Mental Health
From Pornography to Somatic Symptoms. A Moderated Mediation Model Involving Moral Disapproval of Pornography and Difficulties in Emotion Regulation.
Open Access: Yes.
Abstract
Objective
The present study aimed to examine the association between problematic pornography consumption (PPC) and somatic symptoms, and to investigate whether difficulties in emotion regulation and moral disapproval of pornography play a role in this relationship.
Method
A sample of 321 individuals, aged between 18 and 64 years (M = 24.85, SD = 8.93), completed self-report measures assessing problematic pornography consumption, difficulties in emotion regulation, somatic symptoms, frequency of pornography use, and moral disapproval of pornography.
Results
PPC was positively associated with somatic symptoms and difficulties in emotion regulation. Difficulties in emotion regulation mediated the association between PPC and somatic symptoms only at high levels of moral disapproval, indicating a moderated mediation effect. No significant indirect effect was observed at low or average levels of moral disapproval.
Conclusions
These findings highlight the importance of integrating moral, emotional, and somatic dimensions when conceptualizing problematic pornography consumption. The role of moral disapproval suggests that individuals experiencing moral conflict may be particularly vulnerable to emotion regulation difficulties and somatic manifestations linked to pornography use, offering useful implications for future theory and clinical practice.
Relevance
“The results indicate that problematic pornography consumption is associated with higher levels of somatic symptoms” – such as headaches, palpitations, gastrointestinal responses, chest pains, etc. – “and emotional dysregulation.” Furthermore, “difficulties in emotion regulation emerged as a relevant psychological mechanism linking problematic pornography consumption to somatic. symptomatology.”
“When faced with distress, some individuals—particularly those who experience difficulties in emotion regulation or engage in problematic pat-terns of use—may rely on pornography as a maladaptive coping strategy…which, over time, may lead to. greater difficulties in emotion regulation and to the reinforcement of avoidance-based mechanisms for dealing with distress and negative emotions… From a coping perspective, somatic symptoms associated with stress or emotional distress may increase vulnerability to engaging in pornography use as a means of short-term relief, potentially reinforcing problematic patterns over time. Emotional dysregulation has also been linked to addictive potential, further strengthening the idea that using pornography as a coping mechanism may lead to problematic and persistent patterns of behavior.”
Citation
