Childhood sexual abuse and technology-facilitated sexual violence on dating apps: The moderating role of motivations for use.

BACKGROUND: The study aimed to investigate the potential link between a history of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and the experience of technology-facilitated sexual violence on dating apps (TFSV), considering distinct motivations for app usage among CSA survivors. OBJECTIVE: To explore the association between CSA and TFSV on dating apps, while also examining the potential moderating role of motivations for app usage and differences based on sexual orientation. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: The study utilized an online survey among 534 dating app users in Israel. METHODS: Participants completed an online survey assessing history of CSA, experiences of TFSV on dating apps, and motivations for app usage. RESULTS: The study found that individuals with a history of CSA experienced more TFSV on dating apps. Survivors of CSA showed lower motivation for love and higher motivation for self-worth validation, ease of communication, and thrill of excitement. Differences between heterosexual and LGBTQ+ participants were observed, with LGBTQ+ individuals reporting higher levels of CSA prevalence and TFSV on dating apps. Motivations for app usage and sexual orientation were found to moderate the association between CSA history and TFSV on dating apps. Among LGBTQ+ participants, those who experienced CSA had a higher likelihood of encountering TFSV on dating apps, regardless of their motivations. Heterosexual individuals with a history of CSA were more prone to TFSV on dating apps if they had a strong motivation for love. CONCLUSIONS: This study shed light on unique vulnerabilities among individuals with a history of CSA, including increased susceptibility to TFSV on dating apps.

A Multi-Method Study Examining the Role of Swiping on Dating Apps: Mate Value Preferences, Sexual Satisfaction, and Need Satisfaction with Matches in Emerging Adults.

Intrinsic (i.e., personality traits) and extrinsic mate value (i.e., resources, physical attractiveness) preferences play a crucial role in (online) relationship formation. The role of mate values in dating applications was unclear and was addressed in a multi-method study. A first content analytical study examined the prevalence of mate values (MVs) on Tinder profiles (Study 1) and two subsequent cross-sectional studies explored the relationships between dating app use, various swiping behaviors, sexual satisfaction (Studies 2-3), need satisfaction with matches (Study 3), having a committed relationship versus casual sex motivation for using dating apps and users' gender. The content analysis of 307 Tinder profiles indicated that resources and physical attractiveness were most salient in biographies and pictures, respectively. The first cross-sectional study (nfullsample = 325, ndating app users = 133) revealed no significant relationships between dating app frequency/swiping frequency, intrinsic and extrinsic MV preferences, and sexual satisfaction. The second cross-sectional study (n = 323) showed no significant relationships between picture-based or biography-based swiping, intrinsic and extrinsic MV preferences, and need satisfaction with matches. Gender differences emerged in the presentation of MVs on Tinder (Study 1) and general MV preferences (Study 2-3), but not in the relationships between different types of dating app use/swiping and MV preferences (Study 2-3). A committed relationship and a casual sex motivation played a role in the relationships between different types of swiping behaviors and MV preferences, and between MV preferences, and sexual satisfaction/need satisfaction with matches.

Disembedding and re-embedding: the online interaction mechanisms of divorced youth in China.

Introduction: In recent years, China's divorce rates have remained high, especially in metropolitan areas such as Beijing and Shanghai, where rates reach up to 40%. Additionally, there has been a notable shift towards younger demographics in divorce cases. In a society that highly values marital harmony, divorce is often seen as a cultural transgression. Anthony Giddens' theory of disembedding and re-embedding provides a useful framework for understanding these changes. This study addresses a gap in literature by focusing on the online social interactions of divorced Chinese youth, exploring their use of dating apps for emotional support and social reconnections. Methods: This qualitative study employed semi-structured interviews with 19 divorced young adults in China who engaged with dating apps such as Momo, Tantan, and Soul. Participants were recruited via Douban and Xiaohongshu. The interviews, conducted through WeChat voice calls and Tencent Meetings, lasted 45-70 minutes each. Data was analyzed using Nvivo12 to understand the disembedding and re-embedding processes in their online interactions, exploring themes such as motivations, self-presentation, and the transition from online to offline engagements. Results and discussion: The findings reveal that these individuals face societal challenges, biases, and the residual effects of past marriages, leading them to seek refuge in online environments to avoid stigmatization. In digital spaces, they cautiously engage, revealing a lack of confidence through selective self-disclosure. Their goals range from forming same-sex and opposite-sex friendships to seeking new romantic relationships, indicating a nuanced approach to remarriage and challenging stereotypes of dating app users. Re-engaging online, they discover social support and a sense of community, which aids in regaining confidence post-divorce, underscoring the complex interplay between societal influences and individual adaptation strategies in the digital age. The study highlights the unique challenges faced by this demographic, including maintaining anonymity and dealing with societal prejudices. Future research should consider a broader age range and gender differences to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the online behaviors and experiences of divorced individuals.

