Despite being motivated, individuals with higher autistic traits report difficulty in initiating romantic relationships. Yet, few studies have explored how these difficulties manifest in real-life dating situations. Within real dating contexts, we sought to answer whether individuals higher in autistic traits make less favorable first impressions that influence dating success and whether they may be less selective in who they are willing to date. Undergraduate students (N = 129) completed a measure of autistic traits and attended one of eight speed-dating events. Participants rated their partners on various characteristics (Big Five traits, physical attractiveness, humor, ambition, intelligence, and kindness), indicated whether they would like their partner for a second date, and specified what type of relationship(s) they desired their partner for (e.g., long-term romantic relationship, hookup, friendship). People with higher autistic traits were rated by their dates as less agreeable, conscientious, physically attractive, and kind, and were less likely to be chosen for a second date. Physical attractiveness fully mediated the negative relationship between participant’s autistic traits and them being chosen for a second date. Furthermore, women (but not men) higher in autistic traits were generally more likely to choose others for a second date (i.e., they were less selective). Overall, though, individuals with higher autistic traits preferred others for companionate relationships (not wholly sexual relationships). The findings provide new insight into how autistic traits shape real-life dating outcomes. The study suggests ideas for interventions and highlights the utility of studying autistic traits dimensionally in non-clinical samples.
Post-myocardial infarction (MI) recovery encompasses both physical activity and sexual health, yet these domains are often overlooked during routine follow-up, particularly in culturally conservative societies. This study aimed to evaluate the levels of physical activity and sexual function in patients after MI in Türkiye, assess the quality of lifestyle counseling at discharge, and identify factors influencing the successful resumption of these activities. In this cross-sectional survey, 204 patients with a history of MI attending follow-up at three tertiary hospitals in Istanbul between November 2024 and May 2025 were enrolled. Participants completed validated questionnaires on physical activity, sexual function, medication adherence, psychological concerns, and counseling experiences. Clinical data, including left ventricular ejection fraction and cardiac treatment modalities, were also recorded. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics and correlation testing. The median age was 57 years; 85.3
This qualitative study explores family members’ attitudes, knowledge, and educational needs regarding the sexuality of people with disabilities (PwDs) in Turkey. Drawing on data from 100 adult relatives of disabled individuals aged 13 and above, the study employed content analysis of responses to a structured questionnaire. Most participants recognized the sexual development and needs of their disabled relatives, yet many expressed discomfort and uncertainty in addressing sexuality-related topics. This hesitancy was shaped by cultural taboos, conservative family values, and limited intergenerational dialogue—particularly salient in collectivist societies. Family-based sexuality education was generally confined to hygiene and safety, while complex issues such as masturbation, sexual abuse, and gender and sexual diversity were often overlooked. Attitudes toward romantic relationships and non-normative sexual expressions revealed tensions between traditional norms and evolving social discourses. Importantly, 83
Chronic Low back pain (CLBP) is a common health concern with various consequences in particular on different aspects of sexual function. This study aimed to assess sexual function in men with chronic degenerative CLBP and to identify factors associated with erectile dysfunction (ED). We conducted a cross-sectional study over a 12-month period. Adult male patients with degenerative CLBP (≥ 3 months duration) of degenerative or disc-related origin were consecutively enrolled. Sociodemographic characteristics and CLBP characteristics (intensity with Visual Analogic Scale (VAS), radicular pain and its pattern…) were collected. Patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases, prior spinal surgery, or medical conditions known to cause sexual dysfunction were excluded. Sexual function was evaluated using the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) and the Sexual Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ). Psychological status, disability, and sleep quality were also evaluated. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with ED. We included 101 male patients with a mean age of 52.14 ± 12.89 years. Erectile dysfunction (IIEF erectile function domain ≤ 25) was present in 83
This study examines the relationships between sexual dysfunction, quality of sexual life, and marital satisfaction in women with chronic diseases and determines how these variables affect each other. This study employs a correlational and cross-sectional design. The study was conducted with women over the age of 18 in a private hospital in Istanbul between December 2024 and June 2025. Data were collected using the Participant Information Form, Female Sexual Function Questionnaire Index (FSFQI), Sexual Life Quality Scale-Women Scale SLQS-WS), and Marital Adjustment Scale (MAS), all of which were prepared by the researchers. Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Shapiro-Wilk tests were used to assess whether continuous variables demonstrated normality. Since the variables did not exhibit a normal distribution, nonparametric tests were used. Descriptive statistical methods (standard deviation, number, percentage, mean, minimum, maximum), Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis, and Spearman correlation tests were used. Significance was set at p < .05.The average age of women with chronic diseases included in the study was 39.50 ± 10.29, and the average duration of marriage was 15.81 ± 11.45. The total average score of the women’s Sexual Function Questionnaire Index was 23.05 ± 11.11, the total average score of the Sexual Life Quality Scale-(Women’s Scale) was 42.89 ± 19.59, and the total average score of the Marital Adjustment Scale was 45.51 ± 7.19. A statistically significant relationship was found between FSFQI (r=-.518, p = .000), SLQS-WS (r=-.477, p = .000)and MAS (r = .333, p = .000) scores of women with chronic diseases. Chronic fatigue was found to be highly prevalent and showed a meaningful association with sexual function, sexual quality of life, and marital adjustment, indicating its potential impact on these interrelated domains.
