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<td><span style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:20px;font-weight:bold;">PsyPost – Psychology News</span></td>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/tiktok-and-similar-platforms-linked-to-body-dissatisfaction-and-eating-disorder-symptoms/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">TikTok and similar platforms linked to body dissatisfaction and eating disorder symptoms</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Jun 27th 2025, 10:00</div>
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<p><p>A study in China found that high school students who spend more time on short-form video platforms tend to have more severe eating disorder symptoms and tend to be less satisfied with their bodies compared to peers who spend less time on these platforms. They are also more likely to compare their bodies to those seen in the videos. The paper was published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/00332941251343534"><em>Psychological Reports</em></a>.</p>
<p>Short-form video platforms are digital services that allow users to create, share, and view brief videos, typically under one minute. Popular examples include TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and Snapchat Spotlight. These platforms emphasize fast-paced, engaging content designed for quick consumption.</p>
<p>Short-form videos are especially popular among younger audiences. They use algorithm-driven feeds to tailor content to user preferences. Brands and influencers often use these platforms for marketing and audience engagement. The format has transformed digital storytelling, making content more accessible and participatory.</p>
<p>However, recent studies have indicated that these platforms often depict idealized body types, sometimes digitally enhanced. Users may compare their own bodies to these portrayals and become dissatisfied with their natural appearance. This dissatisfaction may lead some individuals to develop eating disorders—either as a way to cope with negative emotions or to try to reshape their bodies to resemble those seen in the videos through extreme dieting.</p>
<p>Study author Liheng Fan and his colleagues sought to explore the link between short-form video platform use and eating disorder symptoms among adolescents. They were also interested in whether this relationship differed between boys and girls.</p>
<p>Participants were students from three secondary schools in two cities in China. The researchers distributed questionnaires to 835 students in grades 7 through 11 in October 2022 and collected 795 valid responses. Participants were between 10 and 18 years old, with an average age of about 15. Approximately 57% of participants were girls.</p>
<p>The questionnaire included assessments of eating disorder symptoms (using the Eating Attitudes Test), short-form video platform use (based on a modified version of a social networking site use scale), body image comparison (the tendency to compare one’s body to those seen in short videos), and body dissatisfaction.</p>
<p>The results showed that girls had somewhat more severe eating disorder symptoms than boys. They were also more likely to compare their bodies to those seen in videos and to feel dissatisfied with their appearance.</p>
<p>Across the entire sample, greater use of short-form video platforms was associated with more severe eating disorder symptoms, greater body image comparison, and higher levels of body dissatisfaction. In total, 9% of participants reported unhealthy eating behaviors, suggesting a risk of developing eating disorders.</p>
<p>“First, watching short videos is strongly associated with EDs [eating disorders] in adolescents; the higher the frequency of watching short videos, the greater the chance that the person will have ED symptoms. Second, there are sex differences in the relationship between adolescents’ engagement with short videos and their EDs. Boys’ use of short video platforms was associated with an increased risk of EDs, both directly and through the mediating role of BD [body dissatisfaction]; for girls, such platform use showed a stronger association with BIC [body image comparison – proneness to compare one’s own body to bodies seen in videos], which in turn was linked to higher levels of BD and ED risk,” the study authors concluded.</p>
<p>The study contributes to scientific understanding of the links between eating behaviors and short-form video platform use. However, it should be noted that the study’s design does not allow for causal conclusions to be drawn from the results.</p>
<p>The paper, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/00332941251343534">Does the Use of Short-form Video Platforms Increase the Occurrence of Eating Disorders in Adolescents? A Study Based on Sex Differences</a>,” was authored by Liheng Fan, Yuchen Zhu, and Ke Yang.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/out-of-body-experiences-linked-to-higher-rates-of-mental-health-symptoms-and-trauma-study-finds/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">Out-of-body experiences linked to higher rates of mental health symptoms and trauma, study finds</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Jun 27th 2025, 08:00</div>
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<p><p>A new study published in the journal <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2025.113292" target="_blank">Personality and Individual Differences</a></em> suggests that people who report out-of-body experiences, where they feel separated from their physical body, tend to show higher rates of mental health concerns, trauma history, and dissociative symptoms compared to those who have never had such experiences.</p>
