Sexual Compulsivity Research Articles

(037) Hypersexuality with the Use of Selective Serotonin Receptor Inhibitors

Abstract Introduction We present two cases of hypersexuality in perimenopausal women evaluated, diagnosed, and being managed at this time for what seems to be a sexual dysfunction recently described as a consequence of the use of a combination of 2 kinds of medications: Bupropion, a Norepinephrine Dopamine Reuptake Inhibitor (NDRI), and Sertraline/Fluoxetine, a Selective Serotonin Receptor Inhibitor (SSRI), used as an anti-depressant and anxiolytics for psychiatric conditions. Both cases arrived at our centers referred by their primary care physicians or a psychiatrist for sexual therapy and sexological evaluation. Objective To show a new sexual dysfunction related to the use of SSRI medications. Methods The analysis of 2 cases of a new described sexual dysfunction related with the use of SSRI medications: Bupropion at 150 mg PO bid, and Fluoxetine at 125 mg PO qd. Results The first case, one week after the initiation of Fluoxetine, having been taking Bupropion for months, started to develop uncontrolled need for sex, having sex with multiple men, in addition to her husband. Her husband accepted to have sexual relationships in trios, a situation that lasted for several months. However, after 4-6 weeks, she started to look for additional partners other than her husband. He left. She arrived with extreme anxiety during her first visit. Neither her, nor the psychiatrist understood why this was happening. At that moment, she was having sex with several men on a daily basis. She wanted to preserve her marriage but her sexual compulsion was an impediment. The second patient decided to be unfaithful to her husband of 10 years. In this case, she decided to have hidden sexual relations with several men at the same time with just one. She was also undergoing psychiatric treatment with both medications, Fluoxetine and Bupropion. There was a temporal correlation between the initiation of Fluoxetine and the appearance of the sexual dysfunction. We suspended both medications and around 10 days after this therapeutic step, there was a frank decline in the compulsive sexual behavior. However, due to depression and anxiety symptoms, the psychiatrist decided to restart only Bupropion without the Fluoxetine that was the medication with which the appearance of symptoms have been related. Now, she is okay. Conclusions We describe the possible pharmacological mechanisms involved in the pathophysiology of this disorder and the way in which we have managed the two cases up to now. This condition needs to be differentiated from the hyperactive sexual arousal disorder, previously described in the sexological literature and we need to determine if this is a variant of that kind of syndrome. We have never encountered this kind of reaction before and have only found one publication describing a similar case. Disclosure No

The Self-Reported Sexual Real-World Consequences of Sex Doll Use

ABSTRACT It is a growing concern that the use of sex dolls and robots could affect human sexuality. This concern has led to a ban of child-like sex dolls in several countries and a call to ban adult-like sex dolls and robots by some scholars. However, empirical data is largely missing supporting this claim. Here, we present retrospective self-reported quantitative and qualitative data of a large sample (N = 224, 90.5% men, Mean age = 31 years, SD = 14.2) of teleiophilic (i.e., sexual orientation toward adults) and pedo-hebephilic participants. Using an online survey, we found that users reported an overall reduction in sexuality-related behaviors (e.g., porn consumption or visiting of sex workers) in response to doll ownership. Users in a relationship with a human were less affected by doll use, while those in a relationship with a doll reported greater effects. Interestingly, pedo-hebephilic users reported a greater reduction of sexual compulsivity compared to teleiophilic participants following doll use. Additionally, pedo-hebephilic participants more often reported acting out of illegal sexual fantasies with their dolls and a loss of interest in (sexual) intimacy with real children through doll use in the qualitative data. These self-reported data challenge the view that doll use is dangerously affecting human sexuality and instead suggest that dolls may be used as a sexual outlet for potentially dangerous and illegal (sexual) fantasies.