Sexual expression is a key component of physical and psychological well-being, yet people with physical disabilities (PwD), particularly those living in nursing homes, often face significant barriers in this regard. Despite increasing attention to disability and sexuality, research on this population within institutional settings remains limited. This exploratory qualitative study aimed to identify and understand the barriers to sexual expression experienced by adults with physical disabilities residing in nursing homes. Eighteen participants (mean age = 53 years, SD = 6.8) living in residential care facilities in Spain were interviewed. Half of the participants were men, most were single (72.2
This study applies Asian Critical Theory to conduct a content analysis of the middle-grade novel Maizy Chen’s Last Chance. Guided by three key tenets, Asianization, transnational contexts, and (re)constructive history, we examine how the novel disrupts racialized stereotypes, challenges the perpetual foreigner narrative, and recovers marginalized episodes of Chinese American history. Findings center on three thematic insights. First, the novel’s portrayal of the forever foreigner stereotype shows how Chinese Americans, regardless of birthplace or citizenship, are repeatedly positioned as outsiders through racialized rhetoric, underscoring the persistence of Asianization. Second, the novel highlights the contrast between first-generation immigrants’ deep ties to their homeland and later generations’ more distant connections, illustrating the complexity of diaspora identities within transnational contexts. Third, Lucky’s migration from Guangdong to San Francisco to Minnesota demonstrates how multi-generational storytelling restores neglected histories, fulfilling the aims of (re)constructive history. Pedagogical implications suggest that Maizy Chen’s Last Chance offers rich opportunities for classroom engagement. Ultimately, the study affirms that children’s literature can serve as both a mirror and a platform for recovering erased histories, strengthening identity across generations.
Children’s nonfiction frequently renders plants as static objects of didactic knowledge, taking their lack of agency for granted. Juxtaposing critical plant studies and nonfiction studies, this article explores how creative nonfiction picturebooks challenge such representations and reframe plant agency beyond a simple binary of absence or presence. Through a phytopoetic lens (Ryan, 2023) that treats plants as both literary constructs and agentic matter, the analysis examines two texts: The Poetry of Oracle (2021) and The Magic and Mystery of Trees (2019). The former reveals semiotic agency, showing plants’ engagement in shaping human language. The latter uncovers quotidian agency, indicating plants’ mediation of everyday human practices. The study argues that these books do not offer final answers about plants but instead function as intermediational sites where botanical materiality, representational form, and reading practice knot together to craft plant agency. It demonstrates a reading with plants rather than merely about plants, which may inspire an ethic of care rooted in the relational world-making of vegetal life.
This analysis suggests that Frances Hodgson Burnett’s A Little Princess (1905) reframes imperial exploitation through institutional mechanisms of assessment and control. By placing the novel within the context of nineteenth-century diamond economies and communication systems, it argues that the seminary functions through a hidden curriculum where acknowledgment depends on financial status rather than personal conduct. Detailed examinations of the telegram and bakery scenes reveal how alterations in economic standing precipitate corresponding shifts in social recognition, thereby illustrating a process of pedagogical valuation dictated by circumstance rather than unwavering ethical principles. Consequently, within this structure, individuals’ value and standing are presented as products of economic conditions rather than immutable moral codes. The subsequent examination explores the manifestation of this evaluative framework within the characters’ actions: Sara Crewe redistributes acknowledgment via acts of compassion, Miss Minchin mandates adherence to financial status, and Lavinia Herbert serves as an internal benchmark for educational assessment, thereby illustrating the internalization and perpetuation of institutional norms through peer dynamics in settings that stifle critical analysis. Employing a framework of origin, cyclical patterns, and intangible status, this article argues that economic worth is transformed into symbolic recognition and maintained within the confines of the school.