<p>Out-of-body experiences, often described as vivid sensations of floating above one’s own body or observing the world from an external perspective, have fascinated scientists and the public alike. While some researchers view them as potential symptoms of psychiatric conditions, others have argued that they can be part of a normal range of human consciousness. The new study set out to better understand the clinical profile of people who report these experiences and whether they are meaningfully different from people who do not.</p>
<p>“I’ve always been deeply fascinated by consciousness, and more recently, by out-of-body experiences (OBEs). Through my conversations with numerous individuals who have had these experiences, I’ve seen firsthand how frequently OBEs are stigmatized by society and the medical community,” said study author <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/contributors/marina-weiler-phd" target="_blank">Marina Weiler</a>, an assistant professor of psychiatry and neurobehavioral sciences at <a href="https://med.virginia.edu/perceptual-studies/" target="_blank">the University of Virginia</a>.</p>
<p>“Many experiencers are reluctant to share their stories, often fearing that they’ll be labeled as mentally ill or dismissed as ‘crazy.’ There is significant stigma surrounding OBEs, partly because previous literature has often linked these experiences to psychiatric conditions such as dissociative identity disorder, schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, depersonalization, and other disorders related to body ownership.” </p>
<p>“Some researchers have explicitly described OBEs as phenomena marked by feelings of detachment, alienation from oneself or the external world, flattened emotional experiences, or even as forms of ‘self-induced depersonalization syndrome.’ This prevailing negative portrayal can profoundly impact experiencers, causing them to hide their experiences even from close family members. My motivation for this research was to better understand whether OBEs are genuinely associated with underlying psychopathology or if they represent a distinct, non-pathological phenomenon.”</p>
<p>The study involved 545 adult participants from diverse backgrounds. Of these, 256 people said they had experienced an out-of-body episode at some point in their lives, while 289 reported they had never had one. Participants were recruited through a combination of online outreach and a survey platform, and they answered a range of questionnaires about their mental health, dissociative symptoms, early life trauma, social functioning, and general health. Participants were also asked about their psychiatric history and current treatments, and their responses were analyzed using statistical techniques that controlled for age and sex.</p>
<p>The researchers used several well-known psychological tools to measure participants’ mental health. These included the Self-Reporting Questionnaire (to assess common mental disorders such as depression and anxiety), the Social Adjustment Scale (to measure functioning in relationships and daily life), the Dissociative Experiences Scale (to assess experiences like depersonalization and memory gaps), the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (to measure past abuse and neglect), and a single question on general self-rated health.</p>
<p>Participants who had experienced out-of-body episodes showed higher scores on nearly all the measures. They were more likely to report symptoms consistent with common mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression. They also scored higher on measures of dissociation and reported more adverse experiences in childhood, including emotional and physical abuse and neglect. In terms of functioning, they reported more difficulties in their social and interpersonal lives. These results were statistically significant, meaning that the differences between the groups were unlikely to be due to chance.</p>
<p>In the dissociation measure, 40 percent of people who had experienced out-of-body episodes scored in a range associated with clinical concern, compared to just 14 percent of those who had never had such experiences. Similarly, 53 percent of the out-of-body group met criteria suggesting they were at risk for a common mental disorder, compared to 44 percent of the comparison group. People with a shorter time since their first out-of-body experience were more likely to show signs of psychological distress, suggesting that for some, these experiences might occur during periods of acute emotional difficulty.</p>
<p>“Our findings were indeed surprising,” Weiler told PsyPost. “Initially, we hypothesized that individuals experiencing OBEs would demonstrate better mental health compared to those who don’t, given the widely reported transformative and beneficial effects of these experiences. However, our results indicated the opposite, with experiencers showing statistically higher levels of psychiatric symptoms and dissociation.” </p>
<p>“Interestingly, our findings related to childhood trauma suggest that rather than causing psychological distress, OBEs might serve as coping mechanisms, providing individuals with a psychological means to manage or distance themselves from traumatic experiences.”</p>
<p>The study’s authors caution against drawing overly simplistic conclusions. While people with out-of-body experiences did show more psychological symptoms on average, the research does not prove that the experiences themselves are harmful or that they cause mental illness.</p>
