Distress and satisfaction in women whose male partners use pornography: The roles of attitude, religiosity, and meanings

Approximately 40% of U.S. women in married or cohabitating heterosexual relationships have a partner who uses pornography more than once a month. Some studies demonstrate a negative association between the frequency of male partners' pornography use (PU) and women's sexual satisfaction and relationship satisfaction, while others find no association. These mixed findings may be due to moderating influences of women's religiosity, attitudes, and diverse meanings given to PU (e.g. addiction, gendered norm, inspiration), which have not been adequately studied.The current study included a sample of 625 women (mean age=44, diverse SES, 86% White), recruited through a Qualtrics research panel, who were married or cohabitating with a man who had used pornography in the prior 3 months. Study aims were to investigate (1) pornography-related distress, attitudes and meanings given to a partner's PU, (2) the relationship between perceived frequency of partners' solitary PU (PFREQ) and women's pornography-related distress, relationship satisfaction and sexual satisfaction, (3) contributions of attitude and religiosity (commitment and conservatism) to distress and satisfaction, and (4) associations among attitudes, religiosity and meanings, and among meanings, distress and satisfaction. Self-report measures included the Partner's Pornography Use Scale, Pornography Distress Scale, Couples Satisfaction Index, Global Measure of Sexual Satisfaction, Multidimensional Religious Ideology Scale, Religious Commitment Inventory, Biblical Literalism Measure, Pornography Meaning Scales, and an item measuring attitudes towards pornography. Participants endorsed a range of PFREQ (median frequency=1-2 times/week) and attitudes (28% negative, 34% neutral, 38% positive). Partial correlations and multiple regressions, controlling for demographic variables and COVID-19-related stress, indicated that higher PFREQ was significantly associated with women's higher pornography-related distress, lower relationship satisfaction, and lower sexual satisfaction. Attitude and PFREQ made independent contributions to distress and satisfaction. Negative attitude amplified the negative association between PFREQ and relationship satisfaction, and religious conservatism amplified the positive association between PFREQ and pornography-related distress. Findings support and extend previous research regarding the associations of higher PFREQ and negative attitude with greater distress and lower relationship and sexual satisfaction, the contribution of religiosity to greater distress, and the role of meanings of infidelity, sin, addiction and inadequacy in predicting greater distress and lower satisfaction. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Impact of COVID-19 on adolescent sexual life and attitudes: have we considered all the possible secondary effects of the pandemic?

A significant increase in pornography use has been reported in the adolescent population worldwide over the past few years, with intensification of the phenomenon during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of the present review is to provide data on the frequency of pornography consumption among adolescents during the pandemic and raise awareness about its potential impact on personal beliefs and sexual attitudes in the long term. A comprehensive literature review was performed in two scientific databases using the crossmatch of the terms "pornography", "adolescents" and "COVID-19". A significant increase in pornography consumption in adolescents was documented during the COVID-19 pandemic as a result of social detachment. Fulfilment of sexual desires in the context of social distancing, alleviation of COVID-19-related boredom and psychological strain, and coping with negative emotions are some of the reported reasons for increased pornography use during the pandemic. However, concerns have been raised in the literature regarding potentially negative effects of excessive pornography use from an early age, including the development of pornography addiction, sexual dissatisfaction and aggressive sexual attitudes reinforced by gender preoccupations and sexual inequality beliefs. CONCLUSION: The extent to which increased pornography consumption from an early age during the COVID-19 pandemic may have affected adolescents' mental well-being, personality construction and sexual behaviour is yet to be seen. Vigilance from the society as a whole is required so that potential negative adverse effects of adolescent pornography use and potential social implications are recognized early and managed. Further research is needed so that the full impact of the COVID-19-related pornography use in the adolescent population is revealed. WHAT IS KNOWN: •A significant increase in pornography consumption has been documented in the adolescent population worldwide over the past decades due to its quick, affordable and easy access from electronic devices and the possibility of anonymous and private participation. •During the COVID-19 pandemic, this phenomenon was intensified as a coping mechanism to social isolation and increased psychosocial strain. WHAT IS NEW: •Concerns have been raised regarding the risk of pornography addiction in adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic, making the post-pandemic adaptation challenging. •Awareness is raised in parents, health care providers and policy makers about the potential negative impacts of pornography consumption from an early, vulnerable age, such as sexual dissatisfaction and development of aggressive sexual attitudes and sex inequality beliefs.

Impact Of Covid-19 Pandemic On Social Relations And Mental Health

The aim of this study is to understand the effects of covid-19 on docile relationships and mental health. The pandemic was an unacceptable development in people's lives throughout the globe. The pandemic had a major impact on the social behavior of the people. This study explores the social relationship and mental health domain of individuals and how it changed after the pandemic. The impact of being isolated from the world. And social interactions will also be explored in this paper. The study shows that the world will never be the same after the pandemic and that the lockdown has changed people emotionally and mentally. Copyright © 2022, Anka Publishers. All rights reserved.

