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(https://www.psypost.org/why-do-men-orgasm-more-than-women-new-research-points-to-a-pursuit-gap/) Why do men orgasm more than women? New research points to a “pursuit gap”
Mar 8th 2025, 08:00

Men orgasm far more often than women during heterosexual sex. A new study suggests a key reason: men tend to focus on their own orgasm and feel supported in that pursuit by their partners, while women are more focused on their partner’s pleasure. This difference in sexual focus, termed an “orgasm pursuit gap,” helps explain why women experience fewer orgasms and less sexual satisfaction in mixed-gender relationships. The findings were published in the (https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/02654075251316579) Journal of Social and Personal Relationships.
The “orgasm gap” is a well-documented difference in orgasm frequency between men and women during heterosexual sexual encounters. But the orgasm gap is notably absent when women are with other women or when they are masturbating. This suggests that the issue isn’t solely about women’s bodies or responses, but rather about the dynamics within heterosexual relationships.
To understand this relational aspect, the researchers behind the new study investigated the concept of “orgasm goal pursuit.” They were interested in exploring not just an individual’s desire to orgasm, but also how partners influence each other’s sexual experiences. The researchers based their work on an idea called interdependence theory, which suggests that in close relationships, partners deeply affect each other’s thoughts, feelings, and actions.
In a healthy relationship, partners ideally move from only focusing on their own needs to also valuing and supporting their partner’s needs. The researchers proposed that the orgasm gap might be explained by an imbalance in how men and women pursue orgasms in their relationships. They wanted to examine if men and women differ in how much they prioritize their own orgasm, how much they prioritize their partner’s orgasm, and how much they believe their partner is prioritizing their orgasm.
“Amidst the growing scientific and media attention on the orgasm gap, I couldn’t help but notice that most data and advice were focused on women, and the steps women could or should take to orgasm more,” explained study author Carly Wolfer, a PhD candidate at the City University of New York and instructor at Hunter College and Teachers College, Columbia University.
“While well-intentioned and symbolic of attempts to center women’s sexual agency, this framing puts the burden on women and treats the orgasm gap like a ‘women’s issue’ when in fact the orgasm gap exists only when women have sex with men, not when women masturbate or have sex with other women. This shows it’s not inherently about women—it’s about the interpersonal dynamic when men and women are together. I was interested in bringing men into the conversation, and exploring how, if at all, the orgasm gap is a relational issue rather than solely a woman’s issue.”
The researchers conducted a 21-day online diary study. They recruited 127 heterosexual adults in monogamous relationships. Participants, roughly half men and half women, were aged 18 to 40 and had been with their partners for at least three months but no more than five years. Participants were asked to complete a brief online survey every evening for 21 days, reflecting on their romantic and sexual experiences from the past 24 hours. If they had engaged in sexual activity, they were asked about various aspects of the encounter, including whether they or their partner had an orgasm, and how satisfied they were with the experience.
Importantly, the researchers developed a new tool to measure “interdependent orgasm pursuit.” This tool had three parts. First, it measured “personal orgasm goal pursuit,” assessing how much individuals themselves were trying to orgasm during sex. Example questions included how much they valued having an orgasm and how actively they pursued it. Second, it measured “partner orgasm goal pursuit,” assessing how much individuals were trying to help their partner orgasm. Questions here focused on their motivation to ensure their partner reached orgasm.
Finally, it measured “perceived partner orgasm goal pursuit,” capturing how much individuals felt their partner was prioritizing their orgasm. This part asked about how supported and prioritized they felt in their own orgasm goals by their partner during sex. Participants rated these aspects for each sexual encounter they reported in their daily diaries. The researchers then used statistical models to analyze the data, looking for patterns and relationships between gender, orgasm goal pursuit, orgasm occurrence, and sexual satisfaction.
The results confirmed the existence of the orgasm gap in this sample. Men reported experiencing orgasms in 90% of their sexual encounters, while women reported orgasms in only 54% of their encounters. Men also reported significantly higher levels of overall sexual satisfaction and satisfaction with their orgasms compared to women.
Regarding orgasm goal pursuit, Wolfer and her colleagues found that men reported higher levels of personal orgasm goal pursuit than women, meaning men were more focused on achieving their own orgasm. Men also reported higher levels of perceived partner orgasm goal pursuit, indicating they felt their partners were strongly supporting their orgasm goals.
