Belief about pornography use and its relationship with couple satisfaction, sexual satisfaction, and active-empathic listening: An exploratory analysis

Abstract

Pornography use and relationship outcomes have been studied through multiple frameworks and with numerous associated factors, including beliefs held regarding pornography use. To further clarify and test the association between belief regarding pornography use and relationship outcomes, including couple satisfaction, sexual satisfaction, and active-empathic listening, two phases of analyses were conducted, using symbolic interaction theory to underpin the analyses. Using a sample of 182 (N = 182) individuals in romantic relationships who experience the use of pornography within the context of their romantic partnership, a MANCOVA test, and three ANCOVA analyses were conducted. Dummy coded variables derived from qualitative research, comprising a portion of the same larger dataset, were utilized as an independent grouping variable and included three groups; those who reported beliefs that pornography use was beneficial, detrimental, and ineffectual to their relationships respectively. Dependent variables included couple satisfaction, sexual satisfaction, and active-empathic listening, and participant gender and relationship status were added as covariates. No significance was detected in the MANCOVA test, or in the three ANCOVA tests, however significance was detected in the association of the covariate relationship status and sexual satisfaction, and for the covariate of gender and active-empathic listening. The placement of these findings within the broader literature, their limitations, and their implications and potential questions for future research are discussed.