Problematic Pornography Research Articles

Couple Recovery from Problematic Pornography Use: A Foundational Phenomenological Inquiry

Couple Recovery from Problematic Pornography Use: A Foundational Phenomenological Inquiry

Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder and Problematic Pornography Use in Cisgender Sexual Minority Individuals: The Associations with Minority Stress, Social Support, and Sexualized Drug Use

ABSTRACT Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder (CSBD), recently recognized in the ICD-11 as an independent disorder, has been shown to be more prevalent in sexual minorities. However, we still lack studies investigating which factors contribute to CSBD and related behaviors in this group. In our cross-sectional study, we investigated the relationships between characteristics potentially contributing to CSBD and problematic pornography use (PPU) in sexual minority individuals: sexual minority stress (internalized sexual stigma, discrimination experiences, and openness about one’s sexual orientation), perceived social support, and sexualized drug use (also more prevalent in sexual minorities). We adjusted for gender, age, sexual orientation, and the frequency of sexual behaviors. Cisgender sexual minority participants (n = 198, 72.7% men, 27.3% women; Mage = 27.13, SD = 7.78) completed an online survey. We conducted a two-step linear regression. In the first step, we introduced sociodemographic variables and the frequency of sexual activities. In the second step, we placed the predictors of main interest: perceived social support, minority stress measures, and the frequency of sexualized drug use. Our results showed that social support was negatively related to CSBD, while experiences of discrimination due to sexual orientation and engagement in sexualized drug use were associated with higher CSBD symptom severity. Internalized sexual stigma related to greater PPU severity. The discussed relationships were weak to moderate in strength. Implications of current results for therapy and diagnosis of CSBD in sexual minorities are discussed. The role of minority stressors and other factors specific to sexual minorities requires further exploration to design well-suited therapeutic interventions.

Age and Type of First Exposure to Pornography: It Matters for Girls and Boys

ABSTRACT The increase in youth and adult use of pornography has led to increased research on the possible effects and implications of such use. A few prior studies have examined the relationship between age at first exposure to pornography and related problems later in life, including more problematic use of pornography. The current study used a sample of 924 males and females at a university in the Southern United States to examine the relationship between age and type of first pornography exposure to problematic use of pornography in young adulthood. Results indicated significant relationships between age at first exposure, first exposure type, and problematic pornography use in young adulthood. The findings highlight the importance of early intervention around pornography exposure and the causes of intentional pornography use at early ages.

Sexual development in ADHD and internet pornography consumption.

Development of sexual identity during adolescence is a major process of transition in individual life which in cases of ADHD specifically interacts with other ontogenetic, pathological and psychosocial conditions. According to recent findings growing consumption of internet pornography mainly in male ADHD population is closely related to compulsive sexual behavior and hypersexuality. Recent findings also indicate that consumption of internet pornography in ADHD individuals and other sexual activities may serve as a mood-altering "self-medication" which may help to cope with stressful events and decrease depression and anxiety. Taken together recent findings indicate that internet pornography consumption mainly in ADHD individuals is closely related to stressful experiences, anxiety, depression and identity problems in partnerships which significantly increase their vulnerability to the so-called "problematic pornography use" and other forms of addictive sexual behavior. From this developmental perspective "problematic pornography use" in ADHD individuals represents significant epidemiological problem which requires further research mainly with focus on clinical diagnostics and treatment.

Biopsychosocial Determinants of Problematic Pornography Use: A Systematic Review.

Although some studies have examined the determinants of problematic pornography use (PPU), few systematic comparisons of risk profiles have been conducted so far. Research on risk profiles can shed a bright light on our knowledge of both the early diagnosis and etiology of such highly prevalent disorders. Accordingly, the present study aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the determinants of PPU. Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and PsycINFO databases were systematically searched, and relevant English articles, including longitudinal and cross-sectional studies on risk factors published from January 2000 to February 2022 were reviewed. The determinants of PPU extracted from the investigated studies (n=66) were summarized and clustered into biological, psychological, and social categories. The findings indicated that ventral striatum activity is a consistent biological factor which plays a key role in the development of PPU, while there were other psychological factors influencing PPU as mentioned in several studies, including craving, low self-esteem, sexual arousal, coping styles, stress, frequent pornography watching, avoidance, negative beliefs, and emotional deficiency. In addition, the social factors affecting PPU have been reported to be male gender, age, religion, moral incompatibility, and loneliness. According to these results, the identified factors could be considered in preventive treatment. This systematic review provided a comprehensive overview of the biopsychosocial determinants of PPU by analyzing 66 articles mostly from Europe and North America. Most studies showed that ventral striatum activity, craving, self-esteem, stress, frequent pornography watching, gender, age, and religion are related to PPU.

