OUR RESEARCH

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Williams ME, Petruzzello G, O'Sullivan LF. Gross Double Standard! Men Using Sextech Elicit Stronger Disgust Ratings Than Do Women. J Sex Res. 2025 Nov 17:1-8. doi: 10.1080/00224499.2025.2586748. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41248518.

Belu, C. F., & O’Sullivan, L. F. (2024). It’s Just a Little Crush: Attraction to an Alternative and Romantic Relationship Quality, Breakups and Infidelity. The Journal of Sex Research, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2024.2310702

Belu, C. F., & O’Sullivan, L. F. (2024) Predictors of infidelity among couples, The Journal of Sexual Medicine, https://doi.org/10.1093/jsxmed/qdad165

Bockaj, A., Muise, M. D., Belu, C. F., Rosen, N. O., & O’Sullivan L. F. (2024): Under Pressure: Men’s and Women’s Sexual Performance Anxiety in the Sexual Interactions of Adult Couples, The Journal of Sex Research, DOI:10.1080/00224499.2024.2357587

Byers, S. E., O’Sullivan, L.F., & Burkholder, C. (2024): How Prepared Are Teachers to Provide Comprehensive Sexual Health Education?, American Journal of Sexuality Education, DOI: 10.1080/15546128.2024.2344518

Muise, M. D., Bockaj, A., O’Sullivan, L. F., & Ronis, S. T. (2024) Attachment style and distress in couples experiencing sexual desire discrepancy, journal The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality https://doi.org/10.3138/cjhs-2023-0011

Metcalfe, K. B., Cormier, L. A., Lacroix, P. J., & O’Sullivan, L. F. (2024) “I Was Worshiped and in Control”: Sugar Arrangements Involving Transactional Sex from the Perspective of Both Sugar Babies and Sugar Benefactors, The Journal of Sex Research, 61:7, 1013-1025, DOI:10.1080/00224499.2023.229388

Paquette, M. M., Dion, J., Bőthe, B. et al. (2024) How Does Sexual Subjectivity Vary on the Basis of Gender and Sexual Orientation? Validation of the Short Sexual Subjectivity Inventory (SSSI-11) in Cisgender, Heterosexual and Sexual and Gender Minority Adolescents. Arch Sex Behavhttps://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-023-02675-7

Coon, L. C. H., Metcalfe, K. B., Belu, C. F. ,O’Sullivan, L. F. (2023) Recalling, reacting but not so much regretting: How young adults describe their sexual and romantic infidelity experiences. The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality. https://doi.org/10.3138/cjhs.2023-0001

Bockaj, A., & O’Sullivan, L. F. (2023) Romanticizing the Stolen Kiss: Men’s and Women’s Reports of Nonconsensual Kisses and Perceptions of Impact on the Targets of Those Kisses, The Journal of Sex Research, 60:8, 1083-1089, DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2022.2103070

O'Sullivan, L.F., Belu, C.F., Fuller, R.B., & Richard, M.E. (2023). Did You Help? Intervening During Incidents of Sexual Assault Among College Student Bystanders. Journal of College Student Development64(2), 208-224. https://dx.doi.org/10.1353/csd.2023.0018

Byers, S. E., Olthuis, J. V., O’Sullivan, L. F., & Connell, E. M. (2023) Anxiety Sensitivity in the Sexual Context: Links between Sexual Anxiety Sensitivity and Sexual Well-Being, Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 49:5, 550-562, DOI: 10.1080/0092623X.2022.2156955

Olthuis, J. V., Connell, E. M., O’Sullivan, L.F., & Byers, S. E. (2023): Does anxiety sensitivity interfere with sexual well-being? Evidence from a community sample, Sexual and Relationship Therapy, DOI: 10.1080/14681994.2023.2260990

Metcalfe, K. B., O’Sullivan, L. F., & Ronis, S. T. (2023) Examining how bystanders intervene and perpetrators respond to intervention during experiences of sexual aggression. The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, https://doi.org/10.3138/cjhs-2022-0054

O’Sullivan, L. F., Belu, C. F., Richard, M. E., & Fuller, R. B. (in press). Did you help? Intervening on behalf of a target during incidents of sexual assault among college student bystanders. Journal of College Student Development.

Byers, E. S., Olthuis, J. V., O’Sullivan, L. F., & Connell, E. M. (in press). Anxiety sensitivity in the sexual context: Links between sexual anxiety sensitivity and sexual well-being. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy.