Women, Witchcraft, and the Inquisition in Spain and the New World ed. by Mar�a Jes�s Zamora Calvo (review)

Reviewed by: Women, Witchcraft, and the Inquisition in Spain and the New World ed. by María Jesús Zamora Calvo Jordan Vanderpool Zamora Calvo, María Jesús, ed. Women, Witchcraft, and the Inquisition in Spain and the New World. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State UP, 2021. 214 pp. ISBN 978-0-8071-7561-3. Edited and compiled by María Jesús Zamora Calvo, Women, Witchcraft, and the Inquisition in Spain in the New World (WWISNW) accomplishes a great deal in bringing to light narratives of marginalized women during the inquisitorial period in Spain and the Americas. Zamora Calvo's introduction surveys each author's contribution and presents an unequivocal thesis that is largely followed throughout the work: namely, that inquisitorial persecution of women of the time always bore the shadow of hatred and disdain. To finalize the contextual framework of the book, Zamora Calvo offers a brief overview of the three hundred and fifty years of the Holy Office (1478-1834). Consisting of three essays, part one addresses cases of witchcraft in Spain. Beatriz Moncó Rebollo draws on the paradox of orthodox and heterodox discourse existing together in flux during the Baroque era to flesh out the binomials of woman/devil and body/evil as manifested in individual cases and mass pandemics. Sonia Pérez Villanueva addresses racial tensions in early 17th century Spain and exposes propagandist artwork's role in constructing a culture of ethnocentrism. As a conclusion of the first part, Zamora Calvo defends the case of Catalina Mateo—accused of infanticide and witchcraft—, while also considering the infamous myth of the demonic pact and its possible economic and psychological motivations. In the more tolerant environment of the New World, less severe trials occurred, but WWISNW devotes seven studies to the topic. Alberto Ortiz begins part two by outlining the practice of ligatures and investigates the use of these spells in the case of María de la Concepción. Cecilia López-Riduara reveals the belief in magical impotence as having stemmed from the sexual obsession of the authors of Malleus Malificarum, which is followed by Robin Ann Rice's analysis of proto-medical midwife practices and occult charms as a [End Page 181] unique means for monetary gain available to women at the time. Yadira Munguía's essay studies a unique instance of self-denunciation in front of the Holy Office, which results in a relatively positive outcome for the defendant. Deviating slightly from previous essays, Claudia Carranza and Jair Antonio Acevedo López investigate the use of an esoteric plant in magical formulae, and Graciela Rodríguez Castañon brings attention to the witch as a cultural myth. Ana María Díaz Burgos brings the book to a close by addressing two cases of witchcraft motivated by economic advancement in the face of marital struggles in Cartagena de Indias. The merits of this study are numerous and worthy of mention. WWISNW links the role of the inquisition in Spain to its role in the New World, elucidating the similarities and the notable differences between the Holy Office's operation intercontinentally. Moreover, the diversity of subjects perhaps proves the book's greatest advantage. Far from merely narrating numerous case studies, Zamora's complication seeks, and successfully manages, to arrive at a greater understanding of the essence of witchness during the Baroque period, principally through examining the individual woman, but also by means of more conceptual exploration. What is the often the study's greatest strength, however, at times turns into structural weakness. To some degree an outlier from the other contributors, Rodríguez Castañon's essay explores the cultural construct of the witch during the time of the Inquisition, and while a praiseworthy piece, the placement distracts from the author's astute observations. As the penultimate essay of the book, the pattern of a historiographical analysis of various inquisitorial cases in each essay has already been sufficiently established, so an essay that addresses no individual case, instead focusing on a more theoretical cultural phenomenon, results in some dissonance in the flow of the book, in particular when followed by another paradigmatic trial documentation. Munguía's investigation of an abnormal...

Further Understanding the Correlations Between Sexting and Mental Health: Considerations for Sex and Sexual Identity.

We explored how sexting (no sexting, sent only, received only, reciprocal) was associated with depression, anxiety, sleep problems, and compulsive sexual behaviors across sex and sexual identity groups. We also examined how substance use predicted sexting classifications. Data came from 2,160 college students living in the United States. Results indicated that 76.6 percent of the sample had engaged in sexting (primarily reciprocal). Participants who had engaged in sexting generally evidenced higher depression, anxiety, sleep problems, and compulsive sexual behaviors. Effect sizes were largest on compulsive sexual behavior indicators. Marijuana use was the only significant substance use predictor of reciprocal and "received only" sexting compared with no sexting. Illicit substance use (e.g., cocaine) was low base rate but descriptively was associated with sexting. Compulsive sexual behavior remained a robust positive correlate of sexting compared with non-sexting participants regardless of sex and sexual identity. Most other mental health indicators became nonsignificant correlates of sexting in nonheterosexual participants and were weak positive correlates in heterosexual participants. Marijuana use remained the only significant substance use predictor of reciprocal and "received only" sexting when adjusted for sex and sexual identity. We conclude that sexting is only weakly associated with depression, anxiety, and sleep problems but robustly associated with compulsive sexuality and marijuana use. These findings do not appear to vary meaningfully on the basis of sex or sexual identity, with the exception that the effect sizes between sexting and compulsive sexual behaviors were much stronger for females compared with males (regardless of sexual identity).

