Pornography Use and Sexual Health among Same-Sex and Mixed-Sex Couples: An Event-Level Dyadic Analysis

Scientific paper - Original scientific paper

• Author: Marie-Pier Vaillancourt-Morel https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8634-3463
• Author: Natalie O. Rosen
• Author: Aleksandar Štulhofer https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5138-3644
• Author: Myriam Bosisio
• Author: Sophie Bergeron
• Author's institution: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences; (Department of Sociology)
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: SOCIAL SCIENCES; Sociology; Specific Sociologies

Abstract (english)

A large number of partnered individuals regularly use or are in a relationship with someone who uses pornography. However, knowledge concerning the association between pornography use and partnered sexual health—sexual satisfaction, distress, and function—is fragmentary. The current study used an event-level dyadic design to examine the associations between pornography use and sexual satisfaction, distress, and function on days when partnered sexual activity occurred. A convenience sample of 217 couples (Mage = 30.2; SD = 8.3; 72 same-sex couples) completed a short survey on days of sexual activity with their partner, over a 35-day period. Self-report measures included questions about today’s pornography use and masturbation as well as sexual satisfaction, distress, and function. Using pornography on days of partnered sexual activity was reported by half of the couples. An individual’s solitary pornography use on days of partnered sexual activity was related to their partner’s higher sexual distress and, for women’s use only, to their own higher quality of lubrication, compared to sex days without solitary pornography use. There was no evidence of an association between pornography use on sex days, whether alone or with the partner, and all other aspects of sexual health including sexual satisfaction. Our findings capture the complexity of the associations between pornography and sexual health. Men and women’s pornography use may create idealized fantasies around appearance and performance, which may lead the partner to feel distressed about their sex life. Women’s pornography use might facilitate their sexual responsiveness during partnered sexual activity.

• Keywords (english): Pornography use; Sexual health; Partnered sexuality; Dyadic daily diaries
• Language: english
• Publication type: Scientific paper - Original scientific paper
• Publication status: Published
• Peer review: Peer review - international
• Publication version: Accepted version
• Journal title: Archives of Sexual Behavior
• Numbering: vol. -, s10508-020-01839-z
• p-ISSN: 0004-0002
• e-ISSN: 1573-2800
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-020-01839-z
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:131:275132
• Online first: 2021-01-04
• Document URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10508-020-01839-z
• Type of resource: Text
• Access conditions: Open access; Embargo expiration date: 2022-01-04
• Public note: This is a post-peer-review, pre-copyedit version of an article published in Archives of Sexual Behavior. The final authenticated version is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-020-01839-z
• Created on: 2021-01-07 16:03:22