Body odors influence immediate sexual attraction and are affected by a key genetic component of the immune system, the human leukocyte antigen (HLA). This relationship is important because evidence suggests that reproduction with partners who have dissimilar HLA leads to offspring that are more resistant to pathogens. However, research typically focuses on the effect of body odor on partner selection among heterosexual individuals. In this study, we analyzed the influence of HLA on olfactory sexual attraction in non-heterosexual Brazilian men. A total of 40 men (20 non-heterosexual and 20 heterosexuals; average age of 31.4 years) evaluated the axillary odors of other men with different sexual orientations. The results showed that men rated the odors of other men with similar HLA as more intense, regardless of sexual orientation. We found that non-heterosexual men rated the body odors of other men as more attractive, regardless of HLA similarity. Additionally, non-heterosexual men rated the odors of other non-heterosexual men and of men with similar HLA as more intense. Our findings indicate that HLA similarity does not influence olfactory sexual attraction in non-heterosexual men, suggesting that this pattern is more affected by sex than by sexual orientation. These results reinforce the role of HLA in odor detection but not in odor preference. This study contributes to a broader and more inclusive understanding of human sexuality, highlighting the complexity of mechanisms involved in sexual attraction.
With the development of economy and the impact of Western culture on Chinese traditional culture, the incidence of sexual intercourse among adolescents keeps increasing year by year. The aim of this study was to investigate the current status of school students' sexual behavior and knowledge, as well as explore the contributing factors from a socioecological perspective. A questionnaire survey was conducted in three secondary schools and three colleges in Shandong Province, China. Data were analyzed using t-test, chi-square test, and binary logistic regression analysis. A total of 1769 (1377/female) students participated in this study. Of these, 162 (9.2%) students had sexual intercourse and 86.24% of sexually active students have engaged in risky sexual behavior. Of 14 predictor variables, binary logistic regression analysis revealed that males, those aged ≥ 18 years old, having discussed sexual issues with parents, lack of school sex education, lower family support, lower resistance to peer influence, and lower social norms cognition were more likely to initiate sexual intercourse. Overall, the incidence of sexual intercourse among students was low, but the incidence of risky sexual behavior was extremely high. Students had poor sexual knowledge and expressed expectation to learn sexual and reproductive health knowledge through channels including school and the Internet, with a comprehensive coverage of knowledge about sexuality. Concerted socioecological forces especially school and family are needed to increase sexual knowledge and prevent risky sexual behaviors among adolescent students.
Adolescents learn that they are sexual beings with choices, desires, and deserving of pleasure, which corresponds to sexual subjectivity. Sexual subjectivity evolves over time and through sexual experience. Past research has less investigated how online sexual behaviors (i.e., sexting and pornography use), especially among sexual and gender minorities, might contribute to the development of sexual subjectivity. Importantly, no study has explored the directionality of associations between sexual subjectivity and sexual behaviors. This prospective study examined the bidirectional associations between sexual behaviors and sexual subjectivity across gender and sexual identities. An autoregressive cross-lagged analysis with a multi-group approach among 3150 adolescents (MageT1 = 15.5, SDage = 0.6; MageT2 = 16.4, SD = 0.55; 52.3% cisgender girls, 2.0% gender minority, and 15.6% sexual minority adolescents at baseline/T1) revealed that sexual subjectivity was positively associated with oral/manual stimulation, sexual intercourse, and sexting one year later. Masturbation and pornography use were not significantly related to sexual subjectivity over time. No significant bidirectional association was observed. No significant gender and sexual orientation differences were observed in any of the associations. This work provides one of the most comprehensive examinations to date concerning the directional influences of sexual subjectivity and the range of sexual experiences comprising adolescents' sexual lives.
Sexual health education varies across the USA due to nuanced state-level policy mandates. This study examined associations between sex education mandates and sexual health behaviors among public high school students, with a focus on four types of state-level policies: sexual health and HIV/STI education where abstinence alone is not stressed, abstinence-based sexual health education, abstinence-based HIV/STI education, and combined abstinence-based sexual health and HIV/STI education. Sexual health behaviors analyzed included ever having sex, sexual intercourse before age 13, history of multiple sexual partners, use of condoms or birth control pills, and HIV/STI testing. We drew health behavior data from the 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance survey. Findings from multivariable logistic regression models suggested that sexual health and HIV/STI education mandates where abstinence alone was not stressed were negatively associated with ever having sex. Combined abstinence-based sexual health and HIV/STI education mandates were negatively associated with having used a condom or birth control pills during the last sexual intercourse and having sexual intercourse before the age of 13. Abstinence-based sexual health education mandates were negatively associated with sexual intercourse before the age of 13. Abstinence-based HIV/STI education mandates were positively associated with being tested for HIV/STIs among students who reported having had sex (all ps < 0.05). These findings indicate that associations between state-level sexual health education mandates and adolescent sexual behaviors vary by policy type and outcome, highlighting the complexity of how education mandates relate to youth sexual health behaviors.
