Summary: A new study links loneliness and difficulties in emotion regulation to problematic pornography use (PPU). The research found that people who interacted with online content creators reported lower PPU.
The study suggests that social interaction through these platforms may reduce PPU, despite no direct link to emotion regulation or loneliness. Further exploration of digital sex work’s impact on PPU is warranted.
Key Facts:
- Loneliness and PPU: Loneliness and emotion regulation difficulties contribute to problematic pornography use.
- Content Creator Interaction: Interacting with online content creators is associated with lower levels of PPU.
- Behavioral Addictions: PPU has negative consequences, including low self-esteem and reduced relationship satisfaction.
Source: Charles Darwin University
New research conducted at Charles Darwin University (CDU) is among the first to consider the role of ‘content creators’ within the modern pornography landscape.
The study from CDU’s Faculty of Health, recently published in Addictive Behaviors Reports, examined the relationship between people’s experience of loneliness, emotion regulation difficulties, and problematic pornography use (PPU).
The paper is titled “Loneliness and problematic pornography Use: What is the role of emotion regulation and interaction with content Creators?”
Like other behavioral addictions, PPU is defined as a tendency to use pornography excessively or compulsively and has been linked to a range of negative consequences including low self-esteem, reduced productivity, low mood, anxiety, and reduced satisfaction in relationships.
The study surveyed people aged between 18 to 79 years, with nearly two thirds reporting at least weekly pornography use.
The results show individuals who are lonely may turn to pornography because of difficulty in regulating emotions.
Co-author and CDU Senior Lecturer in Psychology Dr. Kim Caudwell said an intriguing finding was interacting with online content creators seemed linked to less PPU.
“To our knowledge, this is one of the first studies to incorporate interaction with content creators while looking at PPU,” Dr. Caudwell said.
“We found that people who were interacting reported lower PPU, but we didn’t find a link to emotion regulation or loneliness. We are conducting more research in this space to better capture ‘interaction’ so we can better understand its relationship with loneliness and PPU.”
Dr. Caudwell said given the increasing popularity of content creation platforms, there was scope for further exploration of digital sex work’s impacts on PPU.
He added users who keep relying on pornography because of experiencing difficulty regulating emotions could continue to experience the cycle of consequences relating to PPU, such as further isolation from the outside world—which would exacerbate loneliness.
“Interpersonal conflict is going to be a key issue in many relationship contexts, particularly where people may have religious or moral positions on pornography use—problematic use would cause ongoing tension within that dynamic,” Dr. Caudwell said.
“We know from the literature that individuals are likely to experience a range of negative consequences or mental health concerns because of engaging in addictive behaviors.
“If people are drawn to PPU because of loneliness, helping them to increase social contact could reduce loneliness, which may help reduce PPU. Psychologists are well placed to help people manage their emotions a bit better and in more adaptive ways which might help them deal with loneliness—and reduce PPU.”
The study was led by CDU Master of Clinical Psychology graduate Maria Vescan, under the supervision of Dr. Caudwell and CDU Senior Lecturer in Psychology Dr. Malcolm Flack.
Dr. Caudwell and Dr. Flack are both members of Researchers in Behavioral Addictions, Alcohol and Drugs.
About this loneliness, PPU, and psychology research news
Author: Maria Vescan
Source: Charles Darwin University
Contact: Maria Vescan – Charles Darwin University
Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News
Original Research: Open access.
“Loneliness and problematic pornography Use: What is the role of emotion regulation and interaction with content Creators?” by Maria Vescan et al. Addictive Behaviors Report
Abstract
Loneliness and problematic pornography Use: What is the role of emotion regulation and interaction with content Creators?
Problematic pornography use is a growing area of interest necessitating a deeper understanding of its contributing factors.
Loneliness and emotion regulation difficulties have been advanced as factors that may exacerbate or perpetuate PPU, however, to date, researchers typically consider these factors in isolation. In addition, the evolving landscape of problematic pornography is further shaped by the emergence of pornography content creators.
This study explores the relationships between loneliness, emotion regulation difficulties and problematic pornography use and individuals’ interactions with pornography content creators.
Specifically, we examine whether emotion regulation difficulties mediate the relationship between loneliness and PPU and whether this mediation is contingent on interactions with content creators.
A total of 213 adults (Mage = 35.57 years, SD = 16.90; 77.50 % men) participants completed an online questionnaire assessing PPU, emotion regulation difficulties and loneliness. Results revealed loneliness is associated with increased PPU and emotion regulation difficulties. Emotion regulation difficulties, in turn, relate to PPU.
Though interaction with pornographic content creators was associated with reduced PPU, interacting with content creators did not moderate the effect of emotion regulation on the relationship between loneliness and PPU.
Our findings support the hypothesised model, suggesting that emotion regulation difficulties mediate the relationship between loneliness and PPU.
The identified mediating role of emotion regulation difficulties provides a foundation for further investigations into the underlying mechanisms connecting emotional well-being and problematic pornography use, offering potential directions for future research.