This article examines adult rereading of a childhood text through the lens of communal re-memorying, proposing collaborative rereading as both a methodological and pedagogical intervention. Drawing on Allison Waller’s work on rereading and re-memorying, alongside Margaret Mackey’s memory studies, we present a shared rereading of Beverly Cleary’s Ramona the Pest (1992/1968). Rather than treating rereading as a solitary return to a childhood text, we foreground remembering together as a dialogic practice that makes visible the relational, spatial, and educational dimensions of reading across the lifespan. Using Waller’s three-stage process of remembering, rereading, and shared analysis, we explore how memory and forgetting shape adult engagements with Ramona, particularly in relation to schooling and the hidden curriculum. Our analysis demonstrates how behaviors remembered as misbehavior are reinterpreted through adult perspectives shaped by pedagogical experience, including intergenerational read-aloud practices. We argue that rereading renders adult mediation visible, complicating notions of the “hidden adult” by situating rereading within everyday educational contexts. Finally, we show that forgetting—especially the loss of narrative detail—functions as a productive analytical site, revealing how childhood texts endure through affective and relational associations rather than comprehensive recall. By positioning communal rereading as a mode of inquiry, this article contributes to scholarship on rereading and the paracanon.
Children and young people with intellectual disability and Autism Spectrum Disorder can rely more on parents for relationship and sexuality information and support than children without these diagnoses. This scoping review aimed to identify the barriers and enablers to parental communication on relationships and sexuality for young people with intellectual disability and Autism Spectrum Disorder and to identify approaches that may improve communication in this area. A scoping review methodology was adopted using Proquest Health Research Premium Collection, MEDLINE, PsychINFO, and CINAHL databases. PRISMA-SCR guidelines were used to guide the search strategy, study selection, data collection and reporting. Fifteen studies met inclusion criteria. Communication barriers identified included concern regarding children’s ability to understand information; beliefs that information was not relevant; concern regarding responses to sexual information; a lack of expertise; and experiences of societal stigma related to disability and sexuality. A desire to communicate, addressing personal biases, adopting holistic approaches to sexuality education and accessing peer support were communication enablers. Findings highlight challenges faced by parents when engaging in conversation and communication on relationships and sexuality. These challenges may arise due to the competing demands of caring for a young person with a disability, societal stigma experienced when discussing sexuality in the context of disability, and issues accessing appropriate resources. Nonetheless, the review highlights a willingness amongst parents to learn and improve their confidence and skill. The review outlines a range of approaches that have shown promise in supporting parents in initiating conversations and developing communication skills.
In China, women with disabilities (WWD) confront intersecting patriarchal and ableist structures that marginalize their sexual subjectivity. This study examines how sexual shame operates as an affective force within this intersectional context. Data from 10 in-depth interviews with Chinese WWD were analyzed through an affect-theoretical framework drawing on Wetherell and Ahmed. Findings reveal that sexual shame circulates across bodily, identity, and relational dimensions through a structural double bind: WWD face both patriarchal sexualization and ableist desexualization. This affect adheres to disabled bodies, orienting WWD away from desire, intimacy, and sexual subjectivity. While digital spaces enable limited affective resistance, these practices remain constrained by platform regulation and structural inequality. This study extends affect theory and critical disability studies, revealing sexual shame as a gendered affective mechanism that simultaneously disciplines and generates possibilities for resistance among WWD.
The period of adolescence involves profound physical, sexual, emotional, and social changes, and these changes are often uniquely experienced by adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The role played by families, particularly mothers who provide care, is crucial during this period; however, the burden of care, social norms, and lack of information make managing this process difficult. This study aims to draw attention to this area and shed light on practices by conducting an in-depth examination of mothers’ experiences, given that studies focusing on the family experiences of adolescents with ASD are limited in Türkiye. It is thought that understanding the experiences of caregivers is particularly necessary for understanding the difficulties related to the sexuality processes of adolescent boys with ASD. This study was conducted using a phenomenological research design. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 15 mothers and analyzed using thematic analysis. The analysis revealed three main themes: (1) adolescence and physical changes, (2) the discovery of sexuality, and (3) problematic sexual behaviors and coping strategies during adolescence. Participants indicated that they struggled due to a lack of knowledge in process management, insufficient social support, and inadequate institutional structures, and that they were mostly forced to manage the process alone. The findings indicate that during adolescence, young people with ASD require strengthened information and support mechanisms for their families regarding sexual development. Understanding the experiences of caregiving mothers provides an important foundation for family focused intervention.
