Sugar coated connections: A scoping review of sugar dating

Abstract Sugar dating/sugaring, or the exchange of companion related services (sexual or non-sexual) for compensation, has been on the rise globally. Despite the growing popularity, facilitated by the use of online applications and websites, literature on sugar dating is varied and sparse. We conducted a scoping review with the goals to synthesize the current literature, identify strengths and limitations, and inform future directions in research, clinical practice, and policy. A total of 2,825 articles were screened for selection and 27 were chosen for inclusion in the current review. Findings revealed significant differences in the definition of sugaring, the focus and aims of the literature, and the role of researcher assumptions in interpreting results. A primary theme of literature was the focus on motivation for involvement in sugaring. Results revealed three themes of motivation including financial, experiential, and social. Literature focused on the power and agency of the sugar baby found that sugar babies overwhelmingly reported agency in their sugaring arrangements but continued feelings of stigma and shame for their involvement. This scoping review also identified several key gaps in the literature including a lack of diversity in study samples, an almost-exclusive focus on heteronormative sugaring arrangements, and a lack of studies involving those who participate in sugaring in the research development and/or implementation. Despite growing popularity, the literature on sugaring remains scare. Expansion of the literature beyond focusing on motivation would benefit clinicians to ensure informed and supportive care.