Symptoms of depression (not anxiety) mediate the relationship between childhood sexual abuse and compulsive sexual behaviors in men.

Childhood sexual abuse is associated with compulsive sexual behavior, depression, and anxiety in men. Furthermore, both depression and anxiety have been linked to compulsive sexual behaviors. However, whether anxiety and depression mediate the relationship between childhood sexual abuse and compulsive sexual behaviors has yet to be tested. We investigated whether symptoms of depression and anxiety mediate the relationship between childhood sexual abuse and compulsive sexual behaviors in 222 men seeking treatment for such behaviors. Participants completed the Sexual Compulsivity Scale, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Beck Depression Inventory, and Beck Anxiety Inventory. A cross-sectional parallel mediation analysis was conducted. The prevalence of childhood sexual abuse in our sample was 57%. Significant correlations were found between childhood sexual abuse and compulsive sexual behaviors, depression, and anxiety. The results of the mediation analyses suggested that depression (B = 0.07, standard error [SE] = 0.03, 95%CI 0.02 to 0.15), but not anxiety (B = 0.02, SE = 0.02, 95%CI -0.2 to 0.07), mediated the link between childhood sexual abuse and compulsive sexual behaviors. The pattern of our results remained the same when controlling for other types of childhood trauma. Depression, not anxiety, appears to mediate the relationship between childhood sexual abuse and compulsive sexual behaviors in men. Future research that tests our mediation analyses using a prospective longitudinal study would be highly informative.

A.E. Housman’s Bio-Drama(tic) Journey in Tom Stoppard’s The Invention Of Love

This study highlights the compulsive sexuality of Housman for his love towards his classmate, Jackson. The moral codes of the era enforced Housman to keep his feelings secret since Victorian society prohibited homosexual affairs. Therefore, Housman was compelled to hide his desires stemming from his desperate love. The Invention of Love turns around the ambition of Housman for his homosexual identity. At the same time, Stoppard’s play is one of the best examples of bio-drama which consists of the words “biography” and “drama”. In this respect, the aim of this study is to reveal how the playwright uncovers Housman’s homosexual tendencies from Foucauldian perspective through bio-drama.

Psychosocial Problems and Condomless Anal Sex among Transgender Women in Two Cities of China: Study Based on the Syndemic Framework

Studies examining the association between psychosocial problems and condomless anal sex (CAS) among transgender women (TGW) are rare. In this study, close attention was paid to the effect of co-occurring psychosocial problems on sexual risk behaviors. A cross-sectional study, including 247 TGW, was conducted in Kunming and Shenyang, China. The prevalence of condomless anal sex among TGW in the previous 6 months was 30.8%. Most of the psychosocial factors were associated with one another in bivariate logistic regression models. Low self-esteem (ORm = 2.99, 95% CI = 1.25-7.18), sexual compulsivity (ORm = 2.13, 95% CI = 1.13-4.00), and intimate partner violence (ORm = 2.21, 95% CI = 1.19-4.11) were discovered to be related to condomless anal sex in the multivariate regression model. No significant interactive effects of the syndemic factors on condomless anal sex were detected. More programmatic and effective HIV prevention interventions targeting psychosocial problems are required to reduce HIV infection within the population.

Correction to Jackson et al. (2022).

