A lack of association between online pornography exposure, sexual functioning, and mental well-being

Merdian, Hannah L; Charig, Ruth; Moghaddam, Nima G; Dawson, David L; das Nair, Roshan

Abstract

© 2020 College of Sexual and Relationship Therapists. To inform debate around potential influences of online pornography, we applied a contemporary media-effects model to examine the relationship between online sexually explicit material (oSEM) exposure and several psychosocial outcomes–including sexual satisfaction, body satisfaction, sexist attitudes, and mental well-being. Perceived realism of oSEM (the extent to which it is believed to be a realistic portrayal of sexual experience) was assessed as a potential mediator of exposure-outcome relationships. Furthermore, family communication about sex and gender were investigated as potential moderators of any indirect relationships (via perceived realism). Using a convenience sample of cisgender, heterosexual adults (N = 252) and a cross-sectional questionnaire design, we found no significant direct or indirect relationships between oSEM-use and the psychosocial outcomes in question; equivalence testing demonstrated that (for all outcomes other than body satisfaction) we could reject effect sizes (rs) > ±.20. Overall, findings do not favour a negative or positive relationship between oSEM and the psychosocial outcomes under examination–oSEM appeared to have a negligible role in individuals’ current sexual functioning and mental well-being.

Citation

Merdian, H. L., Charig, R., Moghaddam, N. G., Dawson, D. L., & das Nair, R. (2020). A lack of association between online pornography exposure, sexual functioning, and mental well-being. Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 35(2), 258-281. https://doi.org/10.1080/14681994.2020.1727874

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Feb 5, 2020
• Online Publication Date: Feb 20, 2020
• Publication Date: 2020
• Deposit Date: Feb 10, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 21, 2021
• Journal: Sexual and Relationship Therapy
• Print ISSN: 1468-1994
• Electronic ISSN: 1468-1749
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 35
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 258-281
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14681994.2020.1727874
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/3937043
• Publisher URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14681994.2020.1727874
• Additional Information: This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Sexual and Relationship Therapy on 20/02/2020, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com//doi/full/10.1080/14681994.2020.1727874