A Two-Wave Assessment of the Structure and Stability of Self-Reported Problematic Pornography Use Among Male Croatian Adolescents

Abstract

Objectives: In spite of growing concerns about adolescents' pornography use, research on problematic pornography use (PPU) in this population is scarce.Method: We examined the structure and prevalence of PPU symptoms across six months in 337 male Croatian adolescents.Results: Network analysis indicated that associations among PPU symptoms were highly stable, which was not the case with being at risk for PPU. Less than 5% of the panel participants appeared to be at risk for PPU.Conclusions: This study's findings may help increase awareness and reduce moral panic about PPU among parents and teachers, and inform emerging pornography literacy programs.

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

“…Moreover, while heterosexual and sexually diverse boys' pornography use characteristics were similar, sexually diverse girls used pornography more frequently (once a month) than their heterosexual peers (less than once a month) (Bőthe et al, 2020b). Although a high ratio of adolescents in industrialized countries use pornography and use it relatively frequently, most of them appear to engage in pornography use without reporting any negative impact on their lives or related distress (Efrati, 2020;Kohut & Štulhofer, 2018;Štulhofer et al, 2020). Nevertheless, 5 to 14% of adolescents who have used pornography before report excessive, compulsive, or problematic use of pornography, with boys reporting higher levels of PPU than girls in general (Bőthe et al, 2021d;Efrati & Dannon, 2019;Efrati & Gola, 2018;Pizzol et al, 2016;Štulhofer et al, 2020;Svedin et al, 2011).…”

Validity and reliability of the short version of the Problematic Pornography Consumption Scale (PPCS-6-A) in adolescents.

“…However, there is a smaller but still significant number of adolescents whose pornography use may become problematic (Doornwaard et al, 2016;Efrati, 2020;Efrati & Gola, 2018;Kohut & Štulhofer, 2018;Štulhofer et al, 2020), and may result in negative consequences over time, such as higher levels of psychological distress and sexual problems (Grubbs et al, 2015;Grubbs & Gola, 2019). In particular, 5% to 14% of 14 to 19-yearold adolescents reported excessive, compulsive, or problematic use of pornography (Efrati & Gola, 2018;Pizzol et al, 2016;Štulhofer et al, 2020;Svedin et al, 2011). When problematic cybersex use (including pornography use) was assessed among 15 to 18-year-old adolescents, 6% to 19% of girls and 18% to 38% of boys were identified as at-risk cybersex users (i.e., excessive cybersex use), and 1% of girls and 0% to 1% of boys were identified as pathological cybersex users (i.e., compulsive, out-of-control cybersex use), based on cut-off scores validated with adult users (Ballester-Arnal et al, 2017).…”

“…There are increasing societal concerns about adolescents’ pornography use (Keen et al, 2020), especially when considering that pornography may represent youth’s first contact with sexuality, playing an important role in their sexual development (Peter & Valkenburg, 2016). However, the examination of adolescents’ problematic pornography use (PPU)—defined as persistent patterns of uncontrollable use despite significant distress and functional impairment (Bőthe, Tóth-Király, et al, 2020; Kraus et al, 2018)—is still scarce in the literature (Kohut & Štulhofer, 2018; Štulhofer et al, 2020). One potential obstacle to moving this area forward is the lack of well-validated measures of PPU in this population.…”

“…A high ratio of adolescents in industrialized countries report viewing pornography (Bőthe, Vaillancourt-Morel, et al, 2020; Lobe et al, 2011; Wolak et al, 2007), and most of them appear to use it frequently without reporting any negative impact on their life (Efrati, 2020; Kohut & Štulhofer, 2018; Štulhofer et al, 2020). However, there is a smaller but still significant number of adolescents whose pornography use may become problematic (Doornwaard et al, 2016; Efrati, 2020; Efrati & Gola, 2018; Kohut & Štulhofer, 2018; Štulhofer et al, 2020), and may result in negative consequences over time, such as higher levels of psychological distress and sexual problems (Grubbs et al, 2015; Grubbs & Gola, 2019). In particular, 5%–14% of 14–19-year-old adolescents reported excessive, compulsive, or problematic use of pornography (Efrati & Gola, 2018; Pizzol et al, 2016; Štulhofer et al, 2020; Svedin et al, 2011).…”

International Sex Survey: Study protocol of a large, cross-cultural collaborative study in 45 countries

“…Moreover, given limits in the survey battery (e.g., relating to respondent burden), it will not be possible to assess all sexuality-related variables (e.g., use of sexual enhancement products; Corazza et al, 2014) or psychosocial characteristics (e.g., sexual self-esteem; Mitchell, Lewis, O'Sullivan, & Fortenberry, 2021) that may be relevant to CSBD, PPU, sexual well-being, or sexual health. Thus, building off ISS findings, future studies will be needed to examine a wider range of variables in relation to CSBD and PPU, preferably in longitudinal settings, providing information about the natural course and temporal stability of assessed and observed associations (Grubbs & Gola, 2019;Grubbs & Kraus, 2021;Stulhofer, Rousseau, & Shekarchi, 2020).…”