The role of rumination in the relationship between depression and pornography consumption
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Abstract
Pornography consumption is a widespread practice. In most cases, it does not have any negative consequence. However, some people develop an excessive and problematic consumption pattern. One of the factors that increases the risk of developing problematic pornography use (PPU) is dysphoric mood (specifically depressive mood). Moreover, rumination (a dysfunctional form of emotional regulation) perpetuates emotional distress, potentially exacerbating the link between depression and PPU. This study aimed to examine whether rumination mediated or moderated the relationship between depression, pornography use frequency (PUF), and PPU. To this end, 220 participants aged 18-74 completed a series of online questionnaires evaluating the main study variables. Depression had a direct, positive,and significanteffect on PPU ( = 0.96***), but not on PUF ( = -0.02). Similarly, rumination had a direct, positive, and significant effect on PPU ( = 0.12*), but not on PUF ( = 0.008). Regarding mediation analyses, rumination did not mediate between depression and PPU ( = 0.01), but it did between
depression and PUF ( = 0.03*). Likewise, rumination did not moderate the relationship between depression and PUF ( = 0.001) or between depression and PPU ( = -0.003). These results suggest that emotional state strongly modulates pornography consumption (increasing the risk of developing PPU), but rumination does not mediate or moderate this relationship. The only instance where rumination plays a role in explaining the link between depression and pornography is in PUF. Thus, it is possible that people with depression and a tendency to ruminate use pornography more frequently, but not in a more problematic way.
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