<p>“The key takeaway from our study is that although individuals who experience OBEs show statistically higher levels of psychiatric symptoms, dissociation, childhood trauma, and lower social adjustment compared to those who don’t have these experiences, this does not necessarily mean OBEs are indicative of mental illness,” Weiler said. “OBEs represent diverse phenomena—while they may reflect underlying mental health concerns in some individuals, in others, they might serve as adaptive coping mechanisms during stressful or traumatic events.” </p>
<p>“Importantly, we must avoid broadly stigmatizing OBEs as pathological, and instead focus on better understanding their context, distinguishing harmful from potentially beneficial experiences, and promoting awareness and support to help experiencers integrate these profound events without fear or stigma.”</p>
<p>One important limitation of this study is that it relied on self-reported data, which can be influenced by memory biases or personal interpretations of symptoms. Additionally, while the statistical differences between groups were significant, the clinical relevance of these differences is harder to pin down. The cut-off scores used to determine clinical risk are not always consistent across studies, and more research is needed to determine whether these differences translate into real-world impacts on mental health and functioning.</p>
<p>Another limitation is that the study did not assess the specific context or meaning of each participant’s out-of-body experience. It is likely that the psychological effects of these experiences vary depending on when, why, and how they happen. Future research could benefit from more detailed assessments that include qualitative interviews, longitudinal follow-ups, and brain imaging studies to explore the underlying neural mechanisms.</p>
<p>“My long-term goals for this line of research are primarily focused on reducing stigma surrounding out-of-body experiences,” Weiler explained. “I aim to create an environment where individuals feel comfortable sharing these profound experiences openly without fear of judgment or being labeled as mentally ill. By expanding our understanding of OBEs, I hope to illuminate how these experiences can potentially serve as catalysts for personal transformation and psychological growth. </p>
<p>“Furthermore, I want this research to better inform mental health professionals, enabling them to distinguish between pathological cases and experiences that are non-pathological or even beneficial. Ultimately, my goal is to foster greater acceptance, understanding, and meaningful support for those who experience OBEs.”</p>
<p>“I’d like to emphasize that while our results showed statistical associations between OBEs and indicators of poorer mental health, this should not lead to further stigmatization or misinterpretation of these experiences,” Weiler added. “OBEs are complex and diverse phenomena, potentially ranging from adaptive coping strategies to transformative and deeply meaningful events.” </p>
<p>“We must continue to approach this topic with openness and sensitivity, aiming to understand the context and subjective meaning of OBEs for each individual. By shifting the narrative from pathology to possibility, we can create an inclusive space for experiencers to openly discuss and integrate these profound moments into their lives.”</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2025.113292" target="_blank">Are out-of-body experiences indicative of an underlying psychopathology?</a>,” was authored by Marina Weiler, Alexander Moreira-Almeida, and Martin M. Monti.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/attachment-anxiety-might-explain-how-early-trauma-shapes-emotions-during-sexual-disagreements/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">Attachment anxiety might explain how early trauma shapes emotions during sexual disagreements</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Jun 27th 2025, 06:00</div>
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<p><p>People with a history of childhood trauma tend to feel fewer positive emotions and more negative emotions when discussing sexual disagreements with their partners, according to new research published in the <em><a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10508-025-03120-7" target="_blank">Archives of Sexual Behavior</a></em>. These emotional patterns were most strongly linked to attachment anxiety — a form of insecurity rooted in fears of rejection and abandonment — rather than avoidance.</p>
<p>Sexual disagreements can be sensitive and emotionally charged, often touching on issues of vulnerability, intimacy, and trust. For people who experienced trauma during childhood — such as abuse or neglect — these conversations may feel even more threatening. The research team sought to explore how early relational wounds might shape how partners experience and express emotion in real-time during discussions about their sexual relationships, and whether adult attachment insecurities might explain these patterns.</p>
<p>Attachment theory suggests that people form internal models of themselves and others based on early relationships with caregivers. Two common forms of adult attachment insecurity are attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance. People high in attachment anxiety often fear rejection and may become emotionally overwhelmed or seek constant reassurance. Those high in attachment avoidance tend to feel uncomfortable with emotional closeness and may suppress or disengage from emotional expression. </p>