Reports an error in "A pilot test of a treatment to address intersectional stigma, mental health, and HIV risk among gay and bisexual men of color" by Skyler D. Jackson, Krystn R. Wagner, Mike Yepes, Tyler D. Harvey, Jackson Higginbottom and John E. Pachankis (Psychotherapy, 2022[Mar], Vol 59[1], 96-112). In the article, text changes have been made to point (c) in the abstract and in the first and fifth paragraphs of the introduction, an em dash has been added in the block quote that appears in the Treatment Structure Was Deemed Appropriate and Supported Participation section, the year of publication has been updated to 2021 for the Braun and Clarke source, the coloration of the arrows for Exacerbating in Figure 1 has been corrected, and the supplemental materials have been revised. The online version of this article has been corrected. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2022-19900-001.) We tested the feasibility and acceptability of a group therapy treatment that addresses the intersecting stigma-related stressors theorized to drive elevated mental health risk, sexual health risk, and their co-occurrence among Black and Latino gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBM). First, we modified an existing 10-week, one-on-one, cognitive-behavioral treatment addressing co-occurring health risks among GBM to develop a group-based, intersectionally informed treatment for GBM of color. Then, an open pilot was conducted (n = 21, across two cohorts) with young Black and Latino GBM. An evaluation of feasibility metrics (e.g., eligibility-enrollment ratio, session attendance, rate of retention) supported overall treatment feasibility. Qualitative data suggest high acceptability of the treatment length, format, and content-and revealed a powerful theme: The treatment and group composition led participants to feel less alone as GBM of color. To further evaluate acceptability, baseline and 3-month posttreatment assessments and exit interviews were used to examine the treatment's impact on stigma coping, mental health, and sexual health. Expected changes were found for: (a) stigma coping, as demonstrated by decreases in perceived sexual minority stress, racial minority stress, and intersectional stress; (b) mental health, including depression, anxiety, stress, and suicidality, but not alcohol use; and (c) sexual health, including condom use efficacy, sexual compulsivity, and preexposure prophylaxis uptake; with partial support for decreased in human immunodeficiency virus; HIV-transmission risk acts. This study lays the groundwork for a group treatment to address intersectional stigma, mental health, and HIV risk among young Black and Latino GBM in the U.S. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Internet-administered cognitive behavioral therapy for hypersexual disorder, with or without paraphilia(s) or paraphilic disorder(s) in men: a pilot study

To investigate the effects of Internet-administered cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT) on hypersexual disorder (HD), with or without paraphilia(s) or paraphilic disorder(s). Male participants (n = 36) evaluated positive according to the proposed diagnostic HD criteria, with or without paraphilia(s) or paraphilic disorder(s), received 12 weeks of ICBT. Measures were administered weekly over the treatment period, with an additional follow-up measurement 3 months after completion of treatment. An assessment interview was performed 2 weeks after treatment. Large, significant decreases in HD symptoms and sexual compulsivity were found, as well as moderate improvements in psychiatric well-being and paraphilic symptoms. These effects remained stable 3 months after treatment. This study gives support for ICBT as an effective treatment option for HD. Future evaluations of the treatment program should include women and larger samples in randomized controlled procedures and investigate the long-term effects. The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Impulsivity, Sexual Compulsivity, and Sexual Risk Behaviors among Hispanic Men Who Have Sex with Men in a US–Mexico Border City

Hispanic men who have sex with men (HMSM) experience HIV risk-related and mental health disparities. The relationship of mental health (i.e., depressive symptoms and anxiety) on sexual risk behaviors of HMSM has been reported. However, little is known about the influence of impulsivity and compulsivity on sexual risk behaviors. A cross-sectional study explored these factors among 150 HMSM in the El Paso, Texas area utilizing standardized measures, in a cross-sectional study. Regression analysis determined the influence of sexual impulsivity and compulsivity, and demographic variables on sexual risk behaviors, indicating interventions should target these behaviors to mitigate sexual risk among HMSM.

No significant effect of frequent online sexual behaviour on Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer (PIT): Implications for compulsive sexual behaviour disorder.

Reward based learning is broadly acknowledged to underpin the development and maintenance of addictive behaviour although the mechanism in sexual compulsivity is less understood. Using a Pavlovian-to-Instrumental Transfer (PIT) task we tested whether the motivational aspect of conditioned Pavlovian conditioned stimulus invigorated instrumental responding in relation to specific compatible monetary rewards. Performance on the task was analysed between two groups of males based on Low (N = 38) and High (N = 41) self-report online sexual behaviour (OSB). Psychometric tests including sexual compulsivity scale and behavioural activation/behavioural inhibition (BIS/BAS) were also administered to determine the relationship between OSB and general reward sensitivity. We show clear evidence of acquisition in the Pavlovian and instrumental conditioning phases. Specific transfer effect was greater in the High-OSB group although the difference compared to the Low-OSB group was non-significant. OSB negatively correlated with both BIS and BAS indicative of introversion and low reward sensitivity. OSB positively correlated with sexual compulsivity although it is unclear whether individuals in the High-OSB group considered their behaviour either excessive or problematic. These findings contribute to the ongoing debate regarding the nature of problematic OSB. Fundamental differences in motivational characteristics and mechanism contributing to compulsive behaviour in relation to high-OSB might indicate incompatibility with behavioural addiction models. PIT was not enhanced in high-OSB by appetitive conditioning, although problematic OSB could stem from failure to inhibit actions. Further research should investigate whether aversive conditioning differentially affects responding in high-OSB individuals, potentially explaining perseverant behaviour despite negative consequences.