On the other hand, women reported higher levels of partner orgasm goal pursuit, demonstrating they were more focused on their male partner’s orgasm than men were on their female partner’s orgasm. In essence, men were more focused on their own orgasm and felt supported in this, while women were more focused on their partner’s orgasm.
“We found that men were 15x more likely to orgasm, and were far more satisfied, than women during partnered sex,” Wolfer told PsyPost. “Moreover, our research exposes a new kind of orgasm gap that contributes to women’s reduced (and men’s increased) sexual pleasure: an orgasm pursuit gap, whereby men’s support of women’s orgasm is lacking relative to women’s support of men’s.”
“Typically, when men and women have sex together, men’s orgasm is the primary goal and women’s becomes secondary. This has a lot to do with how we treat intercourse or penetration (men’s most reliable route to orgasm) as the ‘main event,’ but clitoral stimulation (women’s most reliable route to orgasm) as optional ‘foreplay.'”
“Instead of sticking to that default script, partners can try to collaborate and support each other’s sexual needs in a more balanced way. Try to explore a range of sexual positions and techniques that stimulate the clitoris, and communicate with each other about what feels good, whether that includes orgasm or not.”
The researchers also discovered that both personal orgasm goal pursuit and perceived partner orgasm goal pursuit were linked to a greater likelihood of orgasm and higher sexual satisfaction for both genders. Interestingly, perceived partner orgasm goal pursuit appeared to be an even stronger predictor of orgasm and sexual satisfaction than personal orgasm goal pursuit alone. This suggests that feeling supported and prioritized by a partner in one’s orgasm goals is particularly important for a satisfying sexual experience.
In fact, when considering other factors like relationship closeness and responsiveness, the researchers found that the positive link between personal orgasm goal pursuit and orgasm satisfaction disappeared, while the link between perceived partner orgasm goal pursuit and orgasm satisfaction remained strong. This highlights the powerful influence of feeling supported by a partner in achieving sexual pleasure.
Perhaps most importantly, the study uncovered an interaction between personal and perceived partner orgasm goal pursuit. The researchers found that a person’s own efforts to orgasm were much more likely to lead to sexual satisfaction and orgasm satisfaction when they also felt their partner was prioritizing their orgasm. When perceived partner orgasm goal pursuit was low, a person’s own orgasm efforts were not strongly linked to satisfaction.
“Our data show that personal efforts to orgasm yield satisfying sex and orgasms only when accompanied by perceived support or collaboration from a partner,” Wolfer explained. “In other words, if you want to and try to orgasm when you’re having sex with a partner, in order for the orgasm and sex to be pleasurable, it’s important you feel that your partner wants to and tries to help you orgasm too. However, this mutual or shared support is precisely what’s missing when men and women have sex with each other.”
The researchers acknowledge a limitation of their study: they only surveyed one person from each couple. Their future research will involve surveying both partners to compare their reports. “We are excited for our follow up research which will recruit both members of the couple so we can cross-reference partners’ reports and see how perceptions of a partner’s support line up with the partner’s intended or self-reported support,” Wolfer said.
“It’s important to remember that orgasm is just one part of the puzzle—it’s not a requirement for or synonymous with sexual pleasure. When we talk about orgasm goals and pursuit, there’s a risk of creating goal or performance-oriented sex, which can increase pressure and make people feel dysfunctional like they failed if they don’t ‘achieve’ the goal.”
“This program of research is about promoting sexual pleasure equity rather than orgasm equality,” Wolfer continued. “Equality would be more about ‘fairness’ or ‘sameness’ in outcomes—for example thinking that men and women need to have the same number of orgasms. This focus on quantity of orgasms can easily make partnered sex feel tit-for-tat or transactional, rather than fun and exploratory.”
“Equity, on the other hand, is about ‘access’—for example who has access to their own personalized definitions of sexual pleasure? Who ‘gets’ to think about orgasm as part of their personal definition of pleasure? Who has access to orgasm as a goal in the first place? It’s about exploring a greater potential—greater possibilities of embodied sexual pleasure for intimate partners and particularly for women who typically lower their expectations and sacrifice their sexual needs for men’s because their sexual pleasure has not been prioritized in the past.”
