Pornography Use and Loneliness: A Bidirectional Recursive Model and Pilot Investigation
AUTHOR(S)
PUBLISHED
2018 in Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, Vol. 44(2), pp. 127-137
KEY FINDINGS
- Individuals who viewed pornography were more likely to experience loneliness.
ABSTRACT
Sexuality is presumptively and observably a powerful core element of the human pair-bond relationship. Technological advances of the last half-century have made media a dominant cultural and developmental presence, including scripting sexual relationship attitudes and behavior. Theoretically and empirically, we examine loneliness as it relates to pornography use in terms of pornography's relational scripting and its addictive potential. Empirically, we examine the associative nature between pornography use and loneliness... READ FULL ABSTRACT
EXCERPTS
- "The purpose of this study was to examine the associative nature between pornography use and loneliness using three similar statistical approaches among a clinical sample of individuals. Results revealed that the association between loneliness and viewing pornography was positive and significant. The support for this claim found in our measurement model emerged from the two structural equation models as well. Those who viewed pornography were more likely to experience loneliness, and those who were experiencing loneliness were more likely to view pornography. These findings are consistent with research linking pornography use to negative affect."
