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Research and clinical data have shown that couples with sexual problems report a lack of sexual communication. However, no published meta-analyses have evaluated the relationship between sexual communication and sexual function. This meta-analysis examines the correlation between couples' sexual communication and dimension of sexual function across 48 studies. Sexual communication was positively associated with sexual desire (r = .16), sexual arousal (r = .21), lubrication (r = .17), orgasm (r = .23), erectile function (r = .19), less pain (r = .12), and overall sexual function (r = .35). The effect sizes for sexual desire (r = .21; r = .12) and orgasm (r = .26; r = .16) were higher for women than for men. For overall sexual function, studies with married participants (r = .47) had a larger effect size than studies with participants with multiple relationship types (r = .31) or than studies with dating participants (r = .11). Effect sizes were larger for studies conducted outside of the United States (r = .39) compared to studies conducted in the United States (r = .12). We discuss the importance of addressing the relationship between sexual communication and sexual function, as well as future directions for research in this area.

While few treatment options exist for low sexual desire and arousal, the most common sexual dysfunction in women, a growing body of research supports the efficacy of mindfulness-based approaches. The mechanisms underlying improvements, and whether they are due to mindfulness practice or other treatment components, are unclear. As a result, we designed and pilot-tested an eight-session group mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for sexuality (MBCT-S) program that includes more extensive practice of mindfulness skills and closely aligns with the evidence-based MBCT program for depression and anxiety. A total of 26 women (mean age 43.9, range 25 to 63) with a diagnosis of sexual interest/arousal disorder participated in eight weekly group sessions, before and after which they completed validated questionnaires. The majority of women attended all sessions and completed the recommended at-home mindfulness exercises. Compared to baseline, women reported significant improvements in sexual desire, overall sexual function, and sex-related distress, regardless of treatment expectations, relationship duration, or low desire duration. Depressed mood and mindfulness also significantly improved and mediated increases in sexual function. These pilot data suggest that eight-session MBCT-S is feasible and significantly improves sexual function, and provide the basis for a larger randomized-controlled trial (RCT) with a longer follow-up period.

Purpose Alcohol is posited to affect sex steroid hormone concentrations, and a growing body of research has demonstrated menstrual cycle effects on women’s use of alcohol. The present targeted review synthesizes the literature examining the relationship between alcohol use and estradiol in women and suggests directions for future research. Methods Articles were identified using the PubMed database using the following criteria: published in English, presented original findings for women, were peerreviewed, and included measures of estradiol levels in the analyses. Twenty-nine articles were identified for inclusion. Results Results from this review indicate acute alcohol use temporarily increases estradiol levels in women, and this may be strongest when gonadotropins are high. Regular alcohol use (≥1 drink per day) increases estradiol levels, but estradiol appears to be suppressed in women with alcohol use disorders and physiologic dependence. Alcohol use tends to be highest in women during ovulation, when estradiol is high, and progesterone is low. Conclusion Alcohol use increases estradiol levels in women, particularly in the presence of gonadotropins. More research is needed to assess the effect of estradiol on alcohol use in women. Research on the relationship of estrogen and alcohol use in women is needed to elucidate health outcomes through the lifespan.

Changes in menstrual cycle characteristics following COVID-19 vaccination have been reported in women and adolescent girls, yet the biological mechanisms underlying these changes remain poorly understood. Inflammation, though frequently hypothesized as a possible mechanism underlying this finding, has yet to be explicitly studied. Thus, the present study examined the relationships of ovarian hormones and inflammatory processes pre- and post-COVID-19 booster vaccination to menstrual changes among adolescent girls. 47 adolescent girls aged 13–20 who received a COVID-19 booster vaccination provided saliva samples and completed self-reported measures at five time points across the menstrual cycle. Saliva samples were assayed for inflammatory markers IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α and ovarian hormones estradiol (E2) and progesterone. Higher levels of IL-1β, measured 24 h post-vaccination, were significantly associated with shorter cycle length in the cycle during which the booster was administered. No significant effects were found for ovarian hormones or other inflammatory markers. Cluster analyses based on anti-spike immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels identified two distinct immune response profiles (high and low responders), though this was not significantly associated with menstrual cycle changes. Pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1β plays a significant role in explaining the shortening of the menstrual cycle following COVID-19 vaccination in adolescent girls, primarily impacting the cycle in which the vaccine was received This finding suggests that vaccine-induced inflammation can influence menstrual cycle regulation in adolescents, possibly due to the immaturity of the HPO-axes during adolescence. •COVID-19 booster is linked to shortened menstrual cycle length in adolescents.•IL-1β identified as a key inflammatory marker underlying cycle changes.•No strong link found between hormone levels and menstrual effects.•Immune activation may disrupt menstrual regulation.

Objective The present study sought to develop and perform the initial validation of a scale assessing sensitivity to menstrual pain and symptoms. Methods Data were taken from a larger parent study in which participants were recruited from a nationwide sample of individuals via the UniVox platform (www.univoxcommunity.com). In that study, participants were stratified by age and self-reported menstrual pain. Participants in the parent study completed 2 online surveys, one at baseline and one at a 3-month follow up. Participants who provided complete responses to the potential scale items, as well as a variety of validated questionnaires, were included in the present analyses. Final item selection was determined by factor analyses, and measures of validity and reliability were examined. Results Factor analyses support an 8-item scale assessing menstrual sensitivity. This scale, the Menstrual Sensitivity Index, demonstrates excellent internal consistency, good item–total correlations, and good total score test–retest reliability. Convergent validity emerged for menstrual- and pain-specific measures, and divergent validity emerged for anxiety sensitivity, anxiety, depression, nonmenstrual bodily pain, and premenstrual symptoms. Conclusions Menstrual sensitivity is a unique construct that reflects women’s attunement to and fear of menstrual symptoms, and the Menstrual Sensitivity Index is a valid and reliable measure of this construct. This scale could be useful in advancing research and clinical work targeting menstrual pain.