“By measuring people’s orgasm goal pursuit, we get to honor whether people wanted to or even tried to orgasm—rather than just assuming everyone wants to orgasm or that the orgasm felt good,” Wolfer concluded. “This is also why we measure sexual satisfaction and orgasm satisfaction alongside orgasm frequency, so that we get to understand, not just quantity of orgasms, but the quality of the orgasm experience and sexual experience.”
The study, “(https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075251316579) Personal and perceived partner orgasm pursuit: A daily diary study about the gendered orgasm gap,” was authored by Carly Wolfer and Cheryl L. Carmichael.

(https://www.psypost.org/scientists-shed-new-light-on-the-shared-genetic-basis-of-psychiatric-disorders/) Scientists shed new light on the shared genetic basis of psychiatric disorders
Mar 8th 2025, 06:00

Scientists have discovered a set of shared genetic variations that affect how the brain develops and increase the risk for several psychiatric disorders, including autism, depression, and schizophrenia. This important finding suggests that by targeting these common genetic factors, we might be able to develop treatments that could help people with a range of mental health conditions. The research has been published in the journal (https://www.cell.com/cell/abstract/S0092-8674(24)01435-1) Cell.
Conditions like depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, anorexia nervosa, autism, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder often occur together, and their symptoms can overlap, making accurate diagnosis and effective treatment challenging. For example, someone struggling with depression might also experience anxiety, and distinguishing between the two, or understanding how they interact, can be difficult. Scientists have long known that a mix of life experiences, environmental factors, and a person’s genetic makeup contribute to these disorders. However, a significant portion of the puzzle lies in the subtle variations within our genes.
In recent years, the field of psychiatric genetics has made strides in uncovering common genetic threads that may underlie the coexistence of different psychiatric disorders. Previous research, notably a large-scale effort by the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium and other institutions in 2019, identified 136 regions in our genetic code that are linked to eight major psychiatric disorders. Within these regions, they found 109 “hot spots” that were associated with more than one disorder, a phenomenon called pleiotropy.
This meant that variations in these genetic hot spots could increase the risk for multiple conditions. However, at that time, it remained unclear how the genetic variations within these shared hot spots differed from genetic variations that were specific to just one disorder. Scientists wanted to understand if there was something unique about these pleiotropic variations that made them influential across several conditions.
Understanding the differences between pleiotropic and disorder-specific genetic variations could point towards new ways to treat these complex conditions. As researcher Jessica C. McAfee, a PhD student at UNC Chapel Hill explained, “I have many people in my life that are/were deeply affected by psychiatric disorders. Until recently, psychiatric disorders were understudied due to social stigmas. I think it is important to contribute to this type of science so we can both better understand these folk’s experiences and to better help them live their best lives.”
The researchers used a sophisticated technique called a massively parallel reporter assay to investigate the activity of thousands of genetic variations at once. This method allowed them to test how these variations influence gene regulation, which is the process that controls when and how genes are turned on or off. They focused on over 17,000 genetic variations that had previously been linked to the eight psychiatric disorders in the earlier large-scale study. These variations were located within the identified genetic hot spots.
The researchers created a library of DNA segments, each containing one of the genetic variations they were interested in. They placed these segments in front of a reporter gene, which acts like a light switch that turns on when the genetic segment is active in regulating genes. This entire construct was then introduced into human neural progenitor cells, which are early brain cells that can develop into different types of brain cells. By using neural progenitor cells, the researchers could study the effects of these genetic variations in a relevant cellular context for brain development.
After allowing time for the cells to process the DNA segments, the researchers measured the activity of the reporter gene. If a genetic variation increased the reporter gene’s activity, it indicated that the variation had a regulatory effect, meaning it could influence the activity of nearby genes in the brain. By comparing the activity of the reporter gene for different genetic variations, the researchers could identify which variations had the most significant impact on gene regulation. To ensure the reliability of their results, they repeated the experiment multiple times and included control DNA sequences for comparison.
In addition to the reporter assay, the researchers used CRISPR technology to further validate their findings. CRISPR is a gene editing tool that allows scientists to precisely alter specific DNA sequences in cells. They used CRISPR in neurons derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells, which are cells that can be reprogrammed to become any type of cell in the body, including neurons. By using CRISPR, they could directly manipulate specific genetic regions in neurons and observe the effects on gene expression.
