In this new paper looking at porn and loneliness, the team led by Mark H. Butler… “examined the associative nature between pornography use and loneliness using three similar statistical approaches among a clinical sample of individuals. Results revealed that the association between loneliness and viewing pornography was positive (i.e. there ‘was’ an association) and significant. The support for this claim found in our measurement model emerged from the two structural equation models as well. Those who viewed pornography were more likely to experience loneliness, and those who were experiencing loneliness were more likely to view pornography. (emphasis added) These findings are consistent with research linking pornography use to negative affect (*Tylka, 2015), especially loneliness (**Yoder et al., 2005).”
Mark H. Butler, Samuel A. Pereyra, Thomas W. Draper, Nathan D. Leonhardt & Kevin B. Skinner (2017): Pornography Use and Loneliness: A Bi-Directional Recursive Model and
Pilot Investigation, Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, DOI: 10.1080/0092623X.2017.1321601. The abstract is available here, but the full paper is behind a paywall.
* Tylka, T. L. (2015). No harm in looking, right? Men’s pornography consumption, body image,
and well-being. Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 16(1), 97-107. doi:10.1037/a0035774
** Yoder, V., Virden, T., & Amin, K. (2005). Internet pornography and loneliness: An
association? Sexual Addiction & Compulsivity, 12(1), 19-44.