Bockaj, A., & O’Sullivan, L. F. (2022). Romanticizing the stolen kiss: Men’s and women’s reports of nonconsensual kisses and perceptions of impact on the targets of those kisses. Journal of Sex Research. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2022.2103070

O’Sullivan, L. F., Byers, E. S., & Dawson, S. J. (2022). Individual and relationship predictors of trajectories of sexual function across adolescent and young adult relationships. Journal of Sex Research, 59(1), 53-68.

Hensel, D. J., & O’Sullivan, L. F. (2022). What makes them last? Predicting time to relationship dissolution in adolescent women’s intimate relationships with male partners. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 39(2), 393-412. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F02654075211036516

O’Sullivan, L. F., Belu, C. F., & Garcia, J. R. (2022). Loving you from afar: Attraction to others (“crushes”) among adults in exclusive relationships, communication, perceived outcomes, and expectations of future intimate involvement. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 39(2), 413-434. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F02654075211038612

Ronis, S. T., O’Sullivan, L. F., & Cormier, L. A. (2022). Vulnerability and variability: Associations between various early forms of nonconsensual sexual experiences and later sexual experiences of young adults. Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 31(1), 8-17. https://doi.org/10.3138/cjhs.2021-0046

Hensel, D. J., & O’Sullivan, L. F. (2022). Sexual concurrency among adolescent women with multiple partners: A daily diary study. Journal of Adolescent Health, 71(1), 70-77. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2022.02.004

Sprecher, S., O’Sullivan, L. F., Verette Lindenbaum, J., Drouin, M., & Willetts, M. (2021). Perhaps it was too soon: College students’ reflections on the timing of their sexual debut. Journal of Sex Research. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2021.1885599

Sy, K. T. L., Shema, T., Ramjee, G., Blanchard, K., Leu, C., Kelvin, E. A., Exner, T. M., Gandhi, A. D., Lince-Deroche, N., Mantell, J. E., O’Sullivan, L. F., & Hoffman, S. (2021). Predictors of antiretroviral therapy initiation in eThekwini (Durban), South Africa: Findings from a prospective cohort study. PLoS One, 16(2), e0246744. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0246744

Mitchell, K., Lewis, R., O’Sullivan, L. F., & Fortenberry, J. D. (2021). What is sexual wellbeing, and why does it matter for Public Health? A paradigm shift for public health inquiry and intervention in sexuality. The Lancet Public Health, 6, e608-613. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2468-2667(21)00099-2

Muise, M., Belu, C. F., & O’Sullivan, L. F. (2021). Unspoken, yet understood: Exploring how couples communicate their monogamy agreements. Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 30(2), 196-204. https://doi.org/ 10.3138/cjhs.2021-0011

Cormier, L. A., & O’Sullivan, L. F. (2021). Satisfying curiosities through “sextech”: Who is accessing non-traditional sexual education? Computers and Human Behavior, 124. https://doi.org/ 10.1016/j.chb.2021.106921

O’Sullivan, L. F., Byers, E. S., & Dawson, S. (2021). Individual and relationship predictors of trajectories of sexual function across adolescent and young adult relationships. Journal of Sex Research, 59(1), 53-68. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2021.1948497

Girouard, A., Dion, J., Bӧthe, B., O’Sullivan, L. F., & Bergeron, S. (2021). Bullying and sexual wellbeing in adolescence: The mediating role of emotion regulation. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 50(11), 2136-2150. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-021-01471-7

Byers, E. S., O’Sullivan, L. F., Mitra, K., & Sears, H. (2020). Parent-adolescent sexual communication in India: Responses of middle-class parents. Journal of Family Issues. https://doi.org/10.1177/0192513X20930343

Foshay, J. E., & O’Sullivan, L. F. (2020). What are we telling our sons? Home-based sex communication predicts greater distress related to problems in sexual functioning for male but not female adolescents. Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 29, 25-31. https://doi.org/10.3138/cjhs.2019-0025

Richard, M. E., & O’Sullivan, L. F. (2020). Sexual harassment of massage therapists by their clients. Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 29, 205-211. https://doi.org/10.3138/cjhs.2020-0011

Wasson Simpson, K. S., O’Sullivan, L. F., Thompson, A. E., & Fortenberry, J. D. (2020). First, best, forbidden and worst: Memorable experiences of intimate kisses. Journal of Relationships Research, 11, e11. https://doi.org/10.1017/jrr.2020.7

Belu, C. F., & O’Sullivan, L. F. (2019). Once a poacher always a poacher? Mate poaching history and its association with relationship quality. Journal of Sex Research. doi: 10.1080/00224499.2019.1610150.

