Explanatory factors for problematic cybersex behaviour: the importance of negative emotions

Abstract

Cybersex encompasses a wide range of behaviors that use information and communication technologies as a means of access to obtain sexual gratification, a phenomenon that can take on problematic patterns. The main objective of the study is to propose a model that explains the extent to which online sexual activities and the negative emotionality associated with them can generate a tolerance phenomenon characterized by an increase in the frequency and intensity of cybersex behaviors. To this end, the Cybersex Behavioral Assessment Questionnaire was administered to a sample of 369 individuals. The results show that online sexual behavior and the presence of negative emotions during the performance of these activities influence the occurrence of tolerance, which is characterized by an increase and variety of activities with increasingly extreme typology. These findings may have implications for education and healthcare.