<p>The researchers proposed that these insecure attachment styles could be key mechanisms linking childhood trauma to emotional difficulties in adult romantic relationships, particularly during high-stakes discussions about sex.</p>
<p>“Previous studies have shown significant associations between childhood trauma and emotion regulation difficulties in adulthood, for example people were resorting to various tension reduction activities, have difficulty returning to a neutral emotional state but we did not really know about how this unfold in the context of couple conversations on the sensitive topic of sexuality. Also, we know people are having difficulty managing their emotions but we did not really know what were the emotional processes at play during these conversations,” said study author Noémie Bigras, an assistant professor at the Université du Québec en Outaouais, Gatineau.</p>
<p>For their study, the researchers recruited 151 romantic couples living in Canada. Participants varied in gender identity, sexual orientation, and cultural background, though the majority identified as heterosexual and were in long-term, cohabiting relationships. All participants completed an online survey that assessed their history of childhood trauma using a standardized questionnaire. This included emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, as well as emotional and physical neglect before the age of 18. They also completed a validated measure of attachment insecurity, capturing both anxiety and avoidance in romantic relationships.</p>
<p>The heart of the study took place in a laboratory setting. Each couple participated in a filmed 8-minute discussion about the most significant sexual problem in their relationship. Before the discussion, both partners independently identified and ranked up to three sexual concerns, such as differences in sexual frequency or initiation. They were then asked to talk as naturally as possible about the most pressing issue.</p>
<p>Immediately after the conversation, participants completed self-report measures of their emotional state. They rated the extent to which they felt various positive and negative emotions, such as feeling inspired or upset. Then, in a separate room, each partner watched a recording of the conversation and used a joystick to continuously rate their moment-to-moment emotional experience — from very negative to very positive — as they re-watched the interaction. This allowed researchers to measure the duration of positive and negative emotional experiences during the conversation.</p>
<p>To capture how participants outwardly expressed their emotions during the discussion, trained coders also viewed the recordings and used a similar joystick-based method to evaluate the emotional tone of participants’ facial expressions, gestures, and vocal cues. These observational ratings provided an objective measure of how long participants expressed positive or negative emotions during the discussion.</p>
<p>The researchers found that people who reported more childhood trauma experienced fewer positive emotions and more negative emotions after the discussion. They also spent less time feeling and expressing positive emotions during the conversation, and more time feeling and expressing negative ones. Importantly, these associations were not explained by attachment avoidance, but rather by attachment anxiety.</p>
<p>Attachment anxiety played a strong mediating role. People with a greater trauma history tended to score higher on attachment anxiety, which in turn predicted stronger negative and weaker positive emotional reactions during and after the conflict. This pattern held true for self-reported emotions, joystick-rated emotional experience, and coder-observed emotional expression.</p>
<p>In addition to their own emotional experience, participants’ attachment anxiety was also linked to how their partners felt. When one person scored high in attachment anxiety, their partner reported experiencing shorter periods of positive emotions during the conversation, suggesting that the emotional impact of trauma-related insecurity can ripple across the relationship.</p>
<p>“People who went through trauma in childhood may carry emotional patterns that affect how they handle sensitive conversations with their partner, especially about sexual concerns,” Bigras told PsyPost. “How safe and secure someone feels in their relationship is therefore especially important. If someone feels unworthy of love or fears being abandoned (i.e., attachment anxiety), they’re more likely to get stuck in negative emotions and report fewer and shorter positive emotions during a conflictual discussion about their sexuality.”</p>
<p>Surprisingly, attachment avoidance did not play a mediating role between childhood trauma and emotional dynamics. However, people high in avoidance did tend to report less positive emotion after the conversation and expressed fewer positive emotions during the discussion, possibly due to their tendency to suppress emotional displays and avoid vulnerability.</p>
<p>The study also examined how gender identity related to emotional reactions. Women reported more negative emotions and shorter experiences of positive emotion than men. Non-binary participants expressed more positive and fewer negative emotions than men, though these differences should be interpreted cautiously due to the small sample size of non-binary individuals in the study.</p>
