Mental Health
The Role of Positive and Negative Metacognitions About Sex in the Relationship Between Psychological Distress and Problematic Consumption of Pornography. A Mediation Model.
Open Access: Yes.
Abstract
Objective: This study aims to examine how positive and negative metacognitions about sex (MSS) mediate the relationship between psychological distress and problematic consumption of pornography.
Method: 821 individuals from Romania, aged 18-70 (M = 27.21; SD = 8.74), 64.4% of whom were women.
Results: Both positive and negative MSS mediated the link between psychological distress and problematic consumption of pornography.
Conclusion: MSS plays a crucial role in understanding the dynamics between psychological distress and problematic consumption of pornography. The study contributes to filling a gap in the literature by exploring MSS in this context. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Relevance
“Our findings have revealed that psychological distress is correlated with problematic pornography use. Our result is consistent with the literature, which has shown that when individuals experience negative outcomes related to mental health, such as loneliness, social isolation, emotional dysregulation, or psychological distress they can turn to pornography use as a coping strategy” that may have some effectiveness in the short term but is the long term is “a maladaptive coping strategy.”
The study also found “that the relationship between psychological distress and problematic consumption of pornography was mediated by positive metacognitions about sex” – e.g., “any sexual activity, including pornography consumption, could serve as an immediate remedy for negative emotional states” – which “might involve cognitive distortions that could contribute to problematic consumption.” This relationship wa also mediated by negative metacognitions about sex that “may reflect an intense and persistent concern regarding the potential uncontrollability of sexual thoughts, which can exacerbate psychological distress in the individual.”
Citation
Huțul, T. D., Karner-Huțuleac, A., Mariș, A. M., Filote, I. M., Chiricheș, F. B., & Mavrichi, M. I. F. (2024). The Role of Positive and Negative Metacognitions About Sex in the Relationship Between Psychological Distress and Problematic Consumption of Pornography. A Mediation Model. International Journal of Sexual Health, 37(1), 30–45. https://doi.org/10.1080/19317611.2024.2410943