Jiseok Lee, a postdoctoral research associate at UNC Chapel Hill, explained the advancement in technology: “Years ago, I could only perturb one gene of interest at a time in a mouse model, whereas nowadays with the advance of CRISPR and single-cell sequencing technologies, I can perturb dozens of genes simultaneously to study the outcome with cell type-specific resolution. I wanted to apply this cutting-edge, high-throughput methods to study the effects of genes linked to psychiatric disorders to gain insight into the disease mechanisms.”
The researchers found that about 9% of the genetic regions they tested showed significant enhancer activity, meaning they could boost the activity of genes. Interestingly, many of these active regions were located within repetitive DNA sequences called Alu repeats. These Alu repeats had not been extensively studied in the context of gene regulation before, but this study suggested they might play a more important role than previously thought.
Importantly, the study found that genetic variations linked to multiple disorders (pleiotropic variants) are different from those linked to a single disorder (disorder-specific variants). Pleiotropic variants tend to affect regions of DNA that are active in a wider variety of brain cell types during development. This means they have a broader influence on how the brain is built and how genes are regulated. In contrast, disorder-specific variants seem to have a more limited impact, potentially affecting fewer cell types or specific developmental stages. This difference in scope helps explain why some genetic variations increase the risk for multiple psychiatric disorders, while others are more specific to one condition.
These pleiotropic genetic variations often influence the activity of key regulatory proteins called transcription factors, which control the activity of many genes. The transcription factors affected by pleiotropic variants are highly connected within networks of interacting proteins, suggesting that changes in these factors can have widespread effects throughout the cell. The genes influenced by these pleiotropic variations are involved in fundamental brain processes and are expressed in many different types of brain cells.
“Genetic variants involved in multiple psychiatric disorders exert their effect at many different levels (gene/protein networks upstream and downstream of the variant),” Lee told PsyPost. “Compared to variants linked to single disorders, cross-disorder variants tend to affect a broader range of cell types and protein networks. When comparing single disorder versus multiple disorders, it’s not simply the number of affected genes that matters. Rather, it’s the interconnection of genes. Cross-disorder variants tend to affect proteins with more dense networks.”
This research points towards the possibility of developing treatments that target these shared genetic mechanisms, potentially offering relief for individuals struggling with a range of overlapping psychiatric disorders. “Perhaps the key takeaway from this study is that there are different genetic properties between genetics that are shared by multiple disorders vs genetics that are more specific to just one disorders,” McAfee said.
The researchers acknowledge some limitations to their study. While they validated some gene-variant connections with CRISPR, this validation was limited to a small number of examples. Future research is needed to comprehensively map all the gene targets of these genetic variations and to fully understand the mechanisms by which they contribute to psychiatric disorders. Additionally, the set of disorder-specific variants was mainly composed of variants related to schizophrenia because of the larger amount of genetic data available for schizophrenia compared to some other disorders.
“We need more examples to generalize our findings, but still our work provides an important proof-of-concept that genes affecting multiple disorders tend to affect more various cell types and have more strongly interconnected networks,” Lee explained.
Future studies could investigate the specific biological functions of the identified genes and protein networks to uncover potential targets for new treatments and to understand how these genetic variations influence symptoms and contribute to the development of psychiatric disorders.
“This project was an enormous collective effort from many people,” McAfee said. “It would not have been possible without incredible communication and teamwork. I have been lucky to work with such fantastic people.”
“This paper was an extensively collaborative work involving many wet-lab and dry-lab (computational) scientists,” Lee added. “For large-scale functional genomics studies like this, I find it nearly impossible for one person to perform everything. I learned how fortunate it is to have friendly, supportive coworkers with each one’s own strength and expertise! After all, it is the people who do science – and this is why we work together.”
The study, “(https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2024.12.022) Massively parallel reporter assay investigates shared genetic variants of eight psychiatric disorders,” was authored by Sool Lee, Jessica C. McAfee, Jiseok Lee, Alejandro Gomez, Austin T. Ledford, Declan Clarke, Hyunggyu Min, Mark B. Gerstein, Alan P. Boyle, Patrick F. Sullivan, Adriana S. Beltran, and Hyejung Won.

(https://www.psypost.org/alzheimers-disease-study-identifies-brain-cells-at-higher-risk-of-tau-protein-damage/) Alzheimer’s disease study identifies brain cells at higher risk of tau protein damage
Mar 7th 2025, 16:00

Scientists have developed a powerful new tool to map different types of cells throughout the brain. Using this technique, researchers have discovered that specific brain cells crucial for memory, located in a region called the hippocampus, are especially susceptible to the protein buildup that characterizes Alzheimer’s disease. This finding, published in (https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-025-07575-1) Nature Communications Biology, helps explain why Alzheimer’s disease damages memory so severely and opens new avenues for targeted treatments.
