Digital Masculinity and Digital Media Exposure in Relation to Male Genital Self-Image, Mental Health, and Sexual Health: A Scoping Review

ABSTARCTMale genital self-image is increasingly recognized as an important determinant of men's sexual health, psychological well-being, and body image. The rapid expansion of social media, pornography, and digital masculinity ideals has raised concerns about their influence on unrealistic genital appearance expectations; however, evidence remains fragmented across disciplines. This scoping review mapped the literature on the relationships among digital masculinity, digital media exposure, male genital self-image, psychological well-being, and sexual health. The review followed the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). Electronic databases were systematically searched without publication year restrictions, and 27 studies met the eligibility criteria. Five major themes emerged: development and psychometric evaluation of male genital self-image measures, sociocultural and digital media influences, psychological correlates, sexual health outcomes, and penile dysmorphic concerns with related interventions. Overall, lower male genital self-image was associated with higher anxiety, depressive symptoms, social appearance anxiety, body dissatisfaction, and poorer sexual functioning. Social media, pornography, and masculinity norms appeared to reinforce unrealistic genital appearance ideals, although evidence regarding the direct effects of pornography remained inconsistent. Current evidence is dominated by cross-sectional studies from high-income countries, highlighting the need for longitudinal, cross-cultural, and intervention-based research to strengthen evidence and inform clinical practice.