Problematic Pornography Use in China

China is a typical sexual conservative cultural context country; it is necessary to understand the problematic pornography use (PPU) in China, which may reflect the influence of the conservative culture on PPU. In this review, the pornography use motivation, prevalence, screening scales, diagnosing elements, and intervention situation in China were described.

The most preponderant pornography use motivations were self-exploration and seeking education. In line with the international situation in screening PPU, inconsistent assessment resulted in fluctuant prevalence in China. Fortunately, several screening scales were confirmed valid in Chinese sample. The symptoms of PPU among Chinese were similar with samples from other Western countries. More urgently, in China, it appeared there exists a supply-demand imbalance in regards to the prevalence of PPU and the limited treatment options available.

Due to the conservative attitude toward sex and pornography, research on pornography use in China is scarce. The Chinese pornography motivations differ from the Western more permissive countries, but the core symptoms of PPU among Chinese are similar with the other Western participants. Actually, in the Chinese public, the prevalence of PPU is high; however, the demand for professional psychotherapy services exceeds the current available resources.