Risk for Experiencing Psychological and Sexual Abuse On- and Offline: A Comparison of Bisexual, Gay/Lesbian, and Heterosexual Women and Men.

Dating abuse research on lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) populations tends to aggregate LGB participants for comparisons with heterosexuals and often excludes non-assaultive dating abuse and abuse that takes place on online dating applications. In the present study, we used the Pew Research Center's 2019 American Trends Panel Wave 56 dataset (N = 4712) to compare ever experiencing several types of non-assaultive on- and offline dating abuse between bisexual women (n = 402), lesbian women (n = 207), heterosexual women (n = 1802), bisexual men (n = 225), gay men (n = 575), and heterosexual men (n = 1501). We found that gay men and bisexual women generally had the greatest odds of experiencing online dating abuse. Bisexual and heterosexual women had the greatest odds of experiencing some offline abuse (e.g., being touched in an uncomfortable way), but gay men and bisexual women and men had the greatest odds of experiencing other offline abuse (e.g., having their contact information or a sexual image of them shared non-consensually). Findings highlight how assessments of non-assaultive dating abuse in on- and offline contexts via analyses of more specified gender/sex/ual identity groups can broaden understandings of dating abuse victimization, especially among sexual minority populations.

Social mobile sensing and problematic alcohol consumption: Insights from smartphone metadata.

BACKGROUND: Alcohol is often consumed in a social context. We aim to investigate whether social mobile sensing is associated with real-world social interactions and alcohol consumption. In addition, we investigate how social restriction policies implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic have influenced these associations. METHODS: We conducted a smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment (EMA) study for 7 days over a 213-day period from 8 August 2020 to 9 March 2021 in Germany, including both no-lockdown and lockdown stages. Participants used a smartphone application which passively collects data on social behavior (e.g., app usage, phone calls, SMS). Moreover, we assessed real-world social interactions and alcohol consumption via daily questionnaires. RESULTS: We found that each one-hour increase in social media usage was associated with a 40.2% decrease in the average number of drinks consumed. Mediation analysis suggested that social media usage decreases alcohol intake through decreased real-world social interactions. Notably, we did not find that any significant influence of the lockdown stage on the association between social mobile sensing and alcohol intake. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that people who use more social media drink less, likely due to reduced face-to-face social interactions. This highlights the potential of social mobile sensing as an objective measure of social activity and its implications for understanding alcohol consumption behavior.

Increases in Awareness and Uptake of Dating Apps' Sexual Health Features Among US Men Who Have Sex with Men, 2018 to 2021.

Dating apps are now used by the majority of MSM to meet sexual and romantic partners. While research has demonstrated an association between app use and greater number of sex partners and STIs, dating apps also pose an opportunity for intervention. By advocating for new and improved sexual health features on dating apps, Building Healthy Online Communities (BHOC) aims to increase communication about sexual health on the apps. As a follow-up to our previous paper assessing the uptake of sexual health-related profile options on dating apps through Emory's annual survey of 10,000 MSM in the US, BHOC and Emory partnered to explore the change in uptake over time, again through their annual survey. Among survey participants in 2021, 85% reported using dating apps to meet a partner in the past year, and among this group, 93% reported awareness of sexual health features, up from 77% in 2018 (p < 0.0001). 71% of app users who were aware of features in 2021 reported using one or more sexual health feature, up from 61% in 2018 (p < 0.0001). BHOC will continue to advocate for increased uptake of these features, especially among subgroups with lower levels of uptake.

Sexually transmitted infections and dating app use.

Incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is rising sharply in the United States. Between 2014 and 2019, incidence among men and women has increased by 62.8% and 21.4%, respectively, with an estimated 68 million Americans contracting an STI in 2018.a Some human behaviors impacting the expanding STI epidemic are unprotected sex and multiple sexual partners.b Increasing dating app usage has been postulated as a driver for increases in the numbers of people engaging in these behaviors. Using the proposed model, it is estimated that both STI incidence and prevalence for females and males have increased annually by 9%-15% between 2015 and 2019 due to dating apps usage, and that STI incidence and prevalence will continue to increase in the future. The model is also used to assess the possible benefit of in-app prevention campaigns.ahttps://www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/newsroom/fact-sheets/std/STI-Incidence-Prevalence-Cost-Factsheet.htmbA. N. Sawyer, E. R. Smith, and E. G. Benotsch. Dating application use and sexual risk behavior among young adults. Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 15:183-191, 2018.

State-Run Dating Apps: Are They Morally Desirable?

In a bid to boost fertility levels, Iran and Japan have recently launched their own dating apps, with more countries likely to follow. The aim of this article is to consider whether state-run dating apps are morally desirable, which is a question that has not received any scholarly attention. It finds that such apps have at least two benefits that collectively, if not individually, render their introduction to be welcomed provided certain conditions are met. These benefits are that they are better placed than commercial dating apps such as Tinder, Bumble, and Badoo to (i) help people find lasting love and to (ii) protect individuals from spending too much money and/or time on online dating. Several objections are discussed and shown to be unconvincing as arguments against state-run dating apps tout court, including the objection that for states to offer their own dating apps is unduly expensive; the objection that it gives them too much power; and the objection that they should invest in creating offline opportunities for meeting potential partners instead.

Online dating: predictors of problematic tinder use.

BACKGROUND: Geolocation apps have radically transformed dating practices around the world, with profound sociocultural implications. Few studies, however, have explored their addictive potential or factors that are associated with their misuse. OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to assess the level of problematic Tinder use (PTU) in an adult sample, using a machine learning algorithm to determine, among 29 relevant variables, the most important predictors of PTU. METHODS: 1,387 users of Tinder (18-74 years-old; male = 50.3%; female = 49.1%) completed an online questionnaire, and a machine learning tool was used to analyze their responses. RESULTS: On 5-point scale, participants' mean PTU score was 1.91 (SD = 0.70), indicating a relatively low overall level of problematic app use. Among the most important predictors of Problematic use were the use of Tinder for enhancement (reduce boredom and increase positive emotions), coping with psychological problems, and increasing social connectedness. The number of "matches" (when two users show mutual interest), the number of online contacts on Tinder, and the number of resulting offline dates were also among the top predictors of PTU. Depressive mood and loneliness were among the middle-ranked predictors of PTU. CONCLUSION: In accordance with the Interaction of Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution model of problematic internet use, the results suggest that PTU relates to how individual experience on the app interacts with dispositional and situational characteristics. However, variables that seemed to relate to PTU, including lack of self-esteem, negative mood states and loneliness, are not problems that online dating services as currently designed can be expected to resolve. This argues for increased digital services to identify and address potential problems helping drive the popularity of dating apps.

Shifting Norms and Value Conflicts: Exploring the Effects of HIV Status Disclosure Fields in Sex-Social Apps.

Sex-social applications used by men who have sex with men (MSM) often provide options to disclose HIV status to encourage more positive language and reduce stigma. Yet, little research has sought to understand how in-app disclosure fields impact on disclosure motivation. We interviewed MSM living with HIV and those who self-reported being HIV-negative ( N = 27 ) in the UK and applied a hierarchical model of motivation to interpret our data. We found conflicting motivations for disclosure and point to HIV status disclosure fields having shifted disclosure norms, limiting their perceived optionality. Moreover, the pairwise and location-aware nature of these apps fails to support narrative forms of disclosure, reducing motivation. We highlight an opportunity to support users in disclosing by linking apps more explicitly to the social narratives developed through public health campaigns. This could reduce the required effort to explain "the science" behind different treatment and prevention options and promote a more consistent narrative.

Social Media and Online Dating Safety Practices by Adolescent Sexual and Gender Diverse Men: Mixed-Methods Findings From the SMART Study.