Alzheimer’s disease is a devastating brain disorder that progressively erodes memory and thinking abilities, and currently has no cure. A major characteristic of Alzheimer’s is the accumulation of a protein called tau within brain cells. This buildup is thought to disrupt normal cell function and contribute to the widespread brain damage seen in the disease. 
Scientists have long observed that Alzheimer’s disease doesn’t affect the brain uniformly; some regions are hit harder and earlier than others. Understanding why some brain areas are more vulnerable than others is a significant question in Alzheimer’s research. 
Researchers from The University of Texas at Arlington and the University of California–San Francisco sought to understand this selective vulnerability by examining different types of brain cells and their susceptibility to tau protein accumulation. They aimed to identify which specific cell types might be most at risk and to uncover the underlying reasons for this vulnerability.
To conduct their investigation, the research team employed a novel brain-mapping approach called Matrix Inversion and Subset Selection, or MISS. This technique allows scientists to create detailed maps showing the distribution of various types of brain cells throughout the entire brain. The researchers utilized a vast dataset that cataloged the genes active in approximately 1.3 million individual brain cells from mice. 
This dataset, created by the Allen Institute for Brain Science, provides a comprehensive profile of different cell types in the mouse brain. Using the MISS technique and this cellular data, the researchers generated maps showing where 42 distinct types of brain cells are located in the mouse brain. These cell types included various kinds of neurons, the primary signaling cells of the brain, as well as non-neuronal support cells. 
To understand how these cell maps relate to Alzheimer’s disease, the team then compared these maps to data from previous studies that tracked the buildup of tau protein in the brains of mice that were genetically engineered to develop features of Alzheimer’s. By overlaying the cell type maps with the tau accumulation patterns, they could identify which cell types were present in brain regions most affected by tau protein.
The analysis revealed a clear pattern of vulnerability among different brain cell types. The researchers found that certain types of neurons located in the hippocampus, a brain region essential for memory formation, showed a strong association with tau protein buildup. These vulnerable neurons were specifically identified as glutamatergic neurons, a type of neuron that uses glutamate as its primary signaling molecule. 
In contrast, neurons in the cortex, the outer layer of the brain responsible for higher-level functions like reasoning and sensory processing, were generally less associated with tau accumulation. 
“Using mathematical and computational models, we found that certain cells in the hippocampus, a brain area important for memory and navigation, are more vulnerable to tau buildup,” said author Pedro Maia, an assistant professor of mathematics at UTA. “These glutamatergic neurons showed a strong connection with tau deposits, meaning they are more likely to be affected. In contrast, brain cells in the cortex—the part of the brain that controls movement, sensory information, emotions and reasoning—were less likely to be affected by tau.”
Interestingly, the study also highlighted the resilience of oligodendrocytes, a type of non-neuronal brain cell that produces myelin, a substance that insulates nerve fibers and helps them transmit signals efficiently. Oligodendrocytes showed a negative association with tau buildup, suggesting they might be less vulnerable or even play a protective role against tau accumulation. 
Further analysis indicated that the distribution of different brain cell types across brain regions was a better predictor of where tau protein accumulates than the location of genes previously linked to Alzheimer’s disease. This suggests that the inherent cellular makeup of different brain areas, rather than just genetic predisposition, may be a primary factor determining their vulnerability to Alzheimer’s-related protein buildup.
“Overall, this study helps us understand why certain brain regions are more affected by tau buildup leading to Alzheimer’s disease,” Maia said. “By identifying the cell types and gene functions involved, our study showcases how theoretical and computational models can provide new insights into the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. This is another piece of valuable data that will help us specifically target the vulnerable cells and genes associated with tau buildup, potentially slowing or preventing Alzheimer’s disease progression in the future.”
The study, “(https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-07575-1) Searching for the cellular underpinnings of the selective vulnerability to tauopathic insults in Alzheimer’s disease,” was authored by Justin Torok, Pedro D. Maia, Chaitali Anand, and Ashish Raj.

