Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education and Supervision (PhD)
Keywords – Addiction, Meaning, Pornography, Purpose, Religiosity, Frankl
Counseling | Social and Behavioral SciencesRecommended Citation
Evans, Cynthia Marie, “Pornography and Purpose in Life: A Moderated Mediation Analysis” (2020). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 2423.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/2423
Abstract
Extensive research has examined the relationship between pornography use, religiosity, and perceived addiction to pornography. Other research has explored the connections between religiosity and meaning or purpose in life. No research has examined the potential relationship combining all four constructs in one research study. To rectify this gap, the present study examined the mediating effect of perceived addiction to pornography, as well as the moderating effect of religiosity on the direct relationship between frequency of pornography use and meaning in life. Two hundred and eighty-nine participants, aged 18–30, who admitted using pornography in the past six months completed assessments addressing pornography use, religious instability, perceived addiction to pornography and purpose in life. Quantitative analysis used both zero order correlations and regression analysis. Initial correlational results indicated a negative direction in the relationship between pornography use and purpose in life but no statistical significance. However, upon further exploration, when controlling for age, statistical significance was reported. Perceived addiction mediated the relationship between pornography use and purpose in life only when controlling for age. Religiosity, measured as religious instability, did not moderate the direct relationship. However, when controlling for age, the moderated relationship was statistically significant. Finally, religious instability did moderate the mediated relationship between pornography use, perceived addiction, and purpose in life.
Used the CPUI-9 to assess problematic porn use. Excerpts:
Significant negative correlations were reported between purpose in life and all CPUI-9 factors (compulsivity, efforts, and negative affect) as well as overall CPUI-total score. While these results were not predicted by research hypotheses, they are in line with current research. Purpose in life has been shown to be negatively related to addictions (García-Alandete et al., 2014; Glaw et al., 2017; Kleftaras & Katsogianni, 2012; Marco et al., 2015), lack of motivation, and overall life dissatisfaction (Frankl, 2006; Hart & Cary, 2014). Purpose in life was also significantly negatively correlated with religious instability. This is not surprising, as previous research has reported positive correlations between healthy religiosity (rather than instability in religiosity as measured in this research study) and higher purpose in life (Allport, 1950; Crandall & Rasmussen, 1975; Steger & Frazier, 2005; Steger et al., 2006; Wong, 2012).
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