Decision making and executive functions in problematic pornography use.

Previous research on cognitive functions in Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder (CSBD) and problematic pornography use (PPU) reported inconsistent findings and mostly included sexual pictures in the used tasks. The role of general executive functions and cognitive competences (without the presence of appetitive stimuli) in the context of PPU is largely unexplored. This study investigated differences between individuals with high versus low problem severity of PPU regarding decision making and executive functions. The sample of the laboratory study consisted of N = 102 male adults. Besides measures of trait impulsivity, we used standard neuropsychological tests (Trail Making Test and three-back working memory task) and an intertemporal risky choice paradigm, the Cards & Lottery Task (CLT). The results show heightened impulsivity (urgency and deficits in perseverance) in individuals with high PPU, but no differences regarding performance in the CLT and executive function tasks. The findings indicate that PPU might be associated with impulsive behavior when experiencing strong emotions (urgency) and deficient cognitive performance especially in the presence of sexual stimuli but not in general.

Confirming and Expanding the Moral Incongruence Model of Compulsive Sexual Behavior.

Compulsive sexual behavior (CSB) is a clinical syndrome in which repetitive sexual behaviors, urges, or thoughts cause significant distress and impairment. Moral incongruence (MI), or conflict between an individual's sexual behaviors and moral beliefs, is highly associated with self-reported problematic pornography use, a common behavioral manifestation of CSB. However, it is currently unknown whether MI is associated with other self-reported compulsive sexual behaviors, such as masturbation, sexual fantasy, and sex with multiple partners. Additionally, research on MI has not explored whether emotional responses to sexual cues (i.e., erotophilia-erotophobia) may serve as a moderating variable in the MI model. To address these gaps in the literature, this study administered an online survey to a sample of 804 American participants. Results confirmed previous research on MI indicating frequency of pornography use is more strongly associated with self-reported CSB at high levels of moral disapproval. This moderation was also replicated with frequency of sexual fantasy and number of sex partners, but not with frequency of masturbation. Results also indicated that self-reported CSB was modestly associated with positive emotional response to sexual cues (i.e., erotophilia) but offered limited support for erotophilia as a moderator in the MI model. Collectively, these findings suggest the MI model can be expanded to several behavioral manifestations of CSB, but that emotional responses to sexual cues may play a limited or more nuanced role in MI.

Effects of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Craving and Problematic Pornography Use in Young Men: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Objectives Problematic pornography use (PPU) is one of the emerging clinical concerns that can negative affect individual performance. Therefore, it is necessary to use emerging behavioral and technological treatments. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in reducing craving and PPU in young men. Methods This is a clinical trial with a pre-test/post-test/follow-up design. The study population consists of all men aged 18-24 years referred to the counseling clinic of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran in 2022 with diagnosed PPU. Of these, 9 were selected purposefully based on the entry criteria. They were placed in three groups of ACT, tDCS, and ACT±tDCS, using the computerized random number generator in SAS software, version 9.4 and the sequentially numbered, opaque, sealed envelopes (SNOSE) to preserve random allocation concealment. The data were analyzed based on visual analysis, percentage of non-overlapping data index, and mean percentage reduction (MPR). Results The ACT led to a decrease in craving (MPR=26.2% with an effect size of 0.63) and PPU (MPR=27.05% with an effect size of 0.62). Also, tDCS led to a decrease in craving (MPR=22.7% with an effect size of 0.56) and PPU (MPR=21.2% with an effect size of 0.53). The combined treatment (ACT±tDCS) led to a decrease in craving (MPR=33.4% with an effect size of 0.72) and PPU (MPR=29.3% with an effect size of 0.67). The effects in all groups were significant (P<0.05). Conclusion The combination of ACT and tDCS can lead to a more significant reduction in craving and PPU in young men than ACT and tDCS alone. ACT is more effective than tDCS in reducing craving and PPU.

