Motivational Pathways Diverge Between Frequent and Problematic Pornography Use

Abstract

Objectives: With the increasing accessibility of online sexual content, pornography consumption has become a prevalent aspect of contemporary sexual behavior. However, frequent use does not inherently indicate problematic involvement. This study aimed to clarify the motivational pathways that differentiate frequent from problematic pornography use and to examine their associations with sexual regulation and sexual motivations. Methods: A total of 890 Hungarian adults (600 women and 290 men by sex assigned at birth) completed an online survey. Regarding gender identity, most participants identified as women (64.3%) or men (34.7%), with a small proportion identifying as non-binary (0.7%) or choosing not to disclose (0.3%). Participants ranged in age from 18 to 64 years (M = 33.95, SD = 10.14). The survey assessed motivations for pornography use (PUMS), problematic pornography use (PPCS-6), sexual regulatory tendencies (SSFS), and sexual motivations (YSEX?-15). We used generalized linear modeling (GLM) and structural equation modeling (SEM) to test a theory-driven model examining how positive and negative motivations predicted pornography use patterns and sexual regulation outcomes. Results: Positive motivations—such as enhancement and partner-related use—were associated with frequent but non-problematic pornography use and with adaptive sexual regulation. In contrast, negative motivations—such as coping and emotional avoidance—were strongly linked to problematic use, marked by sexual system hyperactivation, emotion regulation difficulties, and impaired relational functioning. Only PPCS-6, not frequency of use, mediated the association between negative motivations and sexual system deactivation. Conclusions: Frequent and problematic pornography use reflect distinct psychological profiles rather than points along a severity continuum. These findings support motivation-based clinical frameworks that distinguish between functional and dysfunctional pornography use when assessing sexual health risks and designing therapeutic interventions.