Psychosocial determinants of internet sex addiction: moderating the role of sex (2017)

“Psychospołeczne uwarunkowania poziomu uzależnienia od seksu internetowego–moderująca rola płci.”

Annales Universitatis Mariae Curie-Skłodowska, sectio J–Paedagogia-Psychologia 30.1 (2017): 171.

Translated from Polish

Link to abstract

Iwona Ulfik-Jaworska, Michal Wiechetek

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the relationship between the selected psychosocial variables and the level of Internet sex addiction in the group of students taking into account the moderating role of the sex factor. The study covered 382 university students from Lublin and the surrounding area (54.5% of the women). Respondents filled out a set of questionnaires to measure their involvement in Internet sexual activity (IAS), Internet sex addiction, social support, satisfaction with social relationships, satisfaction with sexuality, and other psychosocial variables. There was significantly higher levels of Internet sex addiction among men than women. Correlational analyzes have shown a significant relationship between Internet sex addiction and long time without partner relationships, low self-esteem for sexual competence, and early age of first contact with pornography only among men. In the group of women, the level of Internet sex addiction coincided with low satisfaction with peer relationships and the early age of sexual initiation. In both groups, the level of Internet sex addiction correlated significantly with the greater number of sexual partners and involvement with the IAS, in particular with individual and relational behaviors.

Keywords – Addiction to internet sex; Internet sexual activity; cybersex; pornography; students