Psychometric Properties of the Persian Version of the Types of Pornography Scale for the Iranian Population

Objectives The present study aims to investigate the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Types of pornography scale (TPS) for the Iranian population. Methods This is a descriptive psychometrics study. Participants were 318 males and 182 females (mean age: 23.55±5.07 years) who were selected using a convenience sampling method. They responded to the Persian versions of the TPS and the problematic pornography use scale (PPUS). Data were analyzed in SPSS v.23 and LISREL v.8.8 application using Lawshe’s method, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), exploratory factor analysis (EFA), Pearson correlation test, Cronbach’s α, and Omega. Results The questionnaire had good content validity. The original 3-factor model of the tool was not confirmed by the CFA. However, the EFA results led to a revised model with 7 factors. Cronbach’s α and Omega values for the whole scale were 0.87 and 0.86, respectively. The results showed the positive correlation of TPS with the subscales of PPUS, which confirmed the convergent validity. Conclusion The Persian version of the TPS has acceptable reliability and validity to measure the use of different types of pornography in the Iranian population and can be used in studies related to pornography in Iran.

Women’s Lived Experiences with Self-Identified Problematic Pornography Use: A Qualitative Study

Women’s Lived Experiences with Self-Identified Problematic Pornography Use: A Qualitative Study

How the Rise of Problematic Pornography Consumption and the COVID-19 Pandemic Has Led to a Decrease in Physical Sexual Interactions and Relationships and an Increase in Addictive Behaviors and Cluster B Personality Traits: A Meta-Analysis.

On January 13, 2018, an alert was sent to Hawaii's people that a missile was heading toward them. People were in a state of alarm for 30 minutes before the government sent out a false alarm statement. Fifteen minutes after the message that told the people of Hawaii that they were not in danger went out, Pornhub's views spiked by 48%. On March 11, 2020, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was designated a pandemic. By March 25, 2020, Pornhub's views had spiked to over 24%. We took the research available on problematic pornography consumption, also referred to as internet sex addiction, pornography addiction, and cybersex addiction, and compared that to the rise of pornography use since the year 2000 and how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted pornography use and the effects it had on sexual and social relations. We also wanted to see if there is any association between pornography consumption and other addictive disorders and cluster B personalitytraits. There is currently no Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) diagnosis for pornography addiction. We want to see if the data we gather can aid in identifying whether problematic pornography use has a place alongside other addictive disorders in the DSM-5. We hypothesize that inappropriate pornography consumption has increased since 2000, only to increase further during the pandemic. The null hypothesis, Ho, states there has been no change in the consumption of pornography since the 2000s. The alternative theory, Ha, says that the proportion of people who use pornography has increased over the past 23 years. As for other addictive disorders and cluster B personality traits, we hypothesize the research will show that greater than 50% of people exhibiting problematic pornography consumption will also have an additional addictive disorder and a cluster B personality trait. Our results support our hypothesis that during the COVID-19 pandemic, pornography consumption increased beyond the baseline. The results did not support our prediction of a significant association between other addictive disorders and cluster B personality traits with pornography consumption.

Difficulties in Emotion Regulation and Problematic Pornography Use: The Mediating Role of Loneliness

Objectives To analyze the association between difficulties in emotion regulation and problematic pornography use (PPU) and test the mediating effect of loneliness. Methods All 339 participants (M = 28.53 years, SD = 10.32) completed online self-report scales assessing difficulties in emotion regulation, PPU, and loneliness. Results Difficulties in emotion regulation are positively correlated with PPU. Loneliness partially mediates the relationship between difficulties in emotion regulation and PPU. Gender and intimate relationship status had moderating effects on the tested mediation model. Conclusions Greater difficulties in emotion regulation have a significant indirect effect on PPU through loneliness.