<p>These findings add to a growing body of research showing that childhood trauma can shape emotional regulation in adulthood, especially in the context of close relationships. The use of real-time, dyadic observations — including self-reports, continuous emotional ratings, and third-party observations — provided a rare and detailed view into how trauma history and attachment insecurities influence emotional dynamics as they unfold between partners.</p>
<p>But there are some limitations to consider. The sample consisted mainly of well-functioning community couples who were not actively seeking treatment, which may limit the generalizability of the results to more distressed or clinical populations. The study was also cross-sectional, meaning that causal conclusions cannot be drawn.</p>
<p>The long-term goal of this line of research is “to better understand the dyadic processes at play when couples engage in discussion and share information—particularly through the lens of their respective and shared histories of childhood trauma,” Bigras said. “Our future research will therefore include longitudinal designs using multiple time points and daily diary methods over several days.” </p>
<p>“These designs would help identify whether certain processes are more significant than others. It will also be important to observe couples as they discuss positive topics, to explore how they naturally experience and regulate positive emotions with their partner in the context of past trauma.”</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-025-03120-7" target="_blank">Attachment Insecurity Mediates the Associations Between Childhood Trauma and Duration of Emotions During a Laboratory‑Based Sexual Conflict Discussion Among Couples</a>,” was authored by Noémie Bigras, Natalie O. Rosen, Justin P. Dubé, Marie‑Ève Daspe, Myriam Bosisio, Katherine Péloquin, and Sophie Bergeron.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/support-for-war-is-associated-with-narcissistic-personality-traits/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">Support for war is associated with narcissistic personality traits</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Jun 26th 2025, 14:00</div>
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<p><p>A recent study conducted in Poland has revealed how different forms of narcissism relate to people’s views and intentions about war and peace. The researchers discovered that certain narcissistic traits align with more accepting attitudes toward war. The findings were published in the journal <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2025.113183" target="_blank">Personality and Individual Differences</a></em>.</p>
<p>Narcissism is a personality trait that describes an inflated sense of self-importance and a desire for recognition and admiration. Grandiose narcissism can be divided into four types: admiration, rivalry, sanctity, and heroism. Admiration focuses on seeking status and uniqueness. Rivalry is more aggressive, focusing on putting others down and seeing them as threats. </p>
<p>Sanctity relates to seeing oneself as deeply moral and kind, while heroism focuses on being a protector and savior within a group. The researchers wanted to understand how these four types relate to the belief that war can be acceptable or desirable, and to the belief that peace should be promoted and preserved.</p>
<p>The researchers conducted a study involving 789 adults in Poland, roughly half of whom were men. The average age was about 46, and participants came from a range of educational and occupational backgrounds. All participants responded to a series of questionnaires online. These questionnaires measured the four forms of narcissism, as well as participants’ attitudes and intentions toward war and peace. The researchers also measured their basic values, focusing on self-enhancement (valuing status and dominance), self-transcendence (valuing others’ well‑being), openness to change (valuing new ideas and freedom), and conservation (valuing tradition and stability).</p>
<p>Each participant responded to questions about how strongly they agreed or disagreed with statements about themselves, their values, and their attitudes toward war and peace. These statements included ideas about defending one’s country, seeing war as sometimes necessary, joining a peace protest, or promoting international understanding. The researchers used statistical analyses to compare responses across the four narcissistic forms.</p>
<p>The researchers found that individuals high in admiration tended to have a stronger acceptance of war. This form of narcissism is associated with seeking status and glory, making it more compatible with pro‑war beliefs. These individuals were also less accepting of peace, although this link was weaker and influenced in part by a desire for openness and self‑expression.</p>
<p>Those high in rivalry expressed the strongest connections with accepting war. Rivalry, with its focus on aggression and defeating others, was also linked with weaker support for peace. The researchers found that these connections were shaped by lower concern for others’ well‑being and resistance to traditional or communal values. People high in rivalry were less inclined to support peace-promoting behavior and more accepting of aggression and conflict as a means to an end.</p>
<p>The sanctity form of narcissism, which revolves around seeing oneself as a deeply moral person, was associated with a greater preference for peace. This link was strengthened by higher concern for others’ well‑being, openness to new ideas, and a respect for traditional, communal values. People high in sanctity were more likely to disagree with war and more inclined to support peace-oriented behaviors, like attending a peace rally.</p>