PURPOSE: Sexual and gender diverse youth (SGDY) develop and employ safety strategies on their own to manage risks while using dating apps. This study aimed to describe the online dating safety practices of SGDY and determine the effectiveness of an eHealth HIV-prevention educational intervention with dating safety content to promote future safety behaviors. METHODS: SGDY aged 13-18 from across the United States (N = 1087) were assigned to increasingly intensive HIV-prevention educational programs using a sequential multiple-assignment randomized trial design. Data were collected at three time points, each three months apart. Participants were asked multiple-choice and open-ended questions about the safety practices they used online and in person; mixed-methods described the safety behaviors of SGDY. Logistic regressions were used to determine psychosocial predictors of safety behaviors and the effectiveness of the intervention in promoting future safety practices. RESULTS: 60% (n = 662) of participants used dating apps, most of whom reported using online (96.4%, n = 638) and in-person (92.9%, n = 615) safety strategies, such as limiting the disclosure of personal information or meeting other users in public. Outness and previous victimization were important psychosocial predictors of engaging in safety behaviors. Additionally, participants who received the online safety education were over 50% more likely to employ certain safety behaviors than SGDY who did not. DISCUSSION: While most SGDY reported at least 1 type of safety strategy when dating online, safety practices differed across psychosocial variables, such as outness. This study provides evidence for the effectiveness of an eHealth educational intervention tailored to SGDY to promote additional safety behaviors.

Response Rate, Acceptability and Effectiveness of an Intervention Offering HIV/STI Testing Via Apps Among Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex With Men in Barcelona, Spain, from 2016 to 2020.

We evaluated the response rate, acceptability, and effectiveness of a preventive programme offering rapid HIV and other STI testing, as well as sexual counselling to gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) via dating apps over a 4-year period. The programme was carried out in 9 out of the 10 districts in the city of Barcelona, Spain. The response rate was defined as the proportion of people responding to the message sent, acceptability as the proportion of those responding favourably, and effectiveness as the proportion of users requesting a test. We performed univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression in relation with the response rate, acceptability and effectiveness. A total of 5,254 messages were send to different users. The response rate was 33.1% (n = 1,741), acceptability was 86.2% (n = 1,500), and effectiveness was 10.1% (n = 532). The factors associated with user response were recent connection to the app (aOR = 1.85; CI:1.39-2.46) and the presence of a profile photograph (aOR = 1.34; CI:1.11-1.64). Acceptability was associated with recent connection to the app (aOR = 1.98; CI:1.09-3.58). Effectiveness was associated with lower reported age (aOR = 0.98; CI:0.97-0.99), contact before 14:00 (aOR = 2.47; CI: 1.77-3.46), and recent connection to the app (aOR = 4.89; CI:1.98-12.08). Effectiveness was also greater in districts that were more disadvantaged or had fewer sexual health services. This study demonstrates that the use of these apps is an acceptable and effective method of prevention and sexual health promotion in GBMSM in this setting and identifies the associated factors that could guide such interventions.

Understanding Motivations for Dating App Use Among Gay and Bisexual Men: Validation, Latent Profile Analysis, and Differences in Health Outcomes.

While there has been a proliferation in gay dating app (GDA) use in China, research into their potential effects on health outcomes, particularly mental health outcomes, among gay and bisexual men is lacking. The motivations for GDA use are diverse, and understanding users' motivation profiles may provide a necessary starting point for exploring the heterogeneous effects of GDA use on health outcomes. A cross-sectional survey of the motivations for GDA use and other health outcome variables (i.e., condom use frequency, self-stigma, and subjective emptiness) was conducted among 366 Chinese gay and bisexual men. The results of exploration structure equation modeling indicate that the GDA Use Motivation Scale, with a four-factor first-order model, had strong psychometric properties. Then, latent profile analysis (LPA) based on the mean scores of four aspects of motivation was performed. The results of the LPA revealed the existence of four profiles: "Weak motivations" (30.9%), "Differentiated motivations" (17.8%), "Moderate motivations" (30.3%), and "Strong motivations" (21.0%). Differences in health outcomes among the motivation profiles were found by using the Bolck-Croon-Hagenaars approach. Overall, most participants (60.1%) tended to use condoms consistently, regardless of how strong their GDA use motivation was; however, stronger GDA use motivations were associated with higher levels of self-stigma and subjective emptiness. We call for more research to focus on the real needs behind and motivations for GDA use so that all such app users' voices can be heard, as well as to raise awareness about the potential health risks associated with GDA use among Chinese gay and bisexual men.

Dating Apps: A New Emerging Platform for Sexual Harassment? A Scoping Review.