A recurring problem with the study of sexual fantasy is that of social desirability bias. Study participants may report fantasies that are consistent with general societal expectations of fantasy content, as opposed to themes characterized by their actual fantasies. The wide availability of erotic material on the Internet, however, facilitates the study of sexual fantasy narratives as they are anonymously expressed and viewed online. By extracting approximately 250,000 text-based erotic fantasies from a user-generated website, we sought to examine “real-world” sexual fantasies, determine the themes that were typical of these narratives, and explore the relationship between themes and story popularity (as assessed by story views per day). A principal components analysis identified 20 themes that commonly occurred across the massive corpus, and a path analysis revealed that these themes played a significant role in predicting the popularity of the sexual fantasy narratives. In particular, the empirically identified themes reflecting familial words (e.g., mother, father) and colloquial sexual words (e.g., cock, fuck) were predictive of story popularity. Other themes identified included those not obviously erotic, such as those consisting of words reflecting domesticity (e.g., towel, shower) and colors (e.g., brown, blue). By analyzing a sexual fantasy corpus of unprecedented size, this study offers unique insight into both the content of sexual fantasies and the popularity of that content.

PurposeThe purpose of this systematic review was to identify, with supporting evidence, the impact of cancer and its treatment on the sexual function of adolescents and young adults.MethodsPubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO articles were searched for relevant studies published in English. Fifteen studies, 13 quantitative and two qualitative, were included in this review.ResultsResults indicated that cancer during the adolescent and young adult period has a significant negative impact on certain domains of sexual function in both men and women.ConclusionsAmong adolescent and young adult males, there is evidence that cancer has detrimental effects on erection, ejaculation, and orgasm. Among adolescent and young adult females, cancer is associated with decreased desire, but there appear to be mixed findings with respect to arousal, orgasm, and satisfaction. Directions for future research are discussed.Implications for Cancer SurvivorsA better understanding of the effects of cancer and its treatment during adolescence and young adulthood on sexual function could increase attention paid to sexual health in oncology settings and lead to improved psychosexual services for this population.

Sexual arousal is frequently characterized by both subjective (i.e., mental) and physiological (e.g., genital) components. The nuances of these components, however, are difficult to capture via self-report instruments. Asking women to describe sexual arousal in their own words may therefore enhance our understanding of this construct. In the present study, women with (n = 190) and without (n = 610) arousal concerns were recruited online and wrote about their experience of sexual arousal. Seven clusters of words were extracted using automated text analysis, and the prominence of these clusters was compared between groups of women. The autonomic arousal cluster differed between groups such that women with arousal concerns invoked this cluster significantly less than did women with no such concerns. Furthermore, the context cluster significantly predicted group membership (odds ratio [OR] = 1.063); greater scores on this cluster were associated with arousal concerns. Results suggest that autonomic arousal and relationship factors may play important roles in arousal concerns. It is suggested that clinicians assess for aspects of the sexual relationship that may facilitate or hinder sexual arousal. Clinicians may also consider inquiring about the presence or appraisal of autonomic arousal (e.g., one’s interpretation of an increase in heart rate or respiration) during sexual activity.

Purpose of Review The aim of this review is to outline the anatomical and physiological processes involved in vaginal lubrication and to examine the current options for its measurement in the laboratory. Recent Findings The literature suggests that androgens and estrogens play a crucial role in the maintenance of vaginal structure and vascular functions, thereby delivering positive downstream effects on vaginal lubrication. Estrogens and androgens help maintain healthy genital tissue and capillary beds. During sexual arousal, interactions among these hormones with various peptides encourage genital vasocongestion, which, by way of increased pressure on surrounding cells, is believed to facilitate lubrication. Litmus strips and Schirmer Tear Test strips circumvent many pitfalls of previous objective measurements and appear to be viable methods for assessing vaginal lubrication in the laboratory. Summary Vaginal lubrication is believed to result from increased vasocongestion and appears to be modulated by sex steroid hormones. Preliminary support has emerged for the use of litmus strips and Schirmer Tear Test strips to measure lubrication in response to sexual films in the laboratory, though more research is needed to determine the psychometric properties of these applications.

The Eunuch Archive is an online community of individuals with exceptional interest in castration and penectomy. Here we examine themes related to genital ablation in a sample of fictional stories posted by members of the Eunuch Archive. Similarities between the contents of these stories and members' demographic information were found, suggesting that these stories may reflect some of the members' life experiences or personal fears. Common themes in both stories and personal histories of voluntarily castrated men were homosexuality, childhood abuse, and threats of castration. We found that 83% of stories were explicitly sexual, which was defined as containing physical or mental sexual arousal; sexual acts such as masturbation, oral sex, or penetrative sex; or attainment of orgasm. Fifty-one percent of stories described forced castrations, 34% involved minors, and 24% described orgasms related to genital ablation. Writing these stories may be therapeutic for the authors, as some members have claimed that writing them has allowed them to work through their extreme castration ideations without acting on them. Clinicians should be aware that there are men who express profound interest in genital ablation and their interests and/or concerns should be taken seriously.