Scientific Research

The study points to a worrying link between problematic online pornography use (POPU) and insomnia. This relationship is fully mediated by psychological stress and emotion dysregulation: compulsive use worsens psychological distress and impairs emotional regulation, which in turn damages sleep quality. Furthermore, although only about 11.3% of the sample exhibited high levels of POPU, the effects of uncontrolled compulsive use were significantly associated with anxiety symptoms, psychological distress, social isolation, sexual dysfunction, impaired daily functioning, and persistent sleep-wake cycle disruptions.

Study title:

The Interplay Between Problematic Online Pornography Use, Psychological Stress, Emotion Dysregulation and Insomnia Symptoms During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Mediation Analysis

Published in:

PubMed Central

Date of publication:

January 2022

Researchers:

אלסנדרו מוזטי, אלסיו גורי, אלסיה אלסנדרה, אליאונורה טופינו, גראציה טרונה, ג'וזפה פלאצי, מרקו קצ'יופו, כריסטיאן פרנצ'סקיני