2nd Edition: Exclusive Papers Collection of the Editorial Board of Sexes

A special issue of Sexes (ISSN 2411-5118).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 2444

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Psychology, Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, IN 46383, USA
Interests: sexual psychology; sexual behavior; sexual response; sexual dysfunction in men and women; psychological distress; sexual health; sexual psychophysiology; cross-cultural perspectives
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences, University of Groningen, 9700 Groningen, The Netherlands
Interests: sexual arousal; unlearning negative emotions; psychophysiology; sexual pain; sexual cohesion in long term couples; sexual creativity
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Department of Oncology/Surgery, St. Pantelimon Hospital, Carol Davila University, Dionisie Lupu Street, No. 37, 020021 Bucharest, Romania
Interests: sexual psychology; sexual neurophysiology; mental and sexual health

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As the Editor-in-Chief of Sexes, I am pleased to announce the second edition and continuation of our Special Issue “Exclusive Papers Collection of the Editorial Board of Sexes”. The first edition attracted considerable attention, resulting in the publication of 10 peer-reviewed papers that garnered many views and downloads. These articles are freely available for download via the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph/special_issues/3N5XJCT5SR.

This Special Issue will be a further collection of papers from our Section Editorial Board Members, as well as from prominent or emerging scholars specially invited by the Editorial Board Members. The aim is to provide a platform for high-quality yet diverse research studies that facilitate networking and communication between Sexes and scholars in the field of sexology. All papers will be published fully open access after peer review.

As a leader in your field, we strongly encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity to enhance the visibility of your research and the journal.

Prof. Dr. David L. Rowland
Dr. Charmaine Borg
Dr. Ion G. Motofei
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sexes is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • sexual and reproductive health 
  • sexual behavior and attitudes 
  • sexual diversity 
  • sexual relationships 
  • sexual problems and disorders

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 300 KiB  
Article
An Exploration of Predictors of Psychological Help-Seeking Attitudes in a Transgender Population in a Non-Western Context
by Shakir Adam, Kiran Bashir Ahmad, Yusra Khan and David L. Rowland
Sexes 2025, 6(2), 25; https://doi.org/10.3390/sexes6020025 - 30 May 2025
Viewed by 614
Abstract
Barriers to help-seeking behaviors in transgender populations in non-Western contexts are both understudied and poorly understood. Using a quantitative cross-sectional design, this study examined the psychological help-seeking attitudes of 109 transgender persons from Pakistan in relation to their psychological distress and attitudes toward [...] Read more.
Barriers to help-seeking behaviors in transgender populations in non-Western contexts are both understudied and poorly understood. Using a quantitative cross-sectional design, this study examined the psychological help-seeking attitudes of 109 transgender persons from Pakistan in relation to their psychological distress and attitudes toward sexuality. This research further identified which components of distress (stress, anxiety, or depression) were stronger predictors and assessed the role of particular demographic/behavioral factors in help-seeking attitudes. Participants completed three validated assessment tools translated into Urdu: Beliefs about Psychological Services Scale, the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21), and the Sexual Attitude Scale. The results indicated that psychological distress predicted expertness and intent but not stigma tolerance. Post hoc analysis using DASS-21 subscales revealed that stress and anxiety were the stronger predictors of attitudes related to expertness and intent. The Sexual Attitude Scale marginally predicted stigma tolerance directly and also moderated the relationship between psychological distress and help-seeking attitudes for stigma tolerance. Finally, a role for demographic/behavioral factors—possibly serving as a proxy for mental health literacy—was identified for stigma tolerance. These findings reiterate the importance of tailored mental health awareness initiatives within the transgender community in non-Western settings and highlight the need for qualitative research to further understand the dynamics of psychological distress along with other linked factors. Full article
15 pages, 1270 KiB  
Article
The Evaluation of Psychosexual Profiles in Dominant and Submissive BDSM Practitioners: A Bayesian Approach
by Daniele Mollaioli, Tommaso B. Jannini, Diana Piga Malaianu, Andrea Sansone, Elena Colonnello, Erika Limoncin, Giacomo Ciocca and Emmanuele A. Jannini
Sexes 2025, 6(2), 16; https://doi.org/10.3390/sexes6020016 - 7 Apr 2025
Viewed by 1557
Abstract
Bondage/discipline, Dominance/submission, Sadism/Masochism (BDSM) is a multifaceted spectrum of consensual sexual practices, that has long intrigued the psychological community for its implications on mental health and personality. While previous research has shed light on its psychopathological aspects, less is known about the distinct [...] Read more.
Bondage/discipline, Dominance/submission, Sadism/Masochism (BDSM) is a multifaceted spectrum of consensual sexual practices, that has long intrigued the psychological community for its implications on mental health and personality. While previous research has shed light on its psychopathological aspects, less is known about the distinct psychosexual dimensions that characterize individuals who assume dominant or submissive roles within these dynamics. Our research aims to identify differences in personality traits between dominant and submissive individuals and explore the relationship between BDSM roles and mental health outcomes. While previous studies have explored personality traits in BDSM practitioners, research specifically examining the associations between BDSM roles and multiple psychological constructs remains limited. To address this, we employed Bayesian methods with non-informative priors, including ANOVA and linear regression, to evaluate the associations between self-identified BDSM roles and psychological constructs with the specific intent to build informative priors for future research. A sample of 99 BDSM practitioners from online forums participated, providing responses across several psychometric instruments. The study utilized comprehensive psychometric evaluations, including the Big Five Inventory for personality assessment, the Hypersexual Behavior Inventory for hypersexuality, the Brief Sensation Seeking Scale for sensation seeking, the Patient Health Questionnaire for depression, and the General Anxiety Disorder scale for anxiety. Bayesian regression analysis revealed that dominant practitioners exhibit lower hypersexuality and agreeableness, while submissive practitioners show higher levels of agreeableness, depression, hypersexuality, and sensation seeking. These findings highlight distinct psychosexual profiles associated with BDSM roles and provide several implications for mental health professionals working with BDSM practitioners, emphasizing the need to assess and address underlying psychological factors. Future research should further explore these psychosexual dynamics to develop targeted interventions for enhancing psychological well-being and relationship satisfaction within the BDSM community. Full article
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