CURIOSITIES
Gay men who use more than one dating app report less anxiety, study finds
An Australian survey of 578 men found that sexual minority men using both gay and mainstream apps scored lower on anxiety than those sticking to one kind. Among straight men the pattern ran the other way, and the researchers call the reversal "surprising".
Gay and other sexual minority men who split their swiping between gay-specific apps such as Grindr and mainstream apps such as Tinder or Hinge report lower anxiety than men who use only one type. That is the finding of a Flinders University study in the journal Psychology & Sexuality. The paper, titled "Designed to be deleted: differential impacts of dating apps on men's body image, mental health, and wellbeing", was published online on 16 September 2026, according to StudyFinds. It reached a wider audience this week through the university's media release, carried by News-Medical on 23 October and ETV Bharat on 24 October.
Who was asked, and what they said
Lead author Zac Bowman, a PhD candidate at Flinders' College of Human Sciences and Culture, worked with Murray Drummond, Ivanka Prichard and Jasmine M. Petersen. They surveyed 578 Australian men aged 18 to 69, with an average age of 34 (News-Medical). StudyFinds' reading of the paper adds that the data were collected between June and August 2024, that about 73% of respondents identified as sexual minority men, and that recruitment included paid promotion on Grindr (StudyFinds).
The headline result is a reversal. Sexual minority men using both app types scored around 13 on a 21-point anxiety scale. Those using only mainstream apps scored about 17, and gay-app-only users about 16. Among straight men, the small group using both kinds of app (23 men) averaged 17, against 9 to 12 for other straight men (StudyFinds). The authors suggest a wider range of apps may simply make the outcome users want more likely (News-Medical).
Bowman points to how differently the platforms are built. "There are several fundamental differences between gay and mainstream dating apps," he said, "including the interface, image-sharing, and potential for non-consensual messaging" (OutRage Magazine, reproducing the release).
Read the small print
This is a snapshot survey, not an experiment. It cannot show whether app choice affects anxiety or whether anxious men gravitate to certain apps. Men were not assigned to groups, and most participants were white. Some subgroups are tiny: only ten straight men used gay apps exclusively. The survey also did not ask why people used the apps (StudyFinds). The researchers' explanations remain hypotheses.
The study follows earlier work from the same Flinders team. In May they reported, in the journal Body Image, that gay dating apps push users to present themselves as sexually appealing, which can erode body image and self-esteem. They called on developers to tone down features such as grid layouts and body-type filters (Flinders University).
So, before anyone deletes Grindr for good: the data suggest a mixed portfolio may be easier on the nerves. It is not a prescription.
Sources
Facts, dates and prices in this article were checked on 28 October 2026 against the official and press sources linked in the text. Promoters' and companies' claims are attributed to them. Details can change, so check the official links before you travel or buy tickets.