Work

Sexuality in positive psychology: toward the integration of a neglected component of human flourishing

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Sexuality is central to well-being, relationships, and health. Yet, the science of well-being has traditionally overlooked the topic. To assess whether this gap persists, we conducted a large-scale content analysis of three leading well-being journals. We scraped all abstracts published up to September 2024 (n = 3,094), then used large language models (GPT-4o-mini and Gemini 2.0) for systematic screening. Articles flagged as potentially relevant were reviewed manually. Only 18 articles (0.6%) substantively focused on the topic. Out of these, 8 (0.3%) addressed topics related to minority groups, 6 (0.2%) negative aspects of sexuality such as abuse, and 4 (0.1%) general positive or neutral aspects. Sexuality remains underexplored in well-being science. Integrating it is essential for a complete understanding of human flourishing. We call for a paradigm shift: to move beyond silence toward a research agenda that embraces sexuality as a vital dimension of well-being.

Source: The Journal of Positive Psychology

DOI: 10.1080/17439760.2026.2619130

Authors: Vera U. Ludwig, Ari Lewis, James O. Pawelski, Damien L. Crone

Institution: University of Pennsylvania

Language: English

Topic: Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction

Subfield: Social Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development