Pornography from the female point of view: an ethnographic investigation

Objectives: The purpose of the study is to know the reasons that lead women to seek pornographic material less than men. Furthermore, the second objective is to detect any differences in the choice of pornographic material by women during gestation. Method(s): The research was carried out through semi-structured interviews aimed at investigating the areas of body perception, sexuality, relationship with pornography and perception of control. The sample consists of six pregnant women (age 19 >= and <= 35 years, average = 27.33, SD = 5.46). The participants, at the time of the interview, had been experiencing relationships with their current partners for an average of 5.16 years (DS = 4.16 years). The interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed to allow content analysis and thematic analysis, carried out using the MAXQDA software in version 20.0.0. Result(s): In 54% of the statements, the participants negatively described their relationship with pornography, due to the experiences of shame, discomfort and guilt perceived while viewing pornography. Despite these controversial feelings, porn consumption increased during pregnancy for all participants. From the research it emerges that women, compared to men, are more likely to see negative sides of pornography, perceiving the images as excessively violent, disrespectful towards the figure of the female and above all artificial. Conclusion(s): By obtaining results in agreement with the available scientific literature, the study revealed the reasons that induce women to search for pornographic material to a lesser extent, linked to social stigma, the perception of porn as "dirty" and "repugnant", to a greater concern about the negative effects of massive pornography use (Boynton, 1999;Lewin, 1997). An important limitation of this research is caused by the extremely small sample of participants, this due to the emergency situation linked to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2, and the way it is conducted with semi-structured interviews. Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest. Copyright © 2022

Common predictors of problematic gaming, social media, and pornography use

Introduction: Problematic gaming, social media, and pornography use have all been conceptualized as potential behavioral addictions, sharing similar etiological and neurological mechanisms. Nevertheless, majority of the research to date has investigated these behaviors separately or explored their co-occurrence. The present study aimed to investigate how an identical set of predictors relates to each problematic behavior, exploring the similarities and differences between them. Methods: Data was collected during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic with an online survey among a convenience sample of Hungarians. Three linear regression models with the three different problematic behaviors as outcomes were conducted (problematic social media use/pornography use/gaming N = 332/396/217;gender = 62.2/66.0/69.9% males;mean age = 38.6/39.9/37.6 years;SD = 10.7/11.0/10.0). Results: Findings revealed that depression symptoms were significantly and positively related to all three problem behaviors. Problematic pornography use was associated with male gender, while problematic social media use was associated with female gender. Time spent on each activity was positively correlated with the problematic use of the same activity. Remarkably, playing time was also positively associated with problematic social media use and problematic pornography use. Moreover, loneliness was significantly and positively associated with problematic pornography use. Conclusion: The results indicate that problematic gamers, social media, and pornography users all may experience depression symptoms and that excessive use may result in adverse consequences in all these activities. The current findings extend the knowledge regarding the psychological features of problematic use of games, pornography, and social media, highlighting the need to focus on their common underlying etiological processes.

Problematic internet use during COVID-19 pandemic

Background: Experts in the field raised concerns about the rise of the Problematic Usage of the Internet (PUI) during the Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), however, specific online behaviours and how they are presented cross-culturally were explored to a lesser extent. In this study, we aimed to explore the cross-cultural manifestation of specific online behaviours and their associations with self-compassion, appearance anxiety, image and performance enhancing drugs (IPEDs) use, and specific online behaviours. Methods: An international survey was conducted in eight countries including Italy, Lithuania, Portugal, Spain, Japan, United Kingdom, Brazil and Hungary comprising in total 2223 individuals with a mean age of 33±11 years old. Participants were surveyed for specific type of Internet use severity (the Internet Activities Scale from the Internet Severity and Activities Addiction Questionnaire), selfcompassion (the Self-Compassion Scale, SCS), appearance anxiety (the Appearance Anxiety Inventory, AAI), and IPEDs use. Results: After adjustment for demographic factors, hours online, and country, self-compassion remained associated with higher levels of skill games and time wasters (β=-.073;p<.002), streaming (β=-.053;p=.018), digital hoarding (β=-.065;p=.006) and cyberchondria (β=-.153;p<.001). Appearance was associated with general surfing (β=.136;p<.001), online shopping (β=.137;p<.001), online gambling (β=.067;p=.003), social networking (β=.131;p<.001), pornography use (β=.102;p<.001), digital hoarding (β=.079;p<.001) and cyberchondria (β=.120;p<.001). IPEDs use also remained associated with various online behaviours during the COVID-19 pandemic Conclusions: Our exploratory study demonstrates that self-compassion, appearance anxiety, and IPEDS use contribute to various forms of PUI.

A Network Comparison of Motives behind Online Sexual Activities and Problematic Pornography Use during the COVID-19 Outbreak and the Post-Pandemic Period.