Female sex workers (FSWs) are vulnerable and significantly exposed to sexual violence, creating a vicious cycle that leads to further violence and health issues. Sexual violence endangers FSWs both physically and psychologically. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of sexual violence among cisgender FSWs through a systematic review and meta-analysis. In this study, the PubMed, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase, and Google Scholar databases were systematically searched to find relevant studies. Study heterogeneity was examined using the I2 index, and data were analyzed using the random effects model. Data analysis was conducted using the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (v.2) software. A review of 30 studies with a total sample size of 24,071 found that the lifetime prevalence of sexual violence among cisgender FSWs was 33.4% (95% CI 29.6-37.4). Moreover, to investigate the sexual violence prevalence within 12 months, 19 studies with a combined sample size of 25,556 were included in the analysis, revealing a prevalence of 23.8% (95% CI 17.8-31.1). In the subgroup analysis, the highest lifetime prevalence of sexual violence among FSWs was perpetrated by intimate partners, with a pooled prevalence of 24.3% (95% CI 17.7-32.4). The highest 12 month prevalence of sexual violence among FSWs was perpetrated by clients, with a pooled rate of 33.5% (95% CI 19-52). The findings indicate a high prevalence of sexual violence among female sex workers. Given the negative health consequences of sexual violence against female sex workers and the wider societal impact, such as increased risk of sexually transmitted diseases transmission, health policymakers need to pay more attention to this issue and to the health of these individuals. Increasing access to welfare services, healthcare, and mental health interventions for these individuals should also be considered.
Sexual health and well-being (SHWB) encompasses physical and emotional aspects beyond disease absence. Research has shown that sexual decisions and behaviors are informed by predominant motives for pleasure or safety, with some individuals prioritizing health protection and risk avoidance (i.e., predominant focus on prevention) and others sexual pleasure and rewards (i.e., predominant focus on promotion) with casual partners. This longitudinal study with individuals in Spain and Portugal explored how sexual regulatory focus was related to sexual responses, behaviors, and experiences with casual partners at baseline (T1, N = 811) and three months later (T2, N = 527). Results of a latent profile analysis revealed three distinct profiles. Participants predominantly focused on prevention reported higher sexual health outcomes at baseline (e.g., more sexual inhibition due to risk awareness; more condom use in different sexual activities) and three months later (e.g., enacted safer sexual activities) to the detriment of their sexual well-being (e.g., less sexual satisfaction). In contrast, participants predominantly focused on promotion reported higher sexual well-being outcomes at baseline (e.g., more sexual excitation; more sexual communal strength) and three months later (e.g., more sexual satisfaction; more autonomous reasons for having sex) potentially to the detriment of their sexual health (e.g., enacted riskier sexual activities; but were also more likely to have been tested for sexually transmitted infections). A third group of participants with a dual focus managed to protect their sexual health (e.g., enacted safer sexual activities later on) without compromising their sexual well-being (e.g., more sexual excitation; more sexual satisfaction later on). These findings show that sexual regulatory focus is a crucial aspect to consider in efforts aimed at fostering SHWB.
Sexually minoritized men (SMM) experience sexual minority stress, a product of exposure to prejudice, discrimination, and heterosexism. This study sought to identify the latent profiles of sexual minority stress among SMM with HIV who use methamphetamine and to examine the correlates associated with profile membership. A cross-sectional examination of 104 participants in San Francisco self-reported their experiences with sexual minority stress. A latent profile analysis was used to characterize the underlying "profiles" or subgroups of participants. ANOVA and Chi-square analysis were used to examine sociodemographic characteristics, psychological health, substance use, and HIV-related health associated with each profile. Participants' mean age was 43 years old (SD = 9); most identified as Black, Hispanic, or Other racial and ethnic identities (57%), and had been diagnosed with HIV for 13 years (SD = 9) on average. Our findings revealed four distinct profiles: (1) High Concealment, Moderate Prejudice Events, (2) Low Concealment, High Prejudice Events, (3) Low Sexual Minority Stress, and (4) High Sexual Minority Stress. Members of the High Sexual Minority Stress profile had the highest mean addiction severity scores and the greatest endorsement of feelings of shame and guilt. Notably, each profile had clinically significant PTSD and depression scores, even among those who experienced stressful events to a lesser extent. Our findings suggest that sexual minority stress plays a critical role in substance use and mental health outcomes. Additional research is needed to elucidate the other facets of stress in SMM that use substances.
