.
• 4Center for Positive Sexuality, Burbank, CA, USA; Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID, USA.
• 5Center for Positive Sexuality, Burbank, CA, USA; University of Texas-San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA. 
• J Sex Med. 2016 May 24. pii: S1743-6095(16)30191-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jsxm.2016.05.001.

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Porn consumption among adolescent girls in Sweden

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Heterosexual Young Adults' Interest, Attitudes, and Experiences Related to Mixed-Gender, Multi-Person Sex

There has been little research on threesomes, a form of multi-person sex that involves sexual activity with two other people simultaneously. Therefore, we examined young adults' attitudes toward, interest in, and experiences with one form of threesome, mixed-gender threesomes (MGTs), defined as sexual activity involving three people where at least one member of each gender is present. 

Participants were 274 (202 women, 72 men) heterosexual young adults who completed an online survey. Overall, 13 % of participants (24 % of men and 8 % of women) reported experience and 64 % reported some interest in engaging in an MGT. However, the overall level of interest was quite low and varied according to contextual variables (i.e., what other persons were involved). 

Men's interest remained unaffected by third person status as long as the MGT involved familiar others (friends and acquaintances) rather than strangers, whereas women preferred familiar others only for MGTs with which they were the third person, not for those involving a romantic partner. 

Participants also reported fairly neutral attitudes toward MGTs. Compared to the women, the men reported significantly more positive attitudes and greater interest, and were more likely to report MGT experience. In addition, attitudes, interest, and experience were all positively associated with each other. 

Taken together, these results suggest that young people are not judgmental about others engaging in MGTs but are not highly motivated to do so themselves. Implications for researchers and sexual health educators are discussed.

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By:  Thompson AE1, Byers ES2.

• 1Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, 800 Algoma Blvd., Oshkosh, WI, 54901, USA. thompsae@uwosh.edu.
• 2Department of Psychology, University of New Brunswick, POB 4400, Fredericton, NB, E3B 3A1, Canada. 
• Arch Sex Behav. 2016 Mar 4. 

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Older Male Clients of Female Sex Workers in the United States

Recent research has provided increased information about the clients of sex workers; however, little is known about the population of older male customers who contract for heterosexual services online. 

Clients (N = 208) between 60 and 84 years of age were obtained through sex work review sites and online discussion forums. Participants completed a 129-item questionnaire focusing on physical health, sexual and non-sexual behaviors with sex providers, and the qualities sought in the same. 

More than half reported having visited sex providers between 13 and 24 times or more during the past 12 months. Participants' advancing age was positively associated with frequency of paid sex. Most frequent sexual activities with providers were fellatio without a condom, followed by penile-vaginal sex with a condom. Analyses also examine the relationship between aging and buying sex. 

Those with higher incomes and without spouses or partners were more likely to report non-sexual activities with providers, and many participants sought a "GFE" or girlfriend experience, in which paid sexual exchanges are part of a relationship that mirrors conventional non-remunerative relationships.

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By:  Milrod C1, Monto M2.

• 1, 519 N. La Cienega Blvd, #209, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA. christinemilrod@gmail.com.
• 2Department of Sociology and Social Work, University of Portland, Portland, OR, USA. 
• Arch Sex Behav. 2016 Apr 5.

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Sexual Positioning among Men Who Have Sex with Men: A Narrative Review

Sexual positioning practices among men who have sex with men (MSM) have not received a thorough discussion in the MSM and HIV literature, given that risks for acquiring or transmitting HIV and STIs via condomless anal sex vary according to sexual positioning. MSM bear a disproportionate burden of HIV compared to the general population in the United States; surveillance efforts suggest that HIV and STIs are increasing among domestic and international populations of MSM. 

We conducted a narrative review, using a targeted literature search strategy, as an initial effort to explore processes through which sexual positioning practices may contribute to HIV/STI transmission. Peer-reviewed articles were eligible for inclusion if they contained a measure of sexual positioning identity and/or behavior (i.e., "top", "bottom," etc.) or sexual positioning behavior (receptive anal intercourse or insertive anal intercourse), or assessed the relationship between sexual positioning identity withHIV risk, anal sex practice, masculinity, power, partner type, or HIV status. 

A total of 23 articles met our inclusion criteria. This review highlights dynamic psychosocial processes likely underlying sexual decision making related to sexual positioning identity and practices among MSM and MSM who have sex with women (MSMW), and ways these contexts may influence HIV/STI risk. 

Despite limited focus in the extant literature, this review notes the important role the contextual factors (masculinity stereotypes, power, partner type, and HIV status) likely to play in influencing sexual positioning identity and practices. Through this review we offer an initial synthesis of the literature describing sexual positioning identities and practices and conceptual model to provide insight into important areas of study through future research.

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By:  Dangerfield DT 2nd1, Smith LR2, Williams J3, Unger J3, Bluthenthal R3.

• 1Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90032, USA. ddangerf@usc.edu.
• 2Division of Global Public Health, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
• 3Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90032, USA.
• Arch Sex Behav. 2016 May 13. 

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Changes in adolescent pregnancy rates, 1995–2011

Adolescent Pregnancy, Birth, and Abortion Rates Across Countries: Levels and Recent Trends

Gilda Sedgh, Sc.D.,^* Lawrence B. Finer, Ph.D., Akinrinola Bankole, Ph.D., Michelle A. Eilers, and Susheela Singh, Ph.D.

Guttmacher Institute, New York, New York

^*Address correspondence to: Gilda Sedgh, Sc.D., Guttmacher Institute, 125, Maiden Lane, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10038

J Adolesc Health. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2016 May 2.