Currently, dating apps are one of the most popular platforms for meeting romantic and sexual partners. However, little is known about the potential for sexual harassment on these platforms. In the current scoping review, we sought to examine what is known about sexual harassment facilitated through smartphone dating apps. We searched for studies that reported on sexual harassment via dating apps through PubMed, Web of Science, PsycInfo, Communication Abstracts, Sociological Abstracts, and IEEE Xplore databases. Twelve studies addressed the risk of sexual harassment on dating apps. We found that sexual harassment when using dating apps is prevalent and ranges between 57 and 88.8%, with two populations being at higher risk: women and individuals who identify as a sexual minority. In terms of forms of harassment, sexual harassment via dating apps can take place online (e.g., being sent unsolicited images, or "dick pics") or offline (e.g., a face-to-face meeting that was arranged on a dating app). Experiencing sexual harassment on dating apps is associated with higher levels of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, loneliness, early childhood maltreatment, less perceived self-control, and lower self-esteem. Some studies suggest that experiencing sexual harassment on dating apps reflects social structures and appears differently in different groups (e.g., among sexual minorities). More research is needed to capture the prevalence of adult sexual harassment via the use of dating apps, the different forms of harassment, risk and protective factors, and social and cultural structures that facilitate this kind of sexual harassment.

Experiences of Stigma and HIV Status Associated with Awareness and Usage of Safer Sex Functions in Dating Apps Among MSM, 2019 American Men's Internet Survey (AMIS) Study.

Dating apps represent opportunities to implement sexual health interventions among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM), particularly those who may avoid traditional health services due to intersecting stigmas. We used multivariable models to explore whether stigma experience was associated with awareness and usage of safer sex functions in dating apps among 7700 MSM who completed a 2019 US nationwide online survey. Perceived community intolerance of gay and bisexual men was associated with reduced awareness of sexual health strategy profile options (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR] 0.95; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.93-0.98) and sexual health information and resources (aPR 0.97; 95% CI 0.94-0.99). Stigma from family and friends was associated with increased usage of app-based sexual health reminders (aPR 1.14; 95% CI 1.02-1.28) and sexual health information and resources (aPR 1.16; 95% CI 1.04-1.31). Stigma experience of MSM should be considered in optimizing app-based sexual health interventions.

Association between dating app use and unhealthy weight control behaviors and muscle enhancing behaviors in sexual minority men: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Body image concerns are prevalent and are viewed as risk factors for engaging in unhealthy weight control behaviors (UWCBs), such as purging, fasting, and the misuse of laxatives and diet pills. Studies have also linked UWCBs to the development of eating disorders. In the United States (U.S.), sexual minority men (e.g., bisexual, gay, and men who have sex with men) are prone to UWCBs often as a result of societal pressures to achieve certain standards of appearance - of which are often perpetuated through various media platforms. A growing number of studies have explored the possible role mobile dating applications ("dating apps") play in contributing to UWCBs. To our knowledge, such studies have not explored this possible relationship between dating apps and UWCBs in sexual minority men (SMM). To fill this gap in the scientific literature, the present study assessed the association between dating app use and UWCBs and muscle enhancing behaviors among a sample of adult SMM in the U.S. METHOD: 549 SMM participated in an anonymous survey from Qualtrics Survey Panels. UWCBs and muscle enhancing behaviors were assessed through items adapted from national surveys. Body image dissatisfaction was assessed using the Male Body Attitudes Scales. Participants also reported their history of dating app use. We performed descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and student's t-tests. Multivariable logistic regression models assessed the relationship between dating app use and UWCBs and muscle enhancing behaviors. RESULTS: Dating app users had significantly higher body image dissatisfaction scores than non-users. Dating app users also demonstrated significantly elevated odds of engaging in four UWCBs and muscle enhancing behaviors: laxatives, diet pills, muscle-building supplements, and protein powders. CONCLUSIONS: This is one of the first studies to assess dating app use and its association with UWCBs and muscle enhancing behaviors in SMM. Increased surveillance and detection for such behaviors among SMM, particularly those using dating apps, are needed.

Selling visibility-boosts on dating apps: a problematic practice?

