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Aim. The purpose of this study was to describe sexual orientations, intimate relationships, sexual behaviours, and pleasure in self-identified straight, gay, and bisexual men. Method. The analysis drew on a database obtained from a cross-sectional online study of the sexuality of Polish straight (SM; N = 1,079), gay (GM; N = 1,704) and bisexual (BM; N = 713) men. This data was utilised to compare men from these three groups across their sexual orientations, intimate relationships and sexual behaviours, including the most pleasurable sexual activities. Results. In general, the sexualities of GM and BM seem to be more diverse and less oriented to particular sexual activities. Sexual minority men (SMM) tended to be more often in open (nonexclusive), had more diverse sexual experiences, and enjoyed a greater variety of sexual activities. This particularly concerned BM. Conclusions. Present analysis revealed patterns and significant differences in sexual orientations, intimate relationships, sexual behaviours, and pleasure of SM, GM and BM. The results, pointing to a greater diversity of sexual expression and preferences in SMM, may both trigger reshaping of some of the stereotypical beliefs, as well as positively influence educational (sexual education, specialized teaching) and clinical practice (more accurate assessment of patients' needs and problems). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transgender and nonbinary (TG/NB) persons are listed as one of the key populations in the context of HIV, due to increased risk of HIV infection in this group. HIV prevention, which includes a variety of available methods, should therefore be included in the comprehensive health care for TG/NB persons. One such method is the pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), whose high effectiveness in preventing HIV transmission has already been demonstrated in numerous studies conducted in the cisgender population. However, the available empirical data on its use in TG/NB persons are limited in many respects. This issue is also practically absent in the Polish literature; as a consequence, there are significant gaps in recommendations for professionals involved in the prevention of HIV among TG/NB persons and professionals involved in the comprehensive health care for TG/NB persons. This article 1) outlines the issue of the use of PrEP among TG/NB persons, including the associated challenges for professionals (specialising in physical, as well as mental health); 2) demonstrates the possible applicability of PrEP in TG/NB populations based on available research findings; 3) summarises good practices in counselling and PrEP-related psychoeducational activities, as part of the comprehensive health care for TG/NB individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim. Research conducted in transgender and gender diverse individuals focuses mainly on the challenges and health disparities affecting this population. One reason for this situation is the lack of questionnaires capturing positive aspects and experiences related to being a transgender person. The Transgender Positive Identity Measure (T-PIM) is one of a very few measures designed to explore such experiences. The aim of the study was to investigate the structure, reliability, and validity of the Polish translation of the T-PIM questionnaire. Method. A group of 89 transgender and gender diverse participants completed an online survey including the T-PIM questionnaire, Resilience Measurement Scale (SPP-25) and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale - Revised (CESD-R). Hierarchical item clustering method (ICLUST), Horn's parallel analysis and Velicer's minimum average partial test (MAP) were employed to investigate the structure of the questionnaire. Results. The analyses showed that the Polish translation of the T-PIM questionnaire was characterized by a 5-factor structure consistent with the original publication (Authenticity, Intimacy, Community, Social Justice, Insights). Cronbach's alpha and Guttman's lambda-6 reliability coefficients reached satisfactory levels for all five factors and for the whole questionnaire. Conclusions. The Polish translation of the T-PIM questionnaire is characterized by satisfying psychometric properties and can be used in studies on transgender and gender diverse communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A number of health problems are more common in the population of men who have sex with men (MSM) as compared with the general population. At the same time, research reveals that the MSM population is far from homogeneous, and that subcultural affiliation is one of the characteristics that should be taken into account in health analyses of this group. One of the subcultures among MSM that has received growing interest from researchers in recent years, is the Bear community. It originated in the USA and comprises men - mostly homosexual or bisexual - who are characterized by larger, massive or muscular figure, and by distinctive male phenotypic traits - especially body hair pattern, including facial hair. The most significant health determinants in this group include a higher prevalence of behaviors contributing to negative health outcomes as compared with other MSM, elevated BMI values, as well as exposure to multiple stigma - both sexual minority and weight stigma. Research to date has shown that these characteristics of Bears have significant implications for their mental and sexual health. The article aims to review the literature, and to discuss the practical and the clinical implications of the studies conducted thus far in this population. The summary gives practical recommendations regarding both the support for Bear men in clinical practice, and the design of adequate and effective health promotion interventions for members of this unique community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attempts at unifying the diagnostic and therapeutic procedures for transgender individuals experiencing gender dysphoria were first undertaken in Poland in the 1980s. Since then, there has been a change in the perception of transgenderism, almost paradigmatic, expressed in subsequent editions of the diagnostic systems (DSM, ICD), which is also associated with the fundamental changes in the principles of conducting trans-specific healthcare. This triggered the need to formulate recommendations for specialists practicing in Poland, which would at least partly reflect the evolution of views and guidelines on clinical care in transgender adults seeking help due to gender dysphoria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim. The aim of the conducted research was to prepare the Polish adaptation of the Daily Heterosexist Experiences Questionnaire (DHEQ) by Kimberly Balsam et al. (2013) and to verify psychometric characteristics of the Polish adaptation. This original tool manages to address the experiences of prejudice and discrimination affecting LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) people. Method. Data from 197 Polish LGBT participants were collected online. Mean age of participants was 31 years (M = 31.93; SD = 8.37). Nearly 17% (N = 33) of participants were transgender, a little over 19% (N = 38) described themselves as non-heterosexual women, while the remainder of the sample (N = 127; 64%) were self-described as homosexual, bisexual or pansexual men. The questionnaires included the Polish adaptation of the DHEQ and a control tool designed for the needs of this study. Results. The highest scores were found on factor describing experiences of 'Vicarious trauma', showing that learning about abuse and discrimination of other members of LGBT community is an important stressor for LGBT people. Other important stressors were 'Isolation' and 'Vigilance' describing feelings of loneliness and effort made in order to conceal LGBT identity. Of all the groups, the transgender people were the most exposed to heterosexism. Conclusions. The Polish adaptation of the DHEQ is characterized by good psychometric properties. The majority of the factors distinguished in the DHEQ are applicable to Polish cultural context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders published in 2013 has proved to be particularly interesting in the field of sexuality. It introduced a number of significant changes in the definition of sexual norms, among them a widely discussed distinction between paraphilias and paraphilic disorders. The key criterion separating the abnormal sexual interests from the disordered ones is clinically significant distress resulting directly from sexual behavior and/or the risk of suffering or harm to another person as a result of one's sexual behavior. In the case of masochism - which addresses the phenomenon of suffering quite particularly - this distinction is troublesome. Using the example of autoerotic asphyxia - a behavior from the masochism spectrum - the authors critically examine the proposed DSM-5 method of defining the standards of sexual behavior. Interesting in this regard has been a comparison between autoerotic asphyxia and free diving - a nonsexual activity which, although also associated with possible loss of life by reduction of oxygen, has not been pathologized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper will discuss the character of sexual relationships between women, considering their social and cultural context. The problem is still little known also to experts dealing with mental and sexual health. This may have serious consequences for the process of correct diagnosis of sexuality-related issues reported by those women. The article focuses on selected factors that have an impact on the character of this group's sexual function. Those factors include sex, heteronormativity and homophobia, as well as social messages related to female sexuality and sexual relationships established by women. The authors take up and subject to critical examination also the issue of "lesbian bed death" and fusion in same-sex relationships established by women. Towards the end, there is a holistic model by Heather L. Armstrong and Elke D. Reissing that describes sexual problems of women who have sexual contact with other women. The authors consider the issues brought up herein to be significant from the clinical point of view. Acknowledgement thereof by professionals dealing with mental and sexual health may contribute to extensive reflection over sexual and relationship problems of women who have sex with women, as well as to providing more efficient help to this group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Psychiatria Polska is the property of Editorial Committee of Polish Psychiatric Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Psychiatria Polska is the property of Editorial Committee of Polish Psychiatric Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Psychiatria Polska is the property of Editorial Committee of Polish Psychiatric Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objectives: This study aimed to present the demographic and professional characteristics of Polish mental and sexual health specialists (MSHS) and their experience in clinical work with transgender and gender diverse (TGD) people., Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted using the LimeSurvey platform. A total of 239 MSHS with a diverse professional background, at different stages of their careers, with experience of working with TGD patients, completed the survey. Participants were asked to provide demographic (e.g., gender and sexual identity) and professional (e.g., knowledge of leading standards and guidelines of care) data. Descriptive statistics were used., Results: The mean age of participants was 39.5 years (SD 7.92) and the majority were assigned female at birth (73.2%). The sample was composed predominantly of psychotherapists (70%), then psychologists (53%), medical doctors (31%) and certified sexologists (5.9%). The majority (72%) practised in large cities (>500,000); 68.6% reported female gender identity, 24.7% a male identity and 6.3% were TGD; 63.2% were heterosexual, 12.1% homosexual, 12.6% bisexual, and 12.1% reported other sexual identity. Both the significance of religion and religious practice were significantly decreased compared to general Polish population. Most participants declared that they either do not know the basic guidelines of care for TGD people at all or know them very little. The majority of MSHS rated their professional training as insufficient., Conclusions: People providing clinical services to TGD patients are a professionally diverse group. There is an urgent need to expand and intensify professional training directed at MSHS on topics related to the health care dedicated to TGD people.

