Christopher Stults

Baruch College | Baruch College · Department of Psychology

Internalized transphobia (IT) has been linked to poorer health and well-being among transgender and gender-nonconforming (TGNC) individuals. However, there has been little research on how IT is associated with factors related to one’s sense of self, such as self-concept clarity (SCC; i.e., the temporal stability and internal consistency of self-con...

Background: The global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has led to immense impacts on global community health, the public perception of healthcare, and attitudes surrounding mental health during widespread quarantine. Methods: This analysis examines the rates of depressive symptomology among a sample of LGBTQ+-identifying individuals...

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is prevalent among sexual minority men (SMM) and is associated with a range of adverse health outcomes. While a limited body of research has examined help-seeking and its potential barriers among SMM who have experienced IPV, less research has explored other forms of coping with IPV within this population. Moreover,...

The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted healthcare access in the United States. This study sought to explore LGBTQ adults’ changes in access and adherence to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) treatment, hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and contraception. This study employs data from a cross-sectional intern...

PurposeResearch indicates that multiple forms of intimate partner violence (IPV) may be prevalent among transgender and gender diverse (TGD) people, including general forms of IPV (psychological, physical, sexual), as well as identity-specific forms (transgender-related IPV (T-IPV), identity abuse (IA)). Studies also suggest that IPV is associated...

Transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) individuals are at increased risk for mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The Gender Minority Stress Model posits that this disparity can be explained by several pathways, with proximal stressors (e.g., internalized transphobia, negative expecta...

Transgender and nonbinary (TNB) individuals are at increased risk for depression, making it important to understand the factors that may contribute to or attenuate this disparity. Community connectedness is one such factor, but prior research regarding its effect on depression has been mixed. It is possible that these mixed findings may be because...

Sociodemographic characteristics and depressive symptoms were assessed for their association with increased frequency of intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in a US sample of (N = 1,090) LGBTQ people, using an anonymous online survey. Among those (n = 98) endorsing IPV victimization in their curren...

We used an internet-based survey platform to conduct a cross-sectional survey regarding the impact of COVID-19 on the LGBTQ + population in the United States. While this method of data collection was quick and inexpensive, the data collected required extensive cleaning due to the infiltration of bots. Based on this experience, we provide recommenda...

Consensual nonmonogamous (CNM) relationships (e.g., open relationships) and identities (e.g., polyamorous) are becoming increasingly common, including among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) people. However, few studies have examined stigma related to CNM relationships and identities (i.e., CNM-related stigma) in the general p...

The SARS-CoV-2 virus, the pathogen which causes COVID-19, has left an indelible impact on the daily lives of individuals in the USA. This study sought to explore the sexual behaviors among people in the LGBTQ+ population at the onset of the pandemic. Behaviors were explored across sub-groups of the population. The study employed data from an intern...

As COVID-19 vaccinations became available in early 2021, we collected data from a US national sample of 496 people living with HIV (PLWH) to assess COVID-19 vaccination uptake and attitudes. The study was cross-sectional, and data were collected using an online survey between March and May 2021. At the time, 64% of the participants received at leas...

In the U.S., human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination has been recommended for individuals up to age 26, although the vaccination is currently approved for all people up to the age of 45. This research sought to explore HPV vaccination disparities by age with subgroup analysis by gender identity and sexual orientation groups, as well as sociodemograp...

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is prevalent among young sexual and gender minorities assigned male at birth (YSGM-AMAB). However, few studies have examined the chronicity or distinguished between minor and severe forms of IPV among YSGM-AMAB. Furthermore, while past research has documented differences in IPV by race/ethnicity, sexual identity, gen...

Consensual non-monogamous (CNM) relationship rules, the boundaries and understandings partners have about acceptable behaviors related to their CNM relationship, are associated with relationship functioning and sexual health risk among gay and bisexual men. Partnered young gay and bisexual men (YGBM) experience unique relational challenges and sexu...

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is prevalent among young gay and bisexual men (YGBM) and is associated with physical and mental health problems, as well as deleterious psychosocial conditions. Most previous studies of IPV among YGBM have been quantitative in nature and have not examined the numerous subtypes of IPV, the chronicity of IPV experience...