(https://www.psypost.org/lonely-teens-face-higher-risk-of-ptsd-and-depression-later-in-life/) Lonely teens face higher risk of PTSD and depression later in life
Mar 7th 2025, 15:00

A new study published in (https://www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X(24)00833-4/fulltext) Journal of Adolescent Health has revealed that adolescents who experience high levels of loneliness are more likely to develop depression, PTSD, and stress-related conditions later in life, but do not experience a major impact upon their physical health.
Loneliness is more than just feeling alone; it is the distress experienced when social connections do not meet expectations. Research has long shown that social isolation and loneliness in adulthood can contribute to chronic illnesses such as heart disease, dementia, and depression. However, there has been limited research on how an increase in loneliness during adolescence affects long-term health outcomes.
Led by Eric S Kim from the University of British Columbia, Canada, the research team sought to investigate whether loneliness in adolescence predicts poor health and well-being in adulthood.
The researchers used data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, which recruited over 11,000 U.S. adolescents, who were on average 15 years old.
Participants were first surveyed in the mid-1990s when they were in grades 7 to 12, answering questions about how often they felt lonely.
Kim and colleagues then followed up with them over the next 11 to 20 years, collecting information on 41 different health-related outcomes, including physical health conditions, mental health disorders, psychological well-being, and social relationships.
The participants were then divided into three groups based on their responses: those who reported rarely feeling lonely, those who felt lonely sometimes, and those who felt lonely often. The researchers then compared health outcomes across these groups while accounting for other factors like socioeconomic background and family structure.
The most striking results were in the area of mental health. Adolescents who experienced higher levels of loneliness were significantly more likely to be diagnosed with PTSD, depression, and stress-related conditions in adulthood.
Those who reported feeling lonely frequently were nearly twice as likely to be diagnosed with PTSD. Additionally, the likelihood of experiencing depression later in life increased by about 25%. Participants also reported lower happiness and job satisfaction.
Interestingly, while loneliness had a strong connection to mental health, it did not have a major impact on physical health. The only notable association was a slightly higher likelihood of developing asthma. Researchers did not find significant links between adolescent loneliness and conditions such as cancer, obesity, diabetes, or heart disease.
Another unexpected finding was that loneliness did not appear to influence behaviors like smoking, drinking, or drug use. The study also found no connection between adolescent loneliness and social activities, or civic engagement (e.g. voting, volunteering). However, the results demonstrated that loneliness was associated with lower romantic relationship quality and higher perceived discrimination.
Kim and colleagues concluded, “the impact of changes in adolescent loneliness may manifest primarily in mental health and social-emotional domains.”
While the study provides valuable insights, researchers note some limitations. For instance, loneliness was measured using a single-item question, which may not fully capture its complexity.
The study, “(https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2024.12.011) Loneliness During Adolescence and Subsequent Health and Well-Being in Adulthood: An Outcome-Wide Longitudinal Approach,” was authored by Eric S. Kim, Renae Wilkinson, Julianne Holt-Lunstad, and Tyler J. VanderWeele.

(https://www.psypost.org/new-study-examines-the-connection-between-daily-activity-and-sleep-quality-in-young-adults/) New study examines the connection between daily activity and sleep quality in young adults
Mar 7th 2025, 14:00

A study in China that tracked students’ physical activity for seven days found that those with insomnia slept better on days when they engaged in more vigorous physical activity or were more sedentary than usual. Conversely, their sleep worsened on days when they engaged in more light physical activity than usual. However, no significant association was found between physical activity and sleep quality in students without insomnia. The research was published in (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2024.102758) Psychology of Sport & Exercise.
Sleep problems include difficulties in falling asleep, staying asleep, or achieving restful sleep, all of which can negatively impact daily functioning. Insomnia is one of the most common sleep disorders, characterized by trouble falling or staying asleep. Another serious condition, sleep apnea, causes repeated interruptions in breathing during sleep, leading to poor rest and health risks. Restless legs syndrome, meanwhile, triggers uncomfortable sensations in the legs, making it difficult to relax at night.
Sleep disturbances are a common complaint among young adults. Estimates suggest that around 33% of higher education students experienced sleep problems during the 2020–2021 COVID-19 pandemic. A study of Chinese university students found that 40% slept fewer than seven hours per day. Factors such as stress, anxiety, irregular sleep schedules, and excessive screen time contribute to these issues.
Study author Kaixin Liang and colleagues sought to investigate the daily relationship between physical activity levels and sleep quality among young adults. They categorized physical activity into three types: moderate to vigorous physical activity, light physical activity, and sedentary behavior.