<p>The heroism form of narcissism, focused on seeing oneself as a protector, was associated with higher acceptance of war. At the same time, this form was linked with more active engagement in both pro‑peace and pro‑war behaviors. People high in heroism felt a strong sense of responsibility to protect their community, regardless of the means required, making their stance more complex. Their belief in the necessity of action shaped their acceptance of war and peace alike.</p>
<p>The researchers also explored how these connections worked through personal values. They found that accepting war was largely explained by prioritizing self‑enhancement over self‑transcendence and being less open to change or less committed to traditional communal ideals. On the other hand, accepting peace was strengthened by higher self‑transcendence, openness to new ideas, and respect for communal traditions. These patterns shed light on how different forms of narcissism align with certain values, making people more likely to accept or reject war and peace.</p>
<p>“Grandiose narcissism (except for sanctity) predisposes individuals to accept war, but only antagonistic forms are related to rejection of peace. Prioritization or rejection of self-transcendence, openness to change, and conservation values partly explains relationships,” the researchers concluded.</p>
<p>The researchers were cautious about interpreting their results because this was a cross‑sectional survey conducted in a specific context — Poland during a period when the Russo‑Ukrainian war was intensifying. The heightened tensions and psychological distress associated with this conflict could have influenced participants’ responses. The results might also vary in different countries or times, and long‑term studies would be required to confirm the patterns.</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2025.113183" target="_blank">Falcons or pigeons? Grandiose narcissism, personal values, and attitudes toward war and peace</a>,” was authored by Eryk Kowalski, Piotr P. Brud, and Magdalena Żemojtel-Piotrowska.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/online-camming-can-help-men-feel-more-comfortable-in-their-own-skin-study-suggests/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">Online camming can help men feel more comfortable in their own skin, study suggests</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Jun 26th 2025, 12:00</div>
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<p><p>A new study published in <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0318727" target="_blank">PLOS One</a></em> has found that many men who use adult webcam platforms, often called “camsites,” come away feeling better about their bodies. These interactive spaces, where viewers can chat with or watch live video performances by models, gave some men more comfort and confidence with their physical appearances. The researchers discovered that these online interactions fostered body acceptance in ways that traditional pornography might not.</p>
<p>Men are often overlooked when it comes to conversations about body image, despite growing evidence that many struggle with feelings of discomfort about their bodies. According to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S174014451930213X" target="_blank">a recent national survey</a>, one in three men in the United States are dissatisfied with some aspect of their body, such as muscle size, height, or genitalia. This discomfort can affect their mental well‑being, leading to lower self‑esteem and feelings of depression. In this new study, researchers set out to understand how one popular form of online sexual interaction, called camming, might impact men’s body perceptions.</p>
<p>Camsites are platforms where people can watch adult performers live online. Unlike traditional adult movies, camsites create a space where the audience can interact with performers via text or video. Performers respond in real time, providing viewers with a sense of being seen and acknowledged. The researchers wondered if this interactive environment could lead to feelings of body acceptance, especially for men who are often overlooked in conversations about body image and self‑confidence.</p>
<p>“Challenges related to body satisfaction are widespread and frequently studied, particularly among women,” said study author Jessica Campbell, an assistant research scientist at the Center for Evaluation, Policy, and Research and a research fellow at the Virtual Intimacy, Behavioral Engagement, and Sexuality (VIBES) Collaborative at the Kinsey Institute. </p>
<p>“While U.S. men also demonstrate challenges with body satisfaction, it is comparatively somewhat less frequently studied. This oversight helped to motivate our team’s focus on men’s body comfort. Given our focus on the impact of online erotic camsites, we aimed to bridge these two domains in order to identify technologically mediated pathways that may offer support for body comfort among men.”</p>
<p>To investigate this, the researchers conducted an online survey with 5,828 people using the LiveJasmin site. The participants, primarily heterosexual, cisgender men, were recruited from the site via a banner advertisement. The survey asked questions about their online habits, their comfort with their own bodies, and the role that using the site played in shaping these feelings. Those who felt more comfortable with their bodies as a result of using the site were asked to write about why this was the case.</p>