This systematic review analyzed the effects of sexual counseling based on the BETTER model across various health conditions. A literature search was conducted in four electronic databases databases (PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO, and Science Direct), resulting in the inclusion of 14 interventional studies. The studies focused on women with diverse health issues, including infertility, breast and cervical cancer, and multiple sclerosis. Our findings indicate that the BETTER model appears to have positive effects on women's sexual health, improving functions, satisfaction, and quality of life while also reducing anxiety and stress. The review also found that the model shows promise in enhancing marital satisfaction and body image. In conclusion, the BETTER model is a promising approach for addressing sexual health challenges in women. Future research is needed to explore its effects on couples and diverse populations to better understand its broader impact.
This study aimed to examine sexual quality of life (SQoL) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among men diagnosed with testicular cancer in Turkey, and to investigate their associations with treatment modality, cancer stage, age, sexual dysfunction, and body image concerns. The study included 242 men receiving treatment or follow-up for testicular cancer at a tertiary care university hospital. Eligible participants were aged between 18 and 50 years (M = 32.1, SD = 8.6) and were cognitively capable of completing self-report questionnaires. Data were collected using a sociodemographic and clinical information form, a sexual problems assessment form, the Sexual Quality of Life Scale–Male (SQOL-M), and the 12-item Short Form Health Survey version 2 (SF-12v2). Descriptive statistics, independent samples t-tests, one-way ANOVA with post-hoc analyses, and Pearson correlation analyses were conducted. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and mediation analyses were performed. Participants (N = 242) had a mean age of 32.1 ± 8.6 years. Mean SQoL and HRQoL scores were 66.9 ± 14.7 and 69.8 ± 11.9, respectively. Age was negatively correlated with SQoL (r = − 0.18, p = 0.001). Marital status influenced SQoL, with married participants reporting higher scores (71.2 ± 13.8) than single (62.4 ± 14.6) and divorced/widowed individuals (60.7 ± 15.2) (F = 6.01, p = 0.001). Cancer stage was associated with both outcomes, with Stage I patients showing the highest SQoL (71.6 ± 13.4) and HRQoL (74.3 ± 10.6) and Stage III the lowest (SQoL: 58.9 ± 14.2; HRQoL: 63.5 ± 12.8) (F = 11.08, p < 0.001). Treatment modality significantly affected SQoL and HRQoL (F = 14.26, p < 0.001), with surgery-only patients reporting higher scores (SQoL: 73.1 ± 12.9; HRQoL: 75.6 ± 10.3) than other groups. Multiple regression indicated that age (β = − 0.18, p = 0.001), advanced stage (β = − 0.26, p < 0.001), and treatment modality (β = − 0.29, p < 0.001) predicted lower SQoL. Sexual dysfunction (β = − 0.34, p < 0.001) and body image concerns (β = − 0.21, p < 0.001) were the strongest predictors of poorer SQoL and HRQoL. Mediation analysis showed sexual dysfunction partially mediated the effect of treatment modality on SQoL (indirect effect = − 0.21, 95
This article details a qualitative media analysis of 20 books that won the Etisalat Award from 2009–2020 compared to 9 picturebooks that won the Middle East Book Award from 2006–2023. The Etisalat Award, renamed the International Prize for Arabic Children's Literature in 2025, was established in 2009 by the United Arab Emirates Council on Books for Young People, the national branch of the International Council on Books for Young People. Restructured in 2013 to honor the best text and best illustrated books created for children, birth to 14 years old, the Etisalat Award highlights the artistic productions created by authors, illustrators, and publishers. Designed to promote Arabic books to children and families, creators are incentivized through the award process to publish high-quality children's books. The Middle East Outreach Council's Middle East Book Award in the United States is designed to honor books for children and young adults that help promote a better understanding of the Middle East. Thematic analysis revealed a need for Etisalat award-winning books (a) to emphasize children's perspectives to engage children in the plot sequence, and (b) to continue to raise the bar of children's book publishing standards through child-centric works of art.