The study included 147 university students recruited from Shenzhen, China. Participants were required to be between 18 and 29 years old, maintain normal sleep patterns and physical functioning, and not be involved in any programs that might affect sleep quality, such as psychotherapy. The average participant age was 22 years, and 67 were male.
The study lasted seven days and eight nights, during which participants wore an activity-tracking device in the form of a wristband (Fitbit Inspire HR). They were instructed not to use any reminders related to physical activity (e.g., apps prompting them to stand or move) and to avoid disruptions to their normal lifestyles.
Each day at around 9 a.m., participants received a questionnaire asking them to assess their sleep quality from the previous night, which they were required to complete by noon. Students received 80 RMB (approximately $11) for their participation. They also completed an assessment of insomnia symptoms over the past month using the Youth Self-Rating Insomnia Scale.
The results showed that 41 participants had insomnia symptoms, while 106 did not. Among those without insomnia symptoms, there was no association between physical activity levels and sleep quality. However, for students with insomnia symptoms, sleep efficiency improved on days when they engaged in either more vigorous physical activity or more sedentary behavior than usual. In contrast, their sleep efficiency worsened on days when they increased light physical activity at the expense of vigorous activity and sedentary behavior.
“For young adults with insomnia symptoms, replacing LPA [light physical activity] with MVPA [moderate to vigorous physical activity] on a given day may improve their sleep efficiency that night,” the study authors concluded.
The study contributes to the scientific understanding of the links between physical activity levels and sleep quality. However, it is important to note that the research did not account for the nature of the activities observed. It is possible that the associations found in students with insomnia were not due to physical activity itself, but rather to the meaning and nature of those activities.
The paper, “(https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2024.102758) Move more today, sleep better tonight? Daily associations between physical activity and sedentary behavior with sleep among young adults with and without insomnia symptoms,” was authored by Kaixin Liang, Flora Le, Peilian Chi, Sitong Chen, Liuyue Huang, and Xinli Chi.

(https://www.psypost.org/parenthood-linked-to-shifts-in-gender-ideology-study-finds/) Parenthood linked to shifts in gender ideology, study finds
Mar 7th 2025, 10:00

Changes in gender ideology are often observed as couples transition into parenthood, according to recent research published in the (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jomf.13086) Journal of Marriage and Family. The study suggests that women are inclined to embrace more traditional roles following childbirth, a pattern that is more pronounced when their husbands already hold such views and contribute more financially. For men, shifts in gender ideology after becoming fathers seem to be related to both their wives’ gender perspectives and the economic dynamics of the partnership.
Parenthood is a major life event that can strongly influence the dynamics within a romantic relationship. After a child is born, it is common for roles within a family to become more traditionally divided, with women often taking on a larger share of housework and childcare. This division of labor can then become intertwined with personal beliefs about gender roles.
While previous studies have shown that motherhood often leads women to adopt more traditional views, the impact of fatherhood on men’s gender ideology has been less clear. Importantly, there has been limited research on how the gender ideologies of both partners in a couple influence each other during this transformative period. The new study aimed to fill this gap by examining how spouses’ gender ideologies and their relative economic power within the relationship interact to shape individual beliefs as they transition into parenthood.
“My interest in this research topic was inspired by conversations with friends who have gone through the transition to parenthood. They often express surprise at how challenging it is to maintain a work-life balance, citing the demands of their jobs and the high level of caregiving responsibilities,” said study author (https://facultyprofiles.hkust-gz.edu.cn/faculty-personal-page/ZHOU-Muzhi/mzzhou) Muzhi Zhou, an assistant professor at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
“Many have shared that their perceptions of their roles have shifted significantly, particularly in how their ability to cope is influenced by their partner. This has led me to believe that examining the dynamics between spouses during this period of significant change could provide valuable insights into how their beliefs about gender roles may evolve as they navigate the challenges of parenthood.”
To conduct their investigation, the researchers used data from a long-term study in the United Kingdom called the United Kingdom Household Longitudinal Study, which incorporates its earlier version, the British Household Panel Study. This extensive dataset spans from 1991 to 2020 and follows the same households and individuals over many years. The researchers focused on heterosexual couples and selected those where both partners completed questionnaires. Their final sample included over 7,700 couples, providing more than 26,000 observations across different years. They concentrated on couples aged 18 to 59, as this is the age range when people are most likely to have young children and be actively working.