Stress Susceptibility, Affective Responses toward Acute Stressors and Emotion Regulation Strategies in the Context of Problematic Pornography Use

The problematic use of pornography (PPU) is one phenotype of compulsive sexual behavior disorder. Stress has been identified as central factor involved in dysregulated behaviors, acting both as cause and consequence. Overall, 99 heterosexual males participated in an experimental study. Experience of early childhood trauma, chronic stress, acute responses toward a stressor, emotion regulation strategies, and coping were associated with symptoms of PPU. Alterations within neural stress circuits due to childhood trauma and chronic stress may interact with neural circuits of reward and executive control. Coping with acute, chronic and past stressors should be an essential component in treatment approaches.

Profiles of Pornography Use Based on Addictive Mechanisms and Psychopathological Features.

Studies using person-centered approaches to further explore the profiles of pornography users throw their psychiatric features are lacking. This study was designed to examine the different profiles of pornography users based on the addictive dimensions of Problematic Pornography Use (PPU) and to characterize these profiles according to psychopathological variables such as depression, anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). A sample of 1001 French adults participated to a survey containing scales related to psychopathological variables, cybersexual addiction and PPU. PPU was assessed with the French Version of Problematic Pornography Consumption Scale (Fr-PPCS-18). An Agglomerative Hierarchical Classification was performed on the basis of FR-PPCS-18. A student's t-test was used to observe PPU and psychopathological differences between profiles. Findings revealed three profiles of users: non-problematic users (66.5%), at-risk users (29.9%), and problematic users (3.6%). There were significant differences between the three profiles concerning levels of global PPU, PPU mechanisms, cybersexual addiction symptoms, ADHD symptomatology and depressive symptomatology. Results confirmed the existence of different levels of severity of pornography use corresponding to three different profiles. Also, findings revealed the influence of ADHD symptoms, obsessive-compulsive symptoms and depressive symptoms on PPU.

The paradox of pornography – sexuality and problematic pornography use

The experiences of sexual minority men who report self-perceived problematic pornography use is under theorised and not well understood despite controversial and conflicting research into the phenomena in heterosexual male populations. This study aimed to widen the conversation to consider the experience of sexuality in relation to self-perceived problematic pornography use, rather than contribute to literature that debates the definition and aetiology of problematic pornography use. Semi-structured online qualitative interviews were conducted with three sexual minority men who self-reported problematic pornography use. Interpretive phenomenological analysis was used to develop themes. Five themes pertinent to understanding the participants’ experiences with problematic pornography use were developed: problematised sexuality, pornography as liberator, pornography as corrupter, reform, and relapse and restore. The themes highlight three men’s relationship with their sexuality as a feature of their self-perceived problematic pornography use. The research suggests that idiographic experiences of self-perceived problematic pornography use are influenced and maintained by an incongruent and conflicting relationship between an individual’s own experiences of sexuality and self-perceptions of pornography use. Limitations and future research recommendations are discussed.

Between pleasure, guilt, and dissociation: How trauma unfolds in the sexuality of childhood sexual abuse survivors

BackgroundChildhood sexual abuse (CSA) is a significant risk factor for sexual difficulties in adulthood. ObjectiveIn the current study we aimed to expand the understanding of the association between CSA and sexual difficulties by examining the moderating role of traumatic sexuality in the association between CSA and sexual difficulties among a sample of CSA survivors. Participants and settingThe hypothesized moderation model was examined among a sample of 393 CSA survivors. MethodsSignificant interactions were probed using simple slopes tests using the interactions R package. ResultsThe results indicated main effects of traumatic sexuality on survivors' sexual difficulties: Greater severity of dissociation during sex was linked with greater sexual dysfunction and higher compulsive sexual behavior disorder (CSBD), and greater intrusiveness during sex and pleasing the other during sex were linked with higher CSBD. Experiencing higher sex-related guilt and/or shame and hypervigilance with regard to sex were associated with greater sexual dysfunction. As for the moderations, intrusiveness during sex and pleasing the other during sex moderated the association between CSA and sexual dysfunction. Intrusiveness during sex and sex-related guilt and/or shame moderated the association between CSA and CSBD. Intrusiveness during sex, pleasing the other during sex, and/or hypervigilance with regard to sex moderated the association between CSA and problematic pornography use. ConclusionThis study points to the potential contribution of traumatic sexuality symptoms to sexual difficulties among survivors of CSA and lends support to the idea of offering trauma-focused therapy when treating the sexual difficulties of CSA survivors.

