Investigating the Problematic Use