The researchers were interested in measuring gender ideology, which they defined as people’s ideas about the roles of men and women in work and at home. To measure this, they used responses to three statements: “A preschool child is likely to suffer if his or her mother works,” “All in all, family life suffers when the woman has a full-time job,” and “A husband’s job is to earn money, a wife’s job is to look after the home and family.” Participants rated their agreement with these statements on a scale from strongly agree to strongly disagree. These questions are commonly used to gauge traditional versus egalitarian gender views in the United Kingdom.
To determine parenthood status, they looked at whether individuals had children under the age of 16 living in their household. They categorized participants as either non-parents (no children) or parents (one or more children). They also measured the spouse’s gender ideology using the same method described above. To understand economic power dynamics, they calculated the husband’s relative income as the percentage of the total household income he contributed.
Finally, they included several other factors that could influence gender ideology, such as the age of both partners, whether they were married or cohabiting, any long-term illnesses, individual and household income levels, employment status (full-time, part-time, or not employed), and whether they owned their home. They also accounted for changes over time by including year indicators in their analysis.
The researchers used a statistical technique called fixed effects regression. This method is particularly useful for tracking changes within the same couples over time, effectively controlling for many stable characteristics that might otherwise influence the results. By focusing on changes within couples as they transitioned to parenthood, the researchers could more directly assess the impact of having children on gender ideology and how this was shaped by spousal beliefs and income dynamics.
The study’s findings confirmed that becoming parents is indeed linked to shifts in gender ideology. For wives, the transition to motherhood was associated with a move towards more traditional gender views. In contrast, husbands, on average, tended to become slightly more egalitarian after becoming fathers. The study also revealed that a spouse’s gender ideology plays a significant role. Both wives and husbands were more likely to adopt traditional gender ideologies if their partners already held more traditional views.
The researchers also found that the husband’s income share in the household was associated with gender ideology changes after parenthood. Wives whose husbands contributed a larger percentage of the household income were more likely to become traditional after having children. This effect was especially pronounced when the husband’s income share was very high. Conversely, husbands who contributed a smaller percentage of the household income were more inclined to become more egalitarian after becoming fathers.
“I was surprised to find that men’s higher income plays a significant role in shaping traditional gender ideologies during the transition to parenthood,” Zhou told PsyPost. “I previously believed that only a partner’s gender ideology would influence this. The combination of both a man’s income and previous traditional beliefs of both spouses creates the strongest tendency towards traditional gender roles among new parents.”
When considering the combined effect of spousal gender ideology and relative income, the study showed a nuanced picture. Wives were most likely to shift towards traditional gender views after childbirth if their husbands also held traditional views and earned more money. On the other hand, husbands were most likely to embrace more egalitarian views if their wives were egalitarian and if their own income was similar to or less than their wives’.
“It is also surprising to observe the significant potential for change in new fathers’ gender ideologies,” Zhou said. “When their wives hold egalitarian views and when the couple shares a relatively equal economic position, new fathers are more likely to adopt more egalitarian beliefs themselves.”
The findings indicate that “new mothers who marry partners with traditional gender beliefs and higher incomes may be more likely to adopt traditional gender roles themselves. Similarly, men who earn a higher income and marry someone with more traditional views may also lean towards adopting traditional gender ideologies.
But as with all research, there are some caveats. The measure of gender ideology used in the study focused primarily on work and family roles; future research could use broader measures to capture other dimensions of gender beliefs. In addition, the study was conducted in the United Kingdom, and the specific social and economic context of the UK, particularly regarding childcare, might influence the findings.
“The specific family context in the United Kingdom may be influencing this situation, as childcare is expensive and achieving a work-family balance can be challenging,” Zhou explained. “It remains more common that new mothers, compared to new fathers, will stay employed part-time right after the end of their maternal leave to meet the caring responsibilities.”
“As a significant life event, parenthood has a profound impact on our well-being and our understanding of ourselves and society. I hope more research will focus on this specific period to better understand the diverse and multidimensional aspects of its consequences.”
The study, “(https://doi.org/10.1111/jomf.13086) A longitudinal dyadic analysis of gender ideology during the transition into parenthood,” was authored by Yexin Zheng, Senhu Wang, and Muzhi Zhou.

Forwarded by:
Michael Reeder LCPC
Baltimore, MD

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