Belu, C. F., & O’Sullivan, L. F. (2019). Roving eyes: Predictors of crushes in ongoing romantic relationships and implications for relationship quality. Journal of Relationship Research, 10, e2.

Byers, E. S., O’Sullivan, L. F., & Hughes, K. (2019). Sexual functioning of late adolescents and young adults in relationships: Association with Individual characteristics and relationship factors. Sexual and Relationship Therapy. Online ahead of print doi: 10.1080/14681994.2019.1626982

Foshay, J. E., & O’Sullivan, L. F. (2019). Coping and unwanted pursuit behaviors following break-ups in young adulthood. Journal of Relationships Research, 10, e3.

Hoffman, S., Cheng-Shiun, L., Ramjee, G., Blanchard, K., Gandhi, A. D., O’Sullivan, L., Kelvin, E. A., Exner, T. M., Mantell, J. E., & Lince-Deroche, N. (2019). Linkage to care following an HIV diagnosis in three public sector clinics in eThekwini (Durban), South Africa: Findings from a prospective cohort study. AIDS and Behavior. Online ahead of print doi: 10.1007/s10461-019-02688-1

Lee, B. H., & O’Sullivan, L. F. (2019). Walk the line: How successful are efforts to maintain monogamy in intimate relationships? Archives of Sexual Behavior, 48, 1735-1748.

Manzer, D., O’Sullivan, L. F., & Doucet, S. (2019). Culturally competent care of LGBT patients: The NP experience. International Journal of Advanced Nursing Education and Research, 4, 55-70. doi:10.21742/IJANER.2019.4.3.09

O’Sullivan, L. F., Hughes, K., Talbot, K., & Fuller, R. (2019). Plenty of fish in the ocean: How do traits reflecting resiliency moderate adjustment after experiencing a romantic breakup in emerging adulthood? Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 48, 949-962. doi: 10.1007/s10964-019-00985-5

O’Sullivan, L. F., Majerovich, J., & Wuest, J. (2019). From promoting healthy sexual functioning to managing biomedical sexual dysfunction: Health professional views of youth sexual health. SAGE Open Nursing, 5. doi: 10.1177/2377960819832676

O’Sullivan, L. F., Majerovich, J. A., & Milliken, M. (2019). A national survey of the provision of sexual health clinical services by public health in Canada. International Journal of Sexual Health, 31, 17-25. doi: 10.1080/19317611.2018.1561588

Sprecher, S., O’Sullivan, L. F., Drouin, M., Verette Lindenbaum, J., & Willetts, M. (2019). The significance of sexual debut in women’s lives. Current Sexual Health Reports. Online ahead of print doi: 10.1007/s11930-019-00228-5

Vogels, E. A., & O’Sullivan, L. F. (2019). The relationship among online sexually explicit material exposure to, desire for, and participation in rough sex. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 48, 653-655. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-018-1290-8

Belu, C. F., & O’Sullivan, L. F. (2018). Why find my own when I can take yours?: The quality of relationships that arise from successful mate poaching. Journal of Relationship Research, 9, e6, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1017/jrr.2018.5

Cormier, L. A., & O’Sullivan, L. F. (2018). Anti-climactic: Investigating how adolescents perceive and deal with orgasm difficulty. Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 27, 111-122. https://doi.org/10.3138/cjhs.2018-001

Fifield, J., O’Sullivan, L., Kelvin, E. A., Mantell, J. E., Exner, T., Ramjee, G., Blanchard, K., & Hoffman, S. (2018). Social support and violence-prone relationships as predictors of disclosure of HIV status among newly diagnosed HIV-positive South Africans. AIDS and Behavior, 22, 3287-3295. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-018-2136-z

Lee, B. H., & O’Sullivan, L. F. (2018). Ain’t misbehavin’? Monogamy maintenance strategies in heterosexual romantic relationships. Personal Relationships, 25, 205-232. https://doi.org/10.1111/pere.12235

Manzer, D., O’Sullivan, L. F., & Doucet, S. (2018). Myths, misunderstandings, and missing information: Experiences of nurse practitioners in delivery primary care to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) patients. Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 27, 157-170. https://doi.org/10.3138/cjhs.2018-0017