Who feels affected by "out of control" sexual behavior? Prevalence and correlates of indicators for ICD-11 Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder in the German Health and Sexuality Survey (GeSiD).

The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence and correlates of indicators consistent with Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder (CSBD)-defined and operationalized according to the ICD-11 guidelines-in a large (n = 4,633; 50.5% male; 49,5% female) probability-based German national sample. Participants were asked if they had ever experienced "intense and recurring sexual impulses or sexual urges that I had difficulty controlling and resulted in sexual behavior" over a period of several months. Those who reported this experience were queried about theassociated distress. Overall, 4.9% of men [95% CI = 3.9-6.1] and 3.0% of women [95% CI=2.3-3.9] reported experiences consistent with ICD-11 diagnostic requirements for lifetime diagnosis. In the 12 months preceding the study, 3.2% of men [95% CI = 2.4-4.2] and 1.8% of women [95% CI = 1.2-2.5] reported experiences consistent with CSBD requirements. Compared to controls and participants who reported elements of compulsive sexuality but without accompanying distress, strict religious upbringing was most prevalent in the CSBD group. The CSBD group was more likely to view sexual practices like men having sex with men as unacceptable and to report the belief that pornography has negative impacts on their sex life and life in general. Compared to the other two groups, the CSBD group was significantly more likely to have received psychiatric treatment for depression or another mental health problem during the past 12 months. The current study provides novel and important insights into the prevalence and characteristics of CSBD in the general population.

Symptoms of problematic pornography use among help-seeking male adolescents: Latent profile and network analysis.

Little data exist on exploring the subgroups and characteristics of problematic pornography use (PPU) in help-seeking adolescents. The aims of the study were to classify the subgroups among help-seeking male adolescents, explore their similarities and differences, and uncover their core symptoms. A total of 3,468 Chinese male adolescents (M age = 16.64 years, SD=1.24) who were distressed about their pornography use were recruited. The Problematic Pornography Consumption Scale, the Brief Pornography Screen Scale, and Moral Disapproval of Pornography Use were used to classify them. The General Health Questionnaire, the Pornography Craving Questionnaire, and the Sexual Compulsivity Scale were used to investigate participants' negative consequence related to their pornography use; and the Online Sexual Activity Questionnaire (OSAs) and time spent on pornography use every week were considered as quantitative indicators. Help-seeking male adolescents could be divided into 3 profiles, namely, self-perceived problematic (SP, n = 755), impaired control (IC, n = 1,656), and problematic use groups (PPU, n = 1,057). Frequency of OSAs was important for the identification of SP individuals, while negative consequences were more effective in identifying individuals with objective dysregulated behavior. Salience and mood modification were shared by all groups; however, in addition to this, the SP and PPU groups also showed withdrawal symptoms. This study's results provide support for the presence of different profiles of help-seeking individuals and information on potential intervention targets among adolescents which is lacking in the literature.

Psychometric Properties of the Sexual Compulsivity Scale in Men Who Have Sex with Men in Spanish Population

The Sexual Compulsivity Scale (SCS) has been translated, adapted and validated in general Spanish population, making its application difficult in certain groups, such as men who have sex with men (MSM). This paper evaluates the psychometric properties of the SCS in a sample of MSM in Spain. The SCS was administered to 881 participants. The factorial structure of the SCS was examined with an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Both EFA and CFA confirmed a two-factor structure: (1) Interference of sexual behavior, and (2) Failure to control sexual impulses. Internal consistency was really good for the scale and also for both factors. The SCS also presented adequate psychometric properties. Thus, it is an appropriate measure for assessing sexual compulsivity in MSM, and a tool to be taken into account in future researches to reduce sexual risk behaviors in the MSM Spanish population.

Sexual compulsivity, erectile dysfunction, and suicidality among male survivors of military sexual violence.

