How much online pornography is too much? A comparison of two theoretically distinct assessment scales

• Main Authors: Germano Vera Cruz (Author), Elias Aboujaoude (Author), Magdalena Liberacka-Dwojak (Author), Monika Wiłkość-Dębczyńska (Author), Lucien Rochat (Author), Riaz Khan (Author), Yasser Khazaal (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: BMC, 2024-05-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.
• Notes: 10.1186/s13690-024-01294-5; 2049-3258
• Keywords: Behavioral addiction; Assessment tools; Sex addiction; Pornography; Internet addiction; "cyberporn"; Public aspects of medicine; RA1-1270
• Source: Archives of Public Health, Vol 82, Iss 1, Pp 1-18 (2024)

Abstract Background Online pornography use, an ever more common activity, has raised myriad psychosocial and clinical concerns. While there is a need to screen for and measure its problematic dimension, there is a debate about the adequacy of existing assessment tools. Objective The study compares two instruments for measuring pathological online pornography use (POPU) that are based on different theoretical frameworks-one in line with DSM-5 criteria and the six-component addiction model and one in line with ICD-11 criteria. Methods An international sample of 1,823 adults (Mean age = 31.66, SD = 6.74) answered an online questionnaire that included the Short Version of the Problematic Pornography Consumption Scale (PPCS-6) and the Assessment of Criteria for Specific Internet-Use Disorders (ACSID-11). Factorial, correlational, and network analyses were conducted on the data. Results Both tools adequately screened for online "addictive" behavior, but the ACSID-11 was superior in assessing the degree of clinical risk. Conclusion Depending on the specific aim of the assessment (screening vs. clinical diagnostics), both online pornography measurement tools may be useful.