Abstract
Limited research has investigated the perceived influence of sexually explicit online media (SEOM) on body satisfaction and partner expectations of men who have sex with men (MSM). Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with 16 MSM, covering the perceived influence of MSM-specific SEOM. All nine men who broached the topics of body satisfaction and partner expectations reported that MSM-specific SEOM set unreasonably high physical appearance expectations for themselves and/or their potential partners. Although MSM-specific SEOM might be negatively affecting body satisfaction and partner expectations among MSM, its ubiquity may make it a useful tool to support body positivity.
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Acknowledgments
We would like to thank our participants as well as the lab members for their help with this project. The work was supported in part by NIH (F31MH088851, K23MH109346, K24MH093243, P30AI27757). Additional support was provided by the Department of Psychology where the research was conducted and the American Psychological Association of Graduate Students. The content of this publication is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health or other sources of support.
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This study was funded in part by NIH (F31MH088851, K23MH109346, K24MH093243, P30AI27757). Additional support was provided by the Department of Psychology where the research was conducted and the American Psychological Association of Graduate Students.
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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.
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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.
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Leickly, E., Nelson, K. & Simoni, J. Sexually Explicit Online Media, Body Satisfaction, and Partner Expectations Among Men who have Sex with Men: a Qualitative Study. Sex Res Soc Policy 14, 270–274 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13178-016-0248-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13178-016-0248-7