The authors discuss stage models of gay and lesbian identity formation first proposed during the 1970s within affirmative approaches to homosexuality. The process of developing homosexual identity is characterized here with linearly ordered stages distinguished around major developmental events leading to new self-definition. Among many stage proposals the authors have chosen and presented two: by Vivienne Cass and Susan McCarn with Ruth Fassinger. The presented models were analysed in terms of their usefulness in therapeutic practice aimed at promoting the formation of gay identity, for which they have been originally designed. An important part of this discussion is evaluation of the accuracy of developmental process descriptions contained in stage models.

The results of the researches show that the prevalence of emotional problems among homosexual persons is higher in comparison with the general population. However, homosexual orientation should not be treated as a reason for that, which is stressed by the greatest associations of mental health, basing on research. The question of the causes of increased prevalence of mental disorders among members of the sexual minorities remains without a clear answer. The theory of minority stress seems to be a very interesting explanation. It integrates a variety of risk factors, which may influence the stress level. In the article we try to explain this concept, hoping that it will be useful in understanding the situation of homosexual people.

The issues of mental health and psychological well-being of sexual minorities have become one of the ponderable scientific questions in recent years. Not only do they attract the attention of psychiatrists, psychologists or sexologists, but also of public health professionals. It is because psychiatric disorders in sexual minorities are not only the source of individual suffering and dysfunction, but also a big and so far unappreciated social problem. The research results in this field were mostly unreliable in the past, because they were based on the false paradigm, assuming that homosexuality unquestionably belongs in the realms of psychopathology. This became a major selection bias in which researchers tried to draw conclusion upon the mental status of the hole population of homosexual people only from studies of clinical populations. New studies analyse the mental status of this relatively big social group implementing data from epidemiological population-based studies, which allows the more realistic assessment of the problem. In this work we presented new data indicating the elevated risk of psychiatric disorders within the sexual minorities. The problem was discussed in the context of living in the reluctant and hostile environment (minority stress exposure).