Chemsex-Related Risk Among Men Who Have Sex With Men

Profiling and Mapping Psychological Vulnerability Over Time

Dados Bibliográficos

ID19215533
AutoresEmanuele Fino (0000-0002-5095-6014, Queen's University Belfast, autor correspondente), Nadia Camille Badran (0000-0002-2895-9761, Society for Inclusion and Development in Communities and Care for All (SIDC)), Nadia Badran (Society for International Development), Patrick Farah (Society for International Development), Ismael Maatouk (0000-0003-1008-7413, World Health Organization - Pakistan), Martin Robinson (0000-0002-4276-2893, Queen's University Belfast), Kostas A Papageorgiou (0000-0001-6458-9158, Queen's University Belfast), Ignacio Labayen de Inza (Chemopharma (Austria)), Cherie Armour (0000-0002-2930-2227, Queen's University Belfast)
Ano2025
Páginas1-18
Data de publicação2025-09-17
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoThe Journal of Sex Research (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0022-4499 • E-ISSN: 1559-8519
EditoraTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/00224499.2026.2656774
PMID42081649
OpenAlexW4414273248
IdiomaEN
Referências citadas75

The present research includes two studies mapping psychological vulnerability to chemsex and related risks over 12 months. Chemsex refers to the intentional use of psychoactive substances in sexual contexts among men who self-identify as men who have sex with men. Study 1 (N = 503) used latent profile analysis to map individual differences in personality traits, identity resilience, and homonegativity associated with chemsex and mental and sexual health risks. Study 2 examined 12-month profile transitions in the same participants using McNemar-Bowker’s test and associations with mental and sexual health risks. Study 1 identified four profiles: Impulsive (high disinhibition and risky chemsex), Insecure (low identity continuity, high internalized homonegativity and internalizing distress), Self-Centered (high identity resilience, wellbeing, and predominantly recreational chemsex), and Withdrawn (emotional detachment, low externalized risk and reduced wellbeing). Profile membership was generally stationary, except for the Insecure and the Withdrawn, who significantly transitioned to the Impulsive and the Self-Centered, respectively. The Withdrawn who transitioned to the Self-Centered showed improved sleep quality. These findings are novel and improve our understanding of who engages in chemsex, when vulnerability is greatest, and why some chemsex users experience poorer mental and sexual health outcomes, suggesting the need for person-centered harm reduction strategies

Harm · Identity (music) · Intervention (counseling) · Mental health · Profiling (computer programming) · Psychological intervention · Sexual identity · Vulnerability (computing) · Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health · HIV, Drug Use, Sexual Risk · HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions