The titles and abstracts of the retrieved articles were evaluated, and the eligible articles were selected for full-text review. Further, we narrowed the scope to DAs, which resulted in 59 articles, most of which we present in this narrative review. The keywords used in the database search included “men having sex with men” and “mental health.” After the exclusion of studies regarding HIV infection, only 189 articles remained. In total, we retrieved 4,270 articles published between 20 (the search was conducted in June 2020). Finally (in section Discussion), we discuss the limitations of available studies and propose directions for future research.įor the purpose of this literature review, we have searched Google Scholar databases for scientific papers published in peer-reviewed journals.
Then, we point to emerging and socially important issues such as (in section Substance Abuse and Sexualized Drug Use Among MSM Who Use DAs) sexualized drug use, also labeled as “chemsex,” and (in section What Do We Know About CSBD Among MSM Who Use DAs) compulsive sexual behavior disorder, which have not been fully examined yet in association with MSM DAs users. In this narrative review, we present (in section Characteristics and Mental Health of MSM Who Use Mobile DAs) the current state of knowledge on sociodemographic and mental health of men having sex with men (MSM) using the mentioned applications, presenting both the advantages (lower stigmatization, increased partner availability) and threats (e.g., exposure to risky sexual behaviors) associated with DAs use. Although a comparable number of both women and men ( 1) use geosocial-networking mobile applications for dating, there is a category of “apps” dedicated specifically for non-heterosexual males ( 2) such as Grindr, Romeo, Hornet, or Adam4Adam. In recent years, mobile dating applications (DAs) have become popular worldwide, changing the way people establish intimate relations, and seek sexual partners. Finally, we point out the limitations of available studies on the mental health of MSM using DAs and propose further research directions. We also discuss two relatively new research areas: compulsive sexual behavior disorder and chemsex, and their relation to geosocial-networking mobile technologies.
Therefore, there is a need for a better understanding of psychological functioning and risk factors associated with the use of DAs among MSM, which we focus on in this review. Excessive use of DAs is associated with lower well-being and life satisfaction, depression, higher substance use, and lower sleep quality.
Previous studies have provided evidence showing vulnerability to mental health problems among the MSM population-these problems can be potentially facilitated by DAs use. Social groups, such as men having sex with men (MSM), who can experience discrimination and social isolation, find DAs especially engaging and helpful in finding sexual partners. In the last years, dating applications (DAs) have had a significant impact on the way in which people seek sexual and romantic relationships.