Introduction Online sexual activities (OSAs) are sexual behaviors involving online sexual content and stimuli and are categorized into non-arousal (N-OSAs), solitary arousal (S-OSAs), and partnered arousal activities (P-OSAs). As such activities in older age remain largely underexamined, this study aimed to explore OSAs in a sample of Italian older adults, analyzing their associations with gender and sexual orientation, considering sexual permissiveness as a moderator. Methods One hundred and fourteen cisgender participants (85 men and 29 women) aged from 52 to 79 years old (M = 62.57, SD = 6.19) were recruited between September 2019 and January 2020 to participate in an online cross-sectional survey on OSAs. Results A total of 58.1% of participants had engaged in S-OSAs at least 2–3 times during the previous month, while a lower percentage of participants had engaged in N-OSAs (38.6%) and P-OSAs (29.9%) at least 2–3 times during the previous month. Men were more likely to be engaged in S-OSAs than women. Being non-heterosexual was associated with an increase in engagement in N-OSAs and S-OSAs, but not in P-OSAs. Sexual permissiveness was significantly associated with N-OSAs and S-OSAs, but not with P-OSAs, and did not moderate either the relationship of gender with OSAs or that of sexual orientation with OSAs. Conclusions This study sheds light on the need to include online resources in sexual health educational programs addressed at older people, as well as in training programs addressed at healthcare professionals and social workers working with this population.

Online sexual activities in Italian older adults: The role of gender, sexual orientation, and permissiveness / Scandurra, C.; Mezza, F.; Esposito, C.; Vitelli, R.; Maldonato, N. M.; Bochicchio, V.; Chiodi, A.; Giami, A.; Valerio, P.; Amodeo, A. L.. - In: SEXUALITY RESEARCH AND SOCIAL POLICY. - ISSN 1868-9884. - 19:(2022), pp. 248-263. [10.1007/s13178-021-00538-1]

Online sexual activities in Italian older adults: The role of gender, sexual orientation, and permissiveness

Scandurra C.
;
Mezza F.;Esposito C.;Vitelli R.;Maldonato N. M.;Bochicchio V.;Chiodi A.;Valerio P.;Amodeo A. L.
2022

Abstract

Introduction Online sexual activities (OSAs) are sexual behaviors involving online sexual content and stimuli and are categorized into non-arousal (N-OSAs), solitary arousal (S-OSAs), and partnered arousal activities (P-OSAs). As such activities in older age remain largely underexamined, this study aimed to explore OSAs in a sample of Italian older adults, analyzing their associations with gender and sexual orientation, considering sexual permissiveness as a moderator. Methods One hundred and fourteen cisgender participants (85 men and 29 women) aged from 52 to 79 years old (M = 62.57, SD = 6.19) were recruited between September 2019 and January 2020 to participate in an online cross-sectional survey on OSAs. Results A total of 58.1% of participants had engaged in S-OSAs at least 2–3 times during the previous month, while a lower percentage of participants had engaged in N-OSAs (38.6%) and P-OSAs (29.9%) at least 2–3 times during the previous month. Men were more likely to be engaged in S-OSAs than women. Being non-heterosexual was associated with an increase in engagement in N-OSAs and S-OSAs, but not in P-OSAs. Sexual permissiveness was significantly associated with N-OSAs and S-OSAs, but not with P-OSAs, and did not moderate either the relationship of gender with OSAs or that of sexual orientation with OSAs. Conclusions This study sheds light on the need to include online resources in sexual health educational programs addressed at older people, as well as in training programs addressed at healthcare professionals and social workers working with this population.
2022
Online sexual activities in Italian older adults: The role of gender, sexual orientation, and permissiveness / Scandurra, C.; Mezza, F.; Esposito, C.; Vitelli, R.; Maldonato, N. M.; Bochicchio, V.; Chiodi, A.; Giami, A.; Valerio, P.; Amodeo, A. L.. - In: SEXUALITY RESEARCH AND SOCIAL POLICY. - ISSN 1868-9884. - 19:(2022), pp. 248-263. [10.1007/s13178-021-00538-1]
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
Scandurra et al. (2022). Online sexual activities in older adults.pdf

accesso aperto

Tipologia: Versione Editoriale (PDF)
Licenza: Dominio pubblico
Dimensione 978.08 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
978.08 kB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11588/834556
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 10
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 9
social impact