Abstract

Self-perceived pornography addiction (SPPA) has increasingly emerged as a concept in research and popular culture, and commentators warn of the reported negative impact that it can have. Despite this, “pornography addiction” is not a formally recognized disorder and there is disagreement among researchers regarding its definition or even its existence. Therefore, how SPPA is operationalized often varies, and this can significantly influence the conclusions made about its impact.

This paper aimed to examine how SPPA is commonly operationalised, and its supposed impact, through a systematic review of quantitative and qualitative peer-reviewed literature. We found that SPPA is most frequently operationalized as excessive pornography use, and that reported negative consequences of SPPA included social isolation and relationship breakdowns. However, limitations within the primary studies reviewed (including lack of representative samples and inadequate measurements of SPPA) significantly limit the strength of the conclusions that can be drawn regarding the nature, phenomenology, or impact of self-perceived pornography addiction.