Published in final edited form as: J Adolesc Health. 2015 Feb; 56(2): 223–230. doi:  10.1016/j.jadohealth.2014.09.007

PMCID: PMC4852976

NIHMSID: NIHMS707907

Via:  http://goo.gl/5wUY6d

Patterns of Sexual Experience among Urban Latino & African American 9th Grade Students

This analysis assessed patterns of sexual experience, the order in which behaviors were initiated, and associated factors, among Latino and African American ninth grade students (average age 15.2) who self-administered audio-computer-assisted surveys on netbooks in classes at 10 Los Angeles–area public high schools. 

Lifetime experiences with vaginal and oral sex were most common (19% and 16%, respectively); fewer reported anal sex (6%). Of the 23% reporting any sex, 91% fell into four categories: 36% reporting both oral and vaginal sex; 23% vaginal only; 18% all three; and 13% oral only. Most sexually experienced students (88%) initiated with vaginal or oral sex (46% vaginal, 33% oral, 9% both same day). 

No dominant pathway of sexual onset emerged for those reporting all three types of sex. We found no evidence that oral or anal sex substituted for or delayed vaginal sex. Males, those with a current partner, and those reporting multiple partners were more likely than others to report all three sexual behaviors versus vaginal only (odds ratios [ORs] 2.0, 1.5, 3.0; p = .02, .06, < .01, respectively). 

Although vaginal intercourse dominated their early sexual behavior, one-fifth of sexually experienced students reported anal intercourse, highlighting the need for specific prevention messages surrounding this higher-risk behavior.

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By:  Robin A. Donatello^a*, Christine J. De Rosa^b, Bret D. Moulton^c,Emily Q. Chung^d, Rachel Viola^c, Louise Ann Rohrbach^c &Abdelmonem A. Afifi^e

^a Department of Mathematics and Statistics, California State University, Chico

^b Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Division of HIV and STD Programs; Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, University of Southern California

^c Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, University of Southern California

^d Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Division of HIV and STD Programs

^e Department of Biostatistics, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California at Los Angeles 

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Pornography Addiction in Adults: A Systematic Review of Definitions and Reported Impact

INTRODUCTION:

Self-perceived pornography addiction (SPPA) has increasingly emerged as a concept in research and popular culture, and commentators warn of the reported negative impact that it has. Despite this, "pornography or porn addiction" is not a formally recognized disorder and there is disagreement among researchers regarding its definition or even its existence. Therefore, how SPPA is operationalized often varies, and this is likely to influence the conclusions made about the impact of SPPA.

AIM:

This review aimed to examine what the supposed impact of SPPA is, and how the concept is operationalized.

METHODS:

A systematic review of quantitative and qualitative peer-reviewed journal articles was conducted. The following databases were searched up to November 2015: CINAHL (2001-2015), Embase (1974-2015), Medline (1946-2015), PsychARTICLES (1980), and PsychInfo (1806-2015). Terms used were porn*, sexually explicit material, SEM, erotic*, nonparaphilic, cyberpornography, addict*, problematic, excess*, compul*, impul*, impact, effec*, behav*, and cause. An asterisk after a term means that all terms that begin with that root were included in the search.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:

A review of the the current literature pertaining to SPPA and its reported impact.

RESULTS:

We found that SPPA is most frequently operationalized as excessive pornography use and negative consequences. As a result, researchers tended to focus on the frequency of pornography use and related impact as determinants of SPPA. SPPA is reported to affect users and their partners in similar ways, such as increased feelings of isolation and relationship breakdowns. However, we found some methodologic limitations of the primary studies, which limit the strength of the conclusions that can be drawn. Limitations include the lack of representative samples and inadequate measurements of SPPA and its impact.

CONCLUSION:

There still exist a debate regarding the definition and etiology of SPPA as distinct from self-perceived sex addiction. As such, the research landscape is shaped by different theoretical perspectives. Without evidence to suggest one theoretical position as superior to another, clinicians might be at risk of recommending treatment that is in line with their theoretical perspective (or personal biases) but at odds with the motivations driving an individual to engage in particular sexual behaviors. In light of these findings, the review concludes with recommendations for future research.

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By:  Duffy A1, Dawson DL2, das Nair R3.

• 1University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
• 2University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK.
• 3University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK. Electronic address: lwarn@exmail.nottingham.ac.uk. 
• J Sex Med. 2016 May;13(5):760-77. doi: 10.1016/j.jsxm.2016.03.002.

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Does Viewing Pornography Diminish Religiosity Over Time? Evidence from Two-Wave Panel Data

Research consistently shows a negative association between religiosity and viewing pornography. While scholars typically assume that greater religiosity leads to less frequent pornography use, none have empirically examined whether the reverse could be true: that greater pornography use may lead to lower levels of religiosity over time. 

I tested for this possibility using two waves of the nationally representative Portraits of American Life Study (PALS). Persons who viewed pornography at all at Wave 1 reported more religious doubt, lower religious salience, and lower prayer frequency at Wave 2 compared to those who never viewed porn. 

Considering the effect of porn-viewing frequency, viewing porn more often at Wave 1 corresponded to increases in religious doubt and declining religious salience at Wave 2. However, the effect of earlier pornography use on later religious service attendance and prayer was curvilinear: Religious service attendance and prayer decline to a point and then increase at higher levels of pornography viewing. Testing for interactions revealed that all effects appear to hold regardless of gender. 

Findings suggest that viewing pornography may lead to declines in some dimensions of religiosity but at more extreme levels may actually stimulate, or at least be conducive to, greater religiosity along other dimensions.

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By:  Samuel L. Perry^a*

• ^a Department of Sociology, University of Oklahoma

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Gender Preference in the Sexual Attractions, Fantasies, and Relationships of Voluntarily Castrated Men

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