Although military sexual trauma (MST) is associated with an increased risk of suicide, suicide attempts, and suicidal ideation among service members and veterans, there is limited knowledge regarding the mechanisms of MST and suicidality among men. The current study examined whether MST was associated with sexual compulsivity and/or erectile dysfunction and if these, in turn, explained elevated suicidal thoughts and the likelihood of engaging in future suicidal behavior after accounting for mental health, military, and demographic characteristics. Service members and veterans who reported their gender as male (N = 508) were recruited via social media and completed online self-report measures assessing MST, erectile dysfunction, sexual compulsivity, suicidal ideation frequency, and the likelihood of engaging in future suicidal behavior. Path analysis was used to examine the study hypotheses. In total, 67 participants (13.2%) reported a history of MST; of these individuals, 27 (40.3%) reported suicidal ideation in the past 12 months, and 29 (43.9%) reported an increased likelihood of engaging in future suicidal behavior. MST was associated with increased sexual compulsivity, which, in turn, predicted more frequent suicidal ideation as well as a higher self-reported likelihood of engaging in future suicidal behavior. MST was associated with higher levels of erectile dysfunction, but erectile dysfunction was not associated with suicidal ideation in the adjusted model. Although the data were cross-sectional, precluding determinations of causality, the results support assessing and intervening with regard to sexual compulsivity to mitigate the risk for suicide-related outcomes among men who experience MST.

Psychological and Developmental Correlates of Paraphilic and Normophilic Sexual Interests.

The classification of sexual fantasies and behaviors (here referred to as 'sexual interests') has historically been divided into 'paraphilic' and 'normophilic'. However, studies on paraphilic interests are often limited to clinical or forensic samples and normophilic interests are rarely assessed in tandem. Previous research has found mixed results for psychological and other correlates of sexual interests, potentially due to inconsistency in operationalism and measurement of fantasies and behaviors. The aim of the current study was to quantify correlates of sexual interests via the Sexual Fantasies and Behaviors Inventory, containing factors related to general fantasies/behaviors, normophilia, power dynamics, sadomasochism, and courtship paraphilias, using a large (N = 4280) non-clinical sample. Psychological, developmental, sexual, and demographic correlates were investigated via bivariate correlations, mean difference testing, and multiple regression. Sexual interest domains were largely unrelated to psychopathology and developmental factors. Sociosexuality and more accepting attitudes towards sadomasochism was generally related to more arousal to/engagement in normophilic and paraphilic domains. More autism spectrum disorder traits were related to decreased normophilic interests. Psychopathic traits, sexual sensation seeking, and sexual compulsivity were related to paraphilia dimensions, especially courtship paraphilias and domination/sadism; the former was also associated with negative attitudes about establishing consent. Men, non-monogamous, and non-heterosexual participants indicated greater sexual fantasies and behaviors compared to women (except in the case of submission and masochism), monogamous, and heterosexual participants, respectively.

Social Reactions to Disclosure of Sexual Violence in Adulthood and Women’s Sexuality: The Mediating Role of Shame and Guilt

This study examined the mediating role of emotions related to sexual violence in adulthood in the associations between social reactions to sexual violence disclosure and sexual outcomes. Self-reported data were collected from 324 women reporting sexual violence and path analyses were conducted among the 264 women (81.5%) who disclosed their most recent sexual violence experience. Results showed that emotional support was associated with higher sexual satisfaction. Victim blame was associated with greater guilt related to the sexual violence, which, in turn, was associated with higher sexual compulsivity. Stigmatization was associated with greater shame related to the sexual violence, which, in turn, was associated with higher sexual distress and avoidance, and lower sexual satisfaction and function. Our findings highlight the importance of social reactions to sexual violence disclosure in women’s sexuality.