Many researchers have considered whether online sexual activities (OSAs) increased over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic and whether these have led to an increase in problematic pornography use (PPU). This study investigated the impact of COVID-19 on PPU through pornography use motivations (PUMs) and OSAs to develop a better understanding of the mechanism and changes affecting PPU. Two groups of Chinese adults were recruited during the initial months of the pandemic (April 2020, n1 = 496) and the post-pandemic period (October 2021, n2 = 504). A network analysis was conducted to compare the structures of PPU symptoms among the two groups. The results showed that PUMs and OSAs were stronger predictors of PPU during the pandemic than post-pandemic (R2pandemic = 57.6% vs. R2post-pandemic = 28.7%). The motives of fantasy, sexual pleasure, stress reduction, and self-exploration were the prominent motivations during these two periods, but we found distinct PPU-related communities. PPU, sexual pleasure, and viewing sexually explicit materials (a type of OSAs) constituted a community during the pandemic but not in the post-pandemic's network. The present study indicated that the pandemic may not have been the only factor impacting the higher rate of PPU. Instead, the higher frequency of OSAs during the pandemic may have been a strategy to cope with stress and to safely satisfy sexual desire.

No Significant Changes in Addictive and Problematic Behaviors During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Related Lockdowns: A Three-Wave Longitudinal Study.

Introduction: The COVID-19 outbreak and related lockdowns brought substantial changes in people's lives and led to concerns about possible increases of addictive behaviors at the initial stages of the pandemic. To examine these concerns, the aim of the present study was to assess longitudinal changes in addictive and problematic behaviors (i.e., problematic social media use, Internet gaming disorder, gambling disorder, problematic pornography use, and compulsive sexual behavior disorder) over time during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Three waves of data collection took place in different stages of the COVID-19 outbreak in Hungary in a general population, from the first wave of lockdowns to the second and third waves of restrictions (May, 2020; N T1 = 1747; June-August, 2020; N T2 = 656; January, 2021; N T3 = 411). Latent growth curve models were calculated to assess the potential changes in addictive and problematic behaviors over time. Results: Latent growth curve models showed that the sample varied in their initial scores, but there were no significant changes over time in any of the examined behaviors, except for compulsive sexual behavior disorder, which demonstrated a small but significant increase (i.e., positive and significant slope factor). However, the rate of this change was negligible. Overall, there were no noteworthy changes over time regarding any of the examined addictive and problematic behaviors. Conclusion: Contrary to initial concerns, no substantial changes over time were observed regarding the examined addictive behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic and related lockdowns. These findings indicate that those who had no previous problem with these addictive behaviors, might have not developed a problem, and those who had problem with either of the behaviors previously, might have not experienced a significant increase in their symptoms.

A Longitudinal Study of Adolescents' Pornography Use Frequency, Motivations, and Problematic Use Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, an increase in pornography use has been reported based on cross-sectional findings, raising concerns about associated adverse outcomes, such as problematic pornography use (PPU). The aims of the present study were to document potential changes in adolescents' pornography use frequency, motivations, and PPU before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of an ongoing study on adolescents' sexual health, we used a large sample (NTime 1 = 1771; 47.6% girls, Mage = 15.42 years, SD = 0.59) to examine changes from baseline (before the COVID-19 pandemic) to one year later (during the COVID-19 pandemic) in adolescents' self-reported pornography use frequency, motivations, and PPU, using latent change models and examining potential gender differences. No significant changes were observed in adolescents' pornography use frequency and pornography use motivations, and no gender differences were present in these trends. Although statistically significant, slight decrease was observed in boys' PPU levels, and a statistically significant, slight increase was observed in girls' PPU levels, these changes were very small, providing no practical or clinical relevance. In sum, despite previous propositions, concerns, and cross-sectional findings, longitudinal results suggest that adolescents' pornography use characteristics were rather stable between November 2019 and June 2021, and the COVID-19 pandemic and related lockdowns might not have led to general increases in adolescents' pornography use as it was expected.

Porndemic? A Longitudinal Study of Pornography Use Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Nationally Representative Sample of Americans.

Of the many changes in daily life brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, social distancing efforts and governmentally mandated lockdowns were among the most drastic. Coinciding with these changes, popular pornography websites made some previously premium content available for free, spurring dramatic increases in traffic to these websites. This increase in time spent at home and reported increases in traffic to specific pornographic websites led to some speculation that pornography use might generally increase over the course of the pandemic and that problematic use might also increase. To test these speculations and quantify the effects of the pandemic and its associated restrictions on social behaviors on pornography use, we analyzed data from a longitudinal sample of American adults. Baseline, nationally representative data were collected in August 2019 via YouGov (N = 2518). Subsequent data were collected in February 2020 (n = 1677), May 2020 (n = 1533), August 2020 (n = 1470), and October 2020 (n = 1269). Results indicated that, in May 2020, immediately following the height of the first wave of pandemic-related lockdowns, more people reported past-month pornography use than at other follow-up time points, but less did so than at baseline. Among those who reported use in May 2020, only 14% reported increases in use since the start of the pandemic, and their use returned to levels similar to all other users by August 2020. In general, pornography use trended downward over the pandemic, for both men and women. Problematic pornography use trended downward for men and remained low and unchanged in women. Collectively, these results suggest that many fears about pornography use during pandemic-related lockdowns were largely not supported by available data.