Associations Between Frequency, Motivations, and Problematic Pornography Use and Sexual Well-Being: A Dyadic...

Pornography use is a common aspect of individuals' sexuality, with mixed evidence about its association with couples' sexual well-being. These inconsistencies may stem from methodological limitations, such as reliance on individual-based, cross-sectional data and simplified measures (e.g., frequency of pornography use). The present dyadic study examined the prospective associations between different aspects of pornography use (i.e., frequency of use, eight pornography use motivations [PUMs], and problematic pornography use [PPU]) and sexual well-being (i.e., sexual satisfaction, function, distress, and partnered sexual frequency), considering gender differences. We collected self-report data from 309 couples (618 individuals, 52% women, 2% gender-diverse individuals) at baseline and one year later. We conducted autoregressive cross-lagged analyses within an actor-partner interdependence framework with gender as a moderator. Results suggested important gender-specific and partner effects. For example, men's higher sexual pleasure and self-exploration PUMs were associated with their own and their partner's better sexual function, while women and gender-diverse individuals' PPU was associated with their partner's lower sexual function one year later. Results highlight that associations between different aspects of pornography use and couples' sexual well-being are complex and may differ across genders. Findings underscore the need for longitudinal, dyadic, and gender-inclusive approaches to better understand the interrelations between pornography use and sexual well-being that could inform research and therapy.