Pandemic Revealed Unique Aspects of Sexual Addictions

Pandemic Revealed Unique Aspects of Sexual Addictions

1 & 2 Thessalonians by Douglas Farrow

Reviewed by: 1 & 2 Thessalonians by Douglas Farrow Andrew R. Talbert douglas farrow, 1 & 2 Thessalonians (Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible; Grand Rapids: Brazos, 2020). Pp. xx + 316. $35. Farrow's work on 1–2 Thessalonians is a masterly representation of the possibilities of a biblical commentary focused on the "realities engaged or implied by the text" (p. 16). It is exegetical—without getting lost in "grammatical constructions and semantic or historical possibilities" (p. 16)—and expository—operating under a participatory ontology that seeks to avoid the inadvertent manipulation of the text by the preacher who might forget that the Word is the subject of Scripture and not the congregation (p. 2). The preamble opens by situating the discussion within Samuel Taylor Coleridge's Pentad of Operative Christianity, which, though reading like the work of a Hegelian convert to Christianity, ultimately assists F. in framing the question of the responsibility of the theologian-commentator to the preacher of the Word and in considering the purpose of the commentary. This leads F. unashamedly to offer his commentary, concluding that the theologian is well primed to comment because of the overtly theological subject matter of 1 and 2 Thessalonians and the letters' honesty regarding their hermeneutical presuppositions. Stylistically, the work is canonical, articulating the epistles' meaning from the breadth of Scripture; it is magisterial by its location within the Catholic history of interpretation; and it is modern in its articulation of the ongoing meaning of 1 and 2 Thessalonians, for example, as it confronts both the church and the various empires in conflict with God's Word, from Xi Jinping's Three-Self Church to Western political atheism (p. 224), as well as its attention to rhetorical structure and grammatical constructions. Lastly, it is personal, as F.'s ongoing feud with David Hart over universalism appears with some frequency. Several selections from the commentary will give a general picture of F.'s theological reading of the epistles, but his opening emphasis sets the tone. Taking "grace" as his starting point, the commentator turns to the pronouncement of the angel Gabriel over Mary (Luke 1:28) as the powerful antitype that gives fullness to this term and the experience of the Thessalonians, who are themselves "being filled" with Christ via his eucharistic presence. F. likewise ends the commentary by pronouncing the Magnificat as something of an eschatological benediction over the reader. Farrow's pastoral/expository and magisterial reading materializes especially in his attention to the term πορνεία, which he defines as "any sexual violation of love [which is] the fundamental vocation and determining feature of image-bearing creatures" (p. 95), and to which he dedicates twenty pages because the issue is of utmost pastoral concern. In many ways, F.'s reading is of a single term through the lens of Vatican II in light of the modern West's conjoined sexual obsession(s) and shamelessness. On the controversial "rapture" text, he situates the impulse of 1 Thess 4:13–18 within the perennial interest in the nature of the resurrection and the second coming of Christ. He reads this (rightly) as a pericope blending Danielic and imperial imagery to communicate [End Page 497] the victory of God's chosen who have endured tribulation for God's sake, recognizing that Daniel's "being caught up" to receive a heavenly vision foreshadows the consummation of all things spoken of in 1 Thessalonians, the union of heaven and earth, and the complete victory of Christ over the "prince of the power of the air" (Eph 1:15)—no longer a vision but a reality. From the Second Epistle, Farrow sees the difficult material in 2 Thess 2:1–10 as Paul providing a warning against an overly imminent eschatology through a Danielic framework for the parousia of Christ. While guiding the reader through OT and historical background to this apocalyptic "man of lawlessness," he outlines this character's features in nine points drawn from the text and the more sober readings of the historical church. Yet his identification of the man of lawlessness with the beast of the sea in Rev 13:1–6 is problematic in that it seems to read Revelation as a simple...

Gender differences in the association of psychological distress and sexual compulsivity before and during the COVID-19 pandemic

IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic had numerous consequences for general, mental and sexual health. As gender differences in sexual compulsivity (SC) have been reported in the past and SC has been connected to adverse events and psychological distress, the current study aims at investigating associations between these factors in the context of contact restrictions in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany.MethodsWe collected data for five time points in four retrospective measurement points in an online convenience sample (n T0 = 399, n T4 = 77). We investigated the influence of gender, several pandemic-related psychosocial circumstances, sensation seeking (Brief Sensation Seeking Scale), and psychological distress (Patient-Health-Questionnaire-4) on the change of SC (measured with an adapted version of the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale) between T0 and T1 (n = 292) in a linear regression analysis. Additionally, the course of SC over the time of the pandemic was explored with a linear mixed model.ResultsMale gender was associated with higher SC compared to female gender over all measurement points. An older age, being in a relationship, having a place to retreat was associated with a change to lower SC during the first time of the pandemic. Psychological distress was associated with SC in men, but not in women. Men, who reported an increase of psychological distress were also more likely to report an increase of SC. DiscussionThe results demonstrate that psychological distress seems to correlate with SC differently for men and women. This could be due to different excitatory and inhibitory influences on men and women during the pandemic. Furthermore, the results demonstrate the impact of pandemic related psychosocial circumstances in the times of contact restrictions.