O’Sullivan, L. F., Byers, E. S., & Mitra, K. (2018). Sexual and reproductive health education attitudes and experience in India: How much support is there for much-needed comprehensive sex education? Findings for an Internet Survey. Sex Education, 19, 145-161. https://doi.org/10.1080/14681811.2018.1506915

O’Sullivan, L. F., Wuest, J., & Byers, E. S. (2018). Figuring it out: How late adolescent and young adult men and women perceive and address problems in sexual functioning. Journal of Sex Research, 56, 327-336. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2017.1416451

Vogels, E. A., & O’Sullivan, L. F. (2018). Porn, peers, and performing oral sex: The mediating role of peer norms on pornography’s influence regarding oral sex. Media Psychology, 21, 669-699. https://doi.org/10.1080/15213269.2018.1483249

Del Palacio-González, A., Clark, D. A., & O’Sullivan, L. F. (2017). Cognitive processing in the aftermath of relationship dissolution: Associations with concurrent and prospective distress and posttraumatic growth. Stress and Health, 33, 540-548. doi: 10.1002/smi.2738

Del Palacio-González, A., Clark, D. A., & O’Sullivan, L. F. (2017). Distress severity following a romantic breakup is associated with positive relationship memories among emerging adults. Emerging Adulthood, 5, 259-267.

Merwin, K. E., O’Sullivan, L. F., & Rosen, N. O. (2017). We need to talk: Disclosure of sexual problems is associated with depression, sexual functioning, and relationship satisfaction in women. Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, 43, 786-800.

Thompson, A. E., & O’Sullivan, L. F. (2017). Understanding variations in judgments of infidelity: An application of Attribution Theory. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 39, 262-276.

Vannier, S. A., & O’Sullivan, L. F. (2017). Great expectations: Examining unmet romantic expectations and dating relationship outcomes using an investment model framework. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 34, 235-257.

Anisimowicz, Y., & O’Sullivan, L. F. (2016). Men’s and women’s use and creation of online sexually explicit materials including fandom-related works. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 46, 823-833. doi: 10.1007/s10508-016-0865-5

Belu, C. F., Lee, B. H., & O’Sullivan, L. F. (2016). It hurts to let you go: Characteristics of romantic relationships, breakups and the aftermath. Journal of Relationship Research, 7, 1-11. doi: 10.1017/jrr.2016.11

Boyle, A., & O’Sullivan, L. F. (2016). Staying connected: Technology use, computer-mediated communication and relationship outcomes among college students. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 19, 299-307. doi: 10.1089/cyber.2015.0293

Byers, E. S., O’Sullivan, L. F., & Brotto, L. (2016). Time out from sex or romance: Sexually experienced adolescents’ decisions to purposefully avoid sexual activity and/or romantic relationships. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 45, 831-845. doi: 10.1007/s10964-016-0447-9

Gibson, K., Thompson, A. E., & O’Sullivan, L. F. (2016). Love thy neighbor: Personality traits, relationship quality and attraction to others as predictors of infidelity. Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 25, 186-198. doi: 10.3138/cjhs.253-A2

Hamilton, R., Scott, D., O’Sullivan, L., LaChapelle, D. (2016). Applying Social Cognitive Theory to predict hazing perpetration in university athletics. The Journal of Sport Behavior, 39, 255-277.

O’Sullivan, L. F., Byers, E. S., Brotto, L. A., Majerovich, J. A., & Fletcher, J. (2016). A longitudinal study of problems in sexual functioning and related sexual distress among middle to late adolescents. Journal of Adolescent Health, 59, 318-324. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2016.05.001

O’Sullivan, L. F., & *Vannier, S. A. (2016). Women’s sexual desire and desire disorders from a developmental perspective. Current Sexual Health Reports, 8, 47-56. doi: 10.1007/s11930-016-0070-5

Thompson, A. E., & O’Sullivan, L. F. (2016). I can but you can’t: Inconsistencies in judgments of and experiences with infidelity. Journal of Relationships Research, 7, e3. doi: 10.1017/jrr.2016.1

Thompson, A. E., & O’Sullivan, L. F. (2016). Drawing the line: The development of a comprehensive assessment of infidelity judgments. Journal of Sex Research, 53, 910-926. doi: 10.1080/00224499.2015.1062840

Vannier, S. A., & O’Sullivan, L. F. (2016). Passion, connection & destiny: How romanticized expectations help predict satisfaction and commitment in young adults’ dating relationships. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 34, 235-257. doi: 10.1177/026540751663115690-8Item description