Societal awareness of the importance of discussing and establishing sexual consent prior to sexual interaction is increasing. However, knowledge about Dutch young people's attitudes and behaviors related to sexual consent remains limited and a validated Dutch sexual consent scale is currently lacking. To address these gaps, the dimensionality and construct validity of the Dutch Sexual Consent Scale-Revised (SCS-R) were evaluated in a cross-sectional quantitative study among Dutch adolescents and young adults aged 16-25 (n = 555), including heterosexual (n = 373) and non-heterosexual (n = 182) individuals, as well as cisgender women (n = 378), cisgender men (n = 150), and non-cisgender respondents (n = 27). Three of the five Dutch SCS-R subscales-Positive attitude; Perceived Behavioral Control; and Awareness-demonstrated psychometric robustness and can be applied in their original form within a sexuality- and gender- diverse Dutch context. For the remaining two subscales-Consent Norms and Indirect Consent Behaviors-correlated two-level models are suggested to improve applicability in the Dutch context. Another key finding of this study is that sexual consent experiences were significantly less aligned with sexual consent attitudes among cisgender women and non-heterosexual individuals, compared to cisgender men and heterosexual individuals. In conclusion, the results support the use of the Dutch SCS-R in future research, although adaptions are suggested for two of the subscales. In addition, the results underscore the importance of developing inclusive, context-sensitive policies, educational materials, and campaigns that empower young people to respect others' boundaries and express their own preferences regarding sexual consent and activity.
The relationship between childhood gender nonconformity (CGN) and suicidal behavior among gay and bisexual men, along with its underlying mechanisms, need more exploration, especially in the Chinese context, a collectivistic culture emphasizing conformity to strict gender norms. This study aimed to examine the relationship between CGN and suicidal behavior and the mediating role of childhood abuse (i.e., physical, psychological, and sexual abuse) and social inhibition in this relationship among gay and bisexual men. A sample of 450 Chinese participants, consisting of 211 gay men and 239 bisexual men (age M = 23.14, SD = 3.38), was recruited via an online survey between May and July 2023. Participants completed measures of CGN, childhood abuse, social inhibition, and suicidal behavior. A serial mediation analysis was conducted to examine associations among core variables. A positive relationship between CGN and suicidal behavior (β = 0.25, 95% CI = [0.18, 0.33]) was found. Childhood abuse (particularly emotional and physical abuse, indirect effects = 0.05, 0.07) significantly partially mediated this relationship. Moreover, the serial mediation link from CGN to suicidal behavior via childhood abuse (emotional abuse) and social inhibition was significant (indirect effect = 0.02). This study underlines the important role of CGN in suicidal behavior among gay and bisexual men in the Chinese context and highlights the potential mechanisms regarding how CGN is associated with suicidal behavior. These findings provide support for the extended minority stress theory in understanding mental health challenges faced by this population.
Attitudes toward and use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) by coupled sexual minority men (SMM) may be influenced by exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) and sexual agreements regarding non-monogamy. We examined IPV (victimization and perpetration) persistence over 12 months and its association with HIV prevention behaviors and attitudes among 271 coupled, HIV-negative SMM, and the moderating role of sexual agreements. The sample had diverse race/ethnicity (64% were non-White) and was from across all regions of the USA. Participants completed a self-administered, Web-based survey at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months, and reported having the same main partner throughout. Repeated measures regression analysis showed that the level of IPV persistence was unrelated to PrEP use; however, persistent (i.e., present at all three assessments) IPV victimization and perpetration both predicted lower perceived partner support for PrEP use among those not using PrEP, as well as greater PrEP stigma. Persistent IPV victimization and perpetration were both predictive of more frequent HIV testing. The presence of a sexual agreement for non-monogamy (i.e., sex outside the primary relationship), which was a significant independent predictor of more HIV testing and PrEP use, moderated the relationships between IPV and HIV testing and partner support for PrEP, albeit in mixed ways: In non-monogamous relationships, persistent IPV victimization and perpetration were both associated with less HIV testing, but greater perceived partner support for PrEP use. In one of the first longitudinal studies of IPV and HIV prevention among SMM, these findings suggest a complex and nuanced influence of IPV on HIV prevention behaviors and attitudes and the key role that open communication and agreements related to extradyadic sex partners may have for HIV prevention among coupled SMM.