Love, sex, and physical intimacy are some of the most desired goods in life and they are increasingly being sought on dating apps such as Tinder, Bumble, and Badoo. For those who want a leg up in the chase for other people's attention, almost all of these apps now offer the option of paying a fee to boost one's visibility for a certain amount of time, which may range from 30 min to a few hours. In this article, I argue that there are strong moral grounds and, in countries with laws against unconscionable contracts, legal ones for thinking that the sale of such visibility boosts should be regulated, if not banned altogether. To do so, I raise two objections against their unfettered sale, namely that it exploits the impaired autonomy of certain users and that it creates socio-economic injustices.

Social media and dating app use are differentially related to same- and next-day disordered eating pathology in young men with loss of control eating.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether social networking site (SNS) and dating app use is associated with disordered eating in young men. METHODS: 42 men (18-35y) who reported ≥4 loss of control (LOC) eating episodes in the prior month completed a 14-day ecological momentary assessment (EMA) protocol. Five times throughout the day, participants responded to prompts regarding their dietary restraint, body dissatisfaction, and LOC eating. Each night at ~10 pm, participants reported their total time spent on SNSs and dating apps/websites within the last day. RESULTS: 39 out of 42 cisgender men (Mage = 25.1 ± 5.3 years; 47 % non-Hispanic White, 29 % Black or African American; 63 % non-students; 87 % heterosexual) reported using SNSs and/or dating apps. Neither SNS nor dating app use was associated with body dissatisfaction. Dating app use with associated with higher same- (r2 equivalent = 0.022, p = .003) and next-day dietary restraint (r2 equivalent = 0.016, p = .02); SNS use was not. More SNS use was associated with lower odds of same- (OR [95 % CI] = 0.86 [0.75, 0.99], p = .044) and next-day LOC eating (OR [95 % CI] = 0.82 [0.71, 0.96], p = .011); links with dating app use were non-significant. DISCUSSION: Non-significant links for SNS and dating app use with body dissatisfaction, and inverse associations with LOC eating, are contrary to research conducted with girls and women. Research is needed to evaluate whether the quality of SNS and dating app engagement (e.g., specific sites) are more closely related to men's disordered eating, and this work should consider muscularity concerns.

Shiver Me Tinders and Ring a Ding for a Fling-Sex Tech Use during COVID-19: Findings from a UK Study.

Existing research surrounding dating apps has primarily focused on younger people with few studies exploring usage of such apps by middle aged and older adults. The worldwide COVID-19 pandemic challenged social behaviours and forced people to adapt intimacy and wider relationship conduct. The objective of this study was to examine how older adults utilized dating apps during the lockdowns of the UK pandemic (December 2020-May 2021). Findings presented here focus on qualitative data collected from an online survey and eight online, one-to-one interviews with adults aged 40-54 years. The online survey targeted adults across the UK while interviewees were located across England. Employing interpretative phenomenological analysis, findings identified three key themes: 1. Morality, health, and law breaking and COVID-19; 2. Self-surveillance and moral signalling; 3. Loneliness and social isolation. Qualitative findings show engaging with apps was a proxy which alleviated feelings of loneliness and social isolation. Some users used the premise of their social bubble as a way of meeting other people. Using the same premise, others justified breaking the law to engage in physical and sexual intimacy to mitigate their loneliness. The work presented here contributes to the fields of social sciences, gerontology, and human computer interaction. The inter- and multi-disciplinary impact of this study intersects across those fields and offers a cross-sectional insight into behaviours and engagement with technology during one of the most extraordinary global events.

Gay Dating Apps in China: Do They Alleviate or Exacerbate Loneliness? The Serial Mediation Effect of Perceived and Internalized Sexuality Stigma.

Gay dating apps have become increasingly popular and been intensively used. However, studies that closely examine the effects of gay dating app usage on mental health outcomes are few. This study tackles an unsolved question on whether gay dating apps alleviate or exacerbate loneliness through perceptions of sexuality stigma. A cross-sectional online survey from 371 Chinese gay or bisexual men found that the intensity of gay dating app usage is positively associated with loneliness. The association between gay dating app usage intensity and loneliness is sequentially mediated by perceived sexuality stigma and internalized sexuality stigma. That is, increased intensity of gay dating app usage strengthens perceived sexuality stigma, which in turn reinforces internalized sexuality stigma, further exacerbating loneliness. This study echoes the "alone together" phenomena and uncovers the feasibility of using stigma perceptions as a mechanism to understand the mental health of gay dating app users.