Age of sexual debut is a critical health indicator for young sexual minority men (YSMM), associated with an increased likelihood of HIV acquisition, use of alcohol, tobacco, and other substances, and psychological distress. This study examined the age of same-sex sexual debut for five sexual behaviors in a sample of racially/ethnically and socioeco...

Purpose: Characteristics associated with having a primary care provider (PCP), patient-provider trust, and sexual behavior disclosure were examined among men who have sex with men (MSM). Methods: MSM (N = 4239) were surveyed regarding demographic, behavioral, and medical characteristics. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used. Resul...

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is an understudied health problem among young gay, bisexual, and other non-identified young men who have sex with men (YMSM). According to cross-sectional studies, IPV is associated with psychosocial and mental health problems, such as stigma and depression, among YMSM. IPV is also associated with health-risk behavio...

Consensual nonmonogamous (CNM) relationships (e.g., open relationships) are common among adult gay and bisexual men, and thus, younger gay and bisexual men may also engage in consensual nonmonogamy. Yet little is known about CNM relationships among young gay and bisexual men. This is problematic, as nonmonogamy may have important implications for r...

Geosocial-networking smartphone applications ("apps") are widely used by gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) and facilitate connections between users based on proximity and attraction. MSM have sexual encounters and relationships of varying degrees of emotional and physical intimacy with app-met individuals, potentially placing...

p>This commentary discusses the strengths and limitations of internet-based cognitive-behavioral treatments (ICBT) for anxiety disorders, as highlighted by the case studies described in Ciuca, Berger, and Miclea (2017), and in Schulz, Vincent, and Berger (2017). In comparing the course of treatment for patients with contrasting clinical outcomes, t...

The goals of this manuscript are twofold. First, we provide a brief reaction to this journal’s “Special Section: Reflections on the Orlando Massacre on its First Anniversary.” Second, we present findings from a study on perceptions of safety among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) individuals following the Pulse shooting. These...

Background: HIV/AIDS continues to be a health disparity faced by sexual minority men, and is exacerbated by non-injection drug use. Objectives: We sought to delineate growth in non-injection drug use and condomless sex in a sample of racially and economically diverse of gay, bisexual, and other young men who have sex with men (YMSM) as they emer...

We administered a battery of neurocognitive tests to 100 HIV-positive men and women ages 50 to 70 seeking care at a large Northeastern urban HIV care clinic. Performance on neurocognitive assessments varied by demographic states. Across all assessments, approximately 28% of participants reached the threshold for borderline performance while 13% rea...

Purpose: Among young men who have sex with men (YMSM) few studies have examined the relationship between intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration versus victimization and sexual behaviors. Methods: Using data from n = 528 urban YMSM, multinomial logistic regression models were built to examine the distinct relationships between any IPV, vict...

Given the heightened risk for HIV and other STIs among young men who have sex with men (YMSM) as well as the racial/ethnic disparities in HIV/STI risk, an understanding of longitudinal trends in sexual behaviors is warranted as YMSM emerge into adulthood. Drawing from an ongoing prospective cohort study, the present analysis employed latent growth...

Substance use is prevalent among young men who have sex with men (YMSM) and may be associated with intimate partner violence (IPV). Experiences of IPV are associated with several adverse health conditions among adult MSM, but there is a gap in knowledge about this relationship among YMSM, which warrants further investigation. This study employs bas...

Research indicates that experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV) are common among young gay, bisexual, and other young men who have sex with men (YMSM). Yet, there is little understanding of the individual, mental health, and psychosocial variables associated with IPV in this population. The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence and c...

To examine patterns of substance use over time in a new generation of emerging adult gay, bisexual, and other young men who have sex with men (YMSM). Data were drawn from the first four waves of on ongoing prospective cohort study of YMSM who were ages 18 to 19 at baseline and were assessed each 6 months for substance use via calendar based methods...

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is widespread among young men who have sex with men (YMSM). Most of the extant literature regarding same-sex IPV is descriptive in nature. As such, few empirical studies have examined how IPV is associated with other risk factors, particularly unprotected sex and substance use. As such, our primary research question...

The persistence of disparities in STI/HIV risk among a new generation of emerging adult gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (YMSM) warrant holistic frameworks and new methodologies for investigating the behaviors related to STI/HIV in this group. In order to better understand the continued existence of these disparities in STI/HIV ri...