For decades, psychologists and criminologists have demonstrated a causal link between frustration and aggressive behaviors. However, the relevance of the theoretical model of frustration-aggression to sexual assault has not been definitively demonstrated and the possible association between sexual frustration and sexual assault has yet to be empirically tested on a broad scale. In this study based on a large national sample of French higher education students (N = 54,437), we hypothesized that sexual frustration would be associated with perpetration of sexual assault. Results confirmed an association between self-reported sexual frustration and sexual violence toward persons of the opposite sex, even after accounting for hostility towards the opposite sex (i.e., misogyny, misandry). Among men, sexual frustration was associated with higher odds of self-reported attempted sexual assaults (OR = 1.46) and completed sexual assaults (OR = 1.53). Among women, sexual frustration was similarly associated with higher odds of self-reported attempted sexual assaults (OR = 1.49) and completed sexual assaults (OR = 1.94). However, effects sizes confirmed that predicting which individuals attempted or committed sexual assault requires knowing far more than their level of sexual frustration. Overall, our results support the relevance of the frustration-aggression framework in the domain of sexual violence and we discuss the importance of using a large sample to detect such effects.
Minor-attracted persons (MAPs) who have not engaged in child sexual abuse are a largely hidden and under-researched population (Cantor & McPhail, 2016; Dymond & Duff, 2020; Lievesley & Lapworth, 2022; Murphy, 2024). The interchangeable use of non-offending MAPs and child sexual offenders in public narratives and media representations frames adult attraction to minors primarily as a criminal justice issue. Consequently, non-offending MAPs face significant stigma and profound invisibility and are frequently depicted as criminals (Walker, 2021). This study used critical narrative analysis (CNA) (Langdridge & Hall, 2007) to explore how six non-offending MAPs narrate their lives. The participants' stories revealed the diverse and complex ways they constructed their identities in a society which often presumes they are inherently dangerous. The findings highlight how participants develop personal narratives in the absence of master narratives available in society and how this shapes the development of sexual identity among non-offending MAPs. These stories also reflect a collective effort to challenge deeply ingrained societal views of MAPs. Drawing on queer theory as a hermeneutic of suspicion, the analysis examines how the categorization and pathologizing of sexualities produce oppression within participants' life stories. The CNA approach provided a critical framework for discussing this marginalized group, contributing to a deeper contextual understanding of how the absence of culturally accepted frameworks shapes the development of sexual identity among non-offending MAPs.
Women with a stoma may experience negative effects on their sexual quality of life and well-being due to significant changes in body image and perceptions of beauty. This study aimed to investigate the effect of beauty perception on the sexual quality of life of female stoma patients. This descriptive, cross-sectional, and predictive study was conducted between December 2023 and December 2024 in the general surgery department of a tertiary hospital. The sample consisted of 82 women with a stoma selected using purposive sampling and data were collected through telephone interviews. Data collection tools included the Beauty Subjective Numerical Assessment, Body Type (Somatotype), Body Image Scale, and Sexual Quality of Life Scale-Women. The findings showed that women's perceptions of beauty decreased after surgery. Women who preferred mesomorphic body types reported higher body image levels compared to those who preferred endomorphic and ectomorphic body types. However, body type preferences did not have a significant effect on sexual quality of life. Postoperative beauty perception was found to be associated with both body image and sexual quality of life. Furthermore, body image emerged as an important predictor of sexual quality of life. In conclusion, stoma surgery negatively affects women's perceptions of beauty and contributes to declines in body image and sexual quality of life. Psychosocial support and interventions aimed at improving body image should be integrated into postoperative care.