<p>The researchers analyzed both the numerical data and the open‑ended written responses. They found that about 19% of the men surveyed — or roughly one in five — felt more comfortable with their bodies after using the site. To understand why, the researchers used a qualitative approach called thematic analysis, which allows them to spot common ideas and narratives in people’s responses.</p>
<p>“These results suggest that camsites may function as a unique space for men to explore their bodies and find new forms of acceptance and comfort therein,” Campbell told PsyPost. </p>
<p>Several themes emerged from these open‑ended replies. The biggest factor, mentioned by roughly a quarter of those who felt more comfortable with their bodies, was the feedback they received from the models. These men said that compliments, encouragement, and warm responses from the performers had a significant impact on how they felt about themselves. </p>
<p>Even when the participants were aware that the models were working and possibly being paid to give compliments, many said that hearing the same positive remarks repeatedly made them feel more confident about their bodies. The models’ verbal encouragement, along with their approving gestures and expressions, seemed to help the men accept their own bodies and recognize that attractiveness can take many forms.</p>
<p>Another important factor was the opportunity for self‑disclosure and conversation. A smaller but notable group of participants said that talking openly with the models about their bodies, or about their feelings and fantasies, boosted their sense of comfort. These conversations went beyond superficial compliments and allowed participants to openly share insecurities or questions about their bodies. In doing so, many felt heard and validated in ways that traditional media or online pornography often fail to provide.</p>
<p>Self‑reflection and changes in personal outlook also surfaced as common threads. About 15% of those who felt more comfortable with their bodies said the site offered a space for introspection and a shift in how they viewed themselves. They spoke about accepting their bodies as they are — accepting imperfections as part of being human and realizing that a “perfect body” is a myth. Some responded that seeing others with body shapes and sizes similar to their own boosted their confidence, making them more accepting of their own body and their attractiveness.</p>
<p>The site’s unique feature of allowing viewers to turn on their own camera also appeared to play an important role. Approximately 20% of participants said that exposing themselves, even partially, during private sessions helped build body comfort. The camera acted as a tool for gaining confidence, making men feel seen and accepted in ways that they had not felt before. </p>
<p>The participants explained that knowing the person on the other side of the screen was enjoying their body — regardless of its shape or size — offered a strong counter to internal feelings of inadequacy. In this sense, camming acted as a safe space for intimate exposure, one that promoted feelings of belonging and self‑confidence.</p>
<p>Observing diversity in body types and appearances on the site emerged as another valuable theme. About 4% of those surveyed said that seeing a range of body shapes and sizes — both in the performers and other viewers — helped expand their understanding of beauty and attractiveness. The participants spoke about realizing that no one body shape or size had a monopoly on desirability, making space for self‑acceptance and a more inclusive view of beauty.</p>
<p>“Interestingly, exposure to diverse body types on camsites acted as a source of support for greater bodily comfort,” Campbell said. “Camsite models are diverse in appearance, size, and shape, which likely challenged perceived norms related to what constitutes attractiveness.”</p>
<p>A smaller group, roughly 2% of those responding, said that their experience with the site inspired them to make changes to their appearance. Some started working out or dressing in ways that made them feel more attractive, while others experimented with expressing different sides of themselves, such as trying new styles or exploring gender fluidity. These changes often came with validation from the models, reinforcing the participants’ sense that their efforts were worthwhile and making them feel more confident about their bodies.</p>
<p>Although the results were promising, the researchers emphasized that the study had limitations. The sample was largely composed of heterosexual men, making it unclear if the results apply to a more diverse range of participants. The study also relied on self‑reported feelings of body comfort and didn’t measure how long these effects lasted. </p>
<p>Since only one in five participants felt more comfortable with their body, the results also raise questions about the experience of the majority who didn’t notice a change or didn’t answer the questions at all. In future studies, researchers hope to explore more deeply how different people experience camsites and how these spaces affect perceptions of their bodies across a wider range of demographics.</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0318727" target="_blank">The influence of erotic camsites on improving men’s body comfort: A qualitative analysis of mechanisms</a>,” was authored by Amanda N. Gesselman, Ellen M. Kaufman, Jessica T. Campbell, Margaret Bennett-Brown, Melissa Blundell Osorio, Camden Smith, Malia Piazza, and Zoe Moscovici.</p></p>
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<p><strong>Forwarded by:<br />
Michael Reeder LCPC<br />
Baltimore, MD</strong></p>
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