This mixed-methods study explores how Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) symptoms are depicted in contemporary young adult graphic novels using the DSM-5-TR (2022) framework. Through visual and textual analysis of The Dark Matter of Mona Starr (2020), In Limbo (2023), and Everything is OK (2022), the research identifies common patterns in the portrayal of mental illness in graphic formats. Quantitative results show that although depressed mood was the most frequently identified symptom, cognitive impairment and sleep disturbances exhibited the highest descriptive reliability across all narratives. Qualitative findings highlight a shared visual language—using dark imagery, withdrawal postures, and symbolic metaphors such as hamster wheels or externalized monsters—that makes psychological distress more tangible. By externalizing the disorder as a visible antagonist, these stories separate depression from the protagonist’s identity, reducing self-stigma and establishing a clear visual vocabulary for internal struggles. As a result, these narratives serve as powerful tools for destigmatization, with meaningful implications for various stakeholders, including improved clinical communication and evidence-based insights that help librarians curate resources that foster empathy and mental health literacy.
This article argues for an eco-aspirational turn in children’s fiction, a literary mode that intertwines field-informed knowledge and sensory attunement to animal lives with the agential growth of child characters. This mode develops in tandem with the methodological aims of multispecies ethnography, since narrative techniques and ethnographic commitments to situated realism are mutually enabling. Through a close reading of representative texts, including Sara Pennypacker's Pax (2016) and Xiangnv's Mengbao Xiaoxiang (2022), this study demonstrates how children’s wildlife mobility fiction transforms ethnographic impulse into affectively compelling stories through scene-based observation, species-specific detail, and field-inflected description. It concludes by proposing a framework for eco-aspirational children’s fiction, which synthesizes post-anthropocentric ethics with specific narratological strategies to foster eco-agency and a sense of actionable kinship for young readers.
Reproductive health is a critical and often overlooked component of sexuality and participation for women with spinal cord injuries. Many rehabilitation providers, including occupational therapy practitioners, report low confidence in addressing these needs due to limited training, stigma, and insufficient guidance. This study evaluated the impact of a four-week educational module series on occupational therapy providers (OTPs)’ confidence, defined as self-perceived readiness to address reproductive health topics. The intervention consisted of a combination of one synchronous and three asynchronous, case-based educational modules incorporating didactic instruction, applied case scenarios, and weekly knowledge checks. A survey design with quantitative and open-ended components was used to assess changes in practitioner confidence. Fifteen licensed OTPs completed pre- and post-surveys measuring confidence across four content areas: menstruation, sexuality and sexual health, family planning, and common reproductive health concerns. Participants also completed weekly knowledge checks. Post-surveys also included items on relevance, intention to apply, and open-ended reflections. Weekly knowledge checks assessed comprehension. Module content was informed by a survey of six women with SCIs and interviews with content experts, including an OB/GYN and an occupational therapist with experience in this population. Self-reported confidence increased across all four domains, with participants also reporting high relevance and intention to apply the content. Knowledge checks demonstrated strong comprehension, and descriptive analysis of open-ended responses revealed patterns of increased comfort, preparedness, and resource awareness. Survey findings suggest that targeted, evidence-informed educational modules can improve OTPs’ readiness to integrate reproductive health into client care. This approach offers a model for strengthening rehabilitation provider preparedness in sexual and reproductive health after SCI and supports more inclusive clinical practice.
Current scholarship on Mary Louisa Molesworth’s The Cuckoo Clock frequently examines the fantastical adventures as a central mechanism through which the protagonist’s moral, psychological, and temporal education is achieved. A significant lacuna in this scholarship, however, lies in its insufficient exploration of the queer elements within the novel, specifically the failure to adequately examine how these elements reshape the protagonist’s growth narrative and challenge the traditional linear paradigm of growth prevalent in Victorian children’s literature. Reading the novel diffractively through Kathryn Bond Stockton’s The Queer Child, or Growing Sideways in the Twentieth Century, this paper shows that the queer elements subvert the intergenerational binary ontology and non-linearly reconstruct the protagonist’s path to maturity, demonstrating the protagonist’s sideways growth rather than conventional linear growth. Re-examining the work through a queer lens not only provides fresh insights into the fluidity of child identity, the complexity of growth and the cross-generational application of queer theory but also uncovers the queer potential within children’s literature, thereby expanding its theoretical frontiers.
