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Pornography Use, Problematic Pornography Use, and Potential Impacts on Partners and Relationships

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Abstract

Purpose of Review

The present review focuses on relationships between pornography use, problematic pornography use, and their possible effects on partners and relationships.

Recent Findings

Pornography use has been examined in the setting of marriages and other partnered relationships. Aspects considered include pornography-use patterns, perceptions of a partner’s pornography use, relationship satisfaction and happiness, relationship quality, partner’s problematic pornography use, infidelity/extramarital sex, and relationship stability (breakup/divorce).

Summary

Studying potential effects of pornography use in the context of dyadic relationships appears important with respect to understanding both marriage and divorce and the quality of couples’ relationships. More research is needed, particularly in the context of problematic pornography use.

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Funding

Gemma Mestre-Bach was supported by a postdoctoral grant of FUNCIVA.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Universidad Internacional de La Rioja, La Rioja, Spain

    Gemma Mestre-Bach

  2. Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA

    Marc N. Potenza

  3. Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA

    Marc N. Potenza

  4. Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, CT, USA

    Marc N. Potenza

  5. Connecticut Council On Problem Gambling, Wethersfield, CT, USA

    Marc N. Potenza

  6. Department of Neuroscience, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA

    Marc N. Potenza

  7. Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA

    Marc N. Potenza

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  1. Gemma Mestre-Bach
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Correspondence to Gemma Mestre-Bach.

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Conflict of Interest

The authors have no conflicts of interest with the content of this manuscript. Dr. Potenza discloses that he has consulted for and advised Game Day Data, Addiction Policy Forum, AXA, Idorsia, Baria-Tek, and Opiant Therapeutics; been involved in a patent application with Yale University and Novartis; received research support from the Mohegan Sun Casino and the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling; consulted for or advised legal and gambling entities on issues related to impulse control and addictive behaviors; provided clinical care related to impulse-control and addictive behaviors; performed grant reviews; edited journals/journal sections; given academic lectures in grand rounds, CME events, and other clinical/scientific venues; and generated books or chapters for publishers of mental health texts.

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The Section Editors for the topical collection Sex Addiction are Gemma Mestre-Bach and Giulia Testa. Please note that Gemma Mestre-Bach was not involved in the editorial process of this article as she is a co-author.

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Mestre-Bach, G., Potenza, M.N. Pornography Use, Problematic Pornography Use, and Potential Impacts on Partners and Relationships. Curr Addict Rep 10, 219–229 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40429-023-00468-5

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