Sexual strangulation-commonly referred to as "choking"-is a prevalent sexual practice among young people and individuals within the LGBTQ+ community, most prevalent in men who have sex with men. The practice of sexual strangulation is a potentially hazardous behavior that can have numerous deleterious health consequences. In some circumstances, strangulation can result in loss of consciousness, neurological injury, and death. While the health consequences of external pressure on the neck, which restricts blood flow and respiration, are self-evident to medical communities, the same level of knowledge is less common in the broader community. The lack of knowledge around the risks of incorporating strangulation into sexual practices is a public health and sexual health concern. Therefore, it is important to understand the current trends surrounding the perception of risk and the experience of risk in communities where the activity is prevalent, such as men who have sex with men.Through 23 semi-structured interviews, we identified four key themes surrounding the experiences and perceptions of risk among Australian men who have sex with men who engage in sexual strangulation. These include the influences on experience and perception of risk, erroneous estimations surrounding an individual's and partner's competence, a disregard for risk, and the prioritization of enjoyment, harm reduction, and minimization strategies. This article lends valuable insight into the experiences and perceptions of risk in men who have sex with men and engage in strangulation during sexual activity. The article provides suggestions and future implications for medicine and education.
Locating health research on bisexual and pansexual (bisexual+) populations is challenging, as the data are usually collated with data for additional sexual minority and gender identities. To improve the findability of health research on bisexual+ populations, this study sought to develop a sensitivity-maximizing PubMed search filter for bisexuality. Using the relative recall method for the development and validation of search filters, we used PubMed, CitationChaser, and Covidence to search for and screen studies. To be included, studies had to report bisexual/pansexual-specific data and be MEDLINE-indexed with a PubMed Identifier (PMID). Of 291 eligible records, 252 had PMIDs; these records constituted the gold standard set used to develop the search filters. Combinations of search terms were tested against the gold standard set. Sensitivity and number needed to read (NNR) were calculated for each combination. Two search filters are presented. The sensitivity-maximizing search retrieved 100% of the gold standard set, with an NNR of 129.85. The optimized search retrieved all but one of the gold standard articles (99.60%), with an NNR of 74.88. Two PubMed search filters are presented for bisexual+ populations. These filters were validated using the relative recall method against a gold standard set derived from citing and cited references of systematic reviews on bisexual+ health. Use of the sensitivity-maximizing search filter is recommended for exhaustive searches, while the optimized filter is considered more appropriate for nonexhaustive searches.
Prior research on rape culture has largely focused on heterosexual women and has underexamined men who have sex with men (MSM) in digital contexts and there is little work on midlife users of Scruff. This study addresses these gaps by analyzing how sexual scripts on Scruff intersect with intimacy, gendered positioning, and technology facilitated sexual violence among Spanish MSM. By using a mixed methods discourse analysis, we examined 300 profiles posted by men aged 40 to 50 years who reside in the Madrid region of Spain. The analysis identified three recurring clusters of scripts. First, many profiles staged feminized self-presentations that commodified femininity and aligned passivity with desirability. Second, rape themed fantasies framed male sexual entitlement as exciting and largely unproblematic. Third, dominant top identities assumed control and initiative while constructing feminized partners as available and violable. Together, these patterns show how enactments of masculinity and femininity are closely tied to the authorization of sexual aggression and the downplaying of harm, and how femmephobia reworks heteronormative gender hierarchies within MSM spaces. At the same time, some profiles invite readings that emphasize consensual kink or playful exaggeration, underscoring the interpretive complexity of online profiles. The study contributes to debates on masculinities, platform mediated intimacies, and technology facilitated sexual violence by documenting how MSM sexual scripts reiterate gendered power asymmetries. Implications include the need for consent focused sexual health education tailored to MSM.
Non-consensual sexting entails the dissemination of erotic-sexual content without the consent of the original sender. Previous research has mainly focused on understanding the behavior of victims and aggressors. However, bystanders have been found to exert a key role in the psychosocial dynamics of this type of cyberviolence. Thus, it is essential to enhance our understanding of bystander response patterns by examining theoretical frameworks conducive to their explanation. This study contributes to this endeavor by assessing the applicability of the theory of normative social behavior (TNSB) in understanding bystanders' responses and intentions within the context of non-consensual sexting. Data were collected from 2539 students (49.2% girls, 49.1% boys, 1.7% others) aged 11-18 years. Employing structural equation modeling, the results of this study suggest that the social norms that constitute the TNSB framework provide a solid basis for understanding bystanders' responses and intentions to non-consensual sexting. Specifically, friends' injunctive norms, subjective norms, and descriptive norms were key predictors of bystander responses. Incorporating additional factors, such as empathy, heteronormative attitudes and beliefs, and parental supervision significantly improved model fit. Empathy was positively related to defensive responses and negatively to passivity. Heteronormative attitudes and beliefs were significant predictors across all three response types. Parental supervision was positively associated with defensive responses and negatively with passive ones. These findings offer a comprehensive framework for understanding adolescent bystander behavior in non-consensual sexting scenarios and underscore the importance of targeting both social and individual factors in prevention and intervention efforts.
