Shane W. Kraus (Psychology) recently co-authored three publications examining emerging issues in mental health, compulsive sexual behavior, and sexual media use.
In a new integrative review (Ketogenic therapy as a potential novel treatment approach for PTSD: an integrative review and proposed mechanistic model) published in Frontiers in Psychiatry, Kraus and colleagues examined ketogenic therapy as a potential novel treatment approach for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The review identified several metabolic and signaling pathways through which ketogenic therapies may influence PTSD-related processes. Although preliminary findings, particularly from preclinical research, suggest potential therapeutic benefits, the authors emphasize that larger, well-controlled clinical trials are needed to determine the safety and effectiveness of ketogenic interventions for PTSD.
Kraus also co-authored a commentary (Etiology or bias? The difficulty in explaining internalized homonegativity’s connection to compulsive sexual behavior disorder—commentary to Droubay et al. (2025)) with UNLV psychology alumnus Todd Jennings and Nicholas Gleason in Sexual and Relationship Therapy examining the relationship between internalized homonegativity and compulsive sexual behavior disorder (CSBD). The authors discuss challenges in determining whether associations between internalized homonegativity and CSBD reflect underlying causal processes or broader cultural, social, and measurement biases, highlighting the importance of careful interpretation when studying sexual behavior among sexual minority populations.
Finally, Kraus and colleagues published “LonelyFans? Longitudinal trajectories of adult content subscription platform engagement over two years” in The Journal of Sexual Medicine. Using a census-matched sample of 4,363 U.S. adults followed across five waves over approximately two years, the study examined engagement with subscription-based adult content platforms such as OnlyFans. Greater engagement was associated with higher CSBD symptoms and, to a lesser extent, loneliness at baseline. Engagement, loneliness, and CSBD symptoms all declined on average over time, but changes in these factors were significantly linked, suggesting that interactive adult content platforms may be an important context for understanding loneliness and dysregulated sexual behavior.
Together, these publications reflect ongoing work by Kraus and collaborators to better understand emerging behavioral and mental health concerns and their implications for clinical practice.