Pornography Use and Mental Health Problems in the Chinese Population: Examining the Pornography Problems Due to Moral Incongruence Model

ABSTRACT Pornography has become increasingly prevalent worldwide with the development of the Internet, and considerable research on the effects of pornography use has emerged. Based on existing research and the Pornography Problems Due to Moral Incongruence (PPMI) model, we examined problematic pornography use (PPU) as a mediator and moral disapproval of pornography use as a moderator in the links between pornography use frequency and mental health problems in a Chinese sample (N = 833). Our results support the completely mediated effect of PPU (ab = 0.16) and the moderated effect of moral disapproval of pornography use on the association between pornography use frequency and PPU. Pornography use frequency was strongly associated with PPU when participants experienced high moral incongruence (MI), and the indirect effect of PPU was weaker (ab = 0.13) at the lower level of moderator (−1 SD), and stronger (ab = 0.23) at the higher level of moderator (+1 SD). However, the direct effect of MI on mental health problems was not supported. This study advances our understanding of the internal mechanism between pornography use and mental health and extends the PPMI model to the Chinese cultural context (characterized as low religiosity and sexually conservative). The findings confirm the cross-cultural consistency of the PPMI model in China and highlight another important source of MI besides religiosity: cultural characteristics.

The association between problematic pornography use and eating disorder symptoms among heterosexual and sexual minority men

In this study, we investigated the link between problematic pornography use and eating disorder symptoms in men, with body comparison and body image as mediators, and perceived realism and anxiety and depression as moderators. We also analyzed the model for both heterosexual and sexual minority men to detect any differences. The current study included 705 Israeli men, 479 of whom identified as heterosexual and 226 as sexual minority. The majority of the sample (90.6%) identified as Jewish with a mean age of 32.5. Results showed that problematic pornography use was linked to more upward body comparison, which in turn was related to negative body image, and ultimately, increased severity of eating disorder symptoms. Anxiety and depression moderated the association between male body image and eating disorder symptoms. However, perceived realism did not moderate the link between problematic pornography use and upward body comparison. Whereas there were significant differences in the mean rank values between heterosexual and sexual minority men in all measures, the processes linking these measures were virtually the same. To reduce the risk of developing or worsening eating disorder symptoms, clinicians working with male clients should assess for problematic pornography use and body image concerns during therapy.

Psychometric Network Analysis of the Problematic Pornography Use Scale (PPUS) in Peruvian Adults.

The aim of this research was to analyze the psychometric properties of the Problematic Pornography Use Scale (PPUS). A sample of 704 Peruvian youth and adults aged 18 to 62 years (M = 26, SD = 6.0) was considered, of which 56% were female and 43% male. The participants were from various cities in Peru: Lima (84%), Trujillo (2.6%), Arequipa (1.8%), and Huancayo (1.6%). The validity of the theoretical structure of the PPUS was carried out by means of two techniques: Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and Exploratory Graphical Analysis (EGA), a new effective and efficient dimension evaluation technique, whose measure consists of verifying the fit of the dimension structure. Using the bifactor model, the hypothesis that PPUS has a unifactorial behavior was corroborated. These approximations of unidimensionality are also corroborated by the EGA method, where the centrality parameters and network loadings are found to have acceptable estimates. The results demonstrate the validity of the PPUS, contrasting with the factor model and verifying the unidimensionality of the construct, which provide useful directions for future studies on the instrumentalization of problematic pornography use scale.

Problematic Pornography Use in Adolescents: From Prevention to Intervention

Problematic Pornography Use in Adolescents: From Prevention to Intervention