Sexual violence (SV) and intimate partner violence (IPV) are widely recognized as major public health and societal concerns. Yet, although sexual violence is often examined within broader IPV frameworks, the specific experiential features of intimate partner sexual violence (IPSV) remain underexplored. This study aimed to examine women's lived experiences of IPSV and the meaning-making processes through which coerced sexuality is understood and (sometimes) acknowledged as violence. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis, in-depth interviews were conducted with two women who experienced IPSV within heterosexual marriages. An idiographic, case-based analytic approach was used to examine microprocesses and relational dynamics as they unfolded within the couple. Five experiential themes were identified: (1) the erosion of intimacy, (2) psychological violence as a relational infrastructure shaping sexual coercion, (3) IPSV as an embodied and alienating experience, (4) acknowledging IPSV as an evolving process, and (5) the mark of violence. Findings depict IPSV as elusive and invasive, occurring within a context of attachment and expected safety, and shaped by embodied ambivalence, relational constraint, and cognitive dissonance. Clinically and institutionally, the analysis highlights the risk of misreading performed sexual participation as consent and underscores the relevance of survivor-centered, trauma-informed responses that attend to embodied safety, sexual agency, and the longer-term relational sequelae of IPSV. Future research should further explore IPSV within diverse populations, including sexual minorities and individuals facing intersecting vulnerabilities due to polyvictimization.
Psychological intimate partner violence (IPV) affects individuals across diverse sexual identities and is often reinforced by romantic myths. Despite its substantial mental health consequences, psychological IPV remains under-recognized and insufficiently researched. One barrier is the scarcity of brief, inclusive, and psychometrically sound tools for assessing psychological IPV across varied populations. To address this gap, the present study aimed to validate the short form of the Turkish version of the Multidimensional Measure of Emotional Abuse (MMEA-TR). This 16-item scale evaluates four subdimensions of psychological IPV (Restrictive Engulfment, Denigration, Hostile Withdrawal, and Dominance/Intimidation) while preserving the original multidimensional framework. Data were collected from four independent samples in Türkiye: Bisexual individuals (n = 230, M = 22.88, SD = 4.49), predominantly heterosexual women (n = 237, M = 24.30, SD = 2.51), lesbian and bisexual women (n = 178, M = 29.06, SD = 7.81), and predominantly heterosexual men (n = 160, M = 24.49, SD = 2.54). Confirmatory factor analyses across samples supported the hypothesized four-factor model and demonstrated acceptable fit indices. Subscales showed significant intercorrelations and concurrent validity was supported by theoretically consistent associations with jealousy (Study 1), anxious attachment (Study 2), internalized heterosexism (Study 3), and fragile masculinity (Study 4). Internal consistency reliability ranged from acceptable to high across groups. Overall, findings provide initial evidence for the construct validity, concurrent validity, and reliability of the MMEA-TR short form. This study contributes a brief, inclusive, and psychometrically robust instrument for assessing psychological IPV in both heterosexual and sexual minority populations.
Individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) display increased difficulty with navigating intimate relationships, including experiencing lower levels of sexual satisfaction compared to individuals without an ADHD neurotype. Nonetheless, there is a lack of research exploring the lived experiences of sex and sexual satisfaction in ADHD populations. To address this gap, this study investigated these experiences through a qualitative exploration of ADHD individuals' perceptions of their sexual experiences and sexual satisfaction. A sample of 98 ADHD adults (72 women, 17 men, 8 non-binary, 1 gender not reported) from a range of countries (57.1% Australia) were recruited online using snowball sampling. Participants provided written responses to five open-ended questions about their sexual experiences and sexual satisfaction. Responses were analyzed using latent thematic analysis. Findings indicated that ADHD individuals experience challenges with their sexual satisfaction and relationships, with a consistent theme of their neurotype-specific traits being a contributing factor to these challenges (i.e., need for novelty, difficulty focusing, reassurance seeking behaviors). Notably, participants with ADHD experience challenges with sexual satisfaction, particularly when neurotype accommodations are not supported or considered. These findings may guide the formation of adequate and informed assessment and therapeutic practice for supporting ADHD individuals who experience sexual dissatisfaction, and aid in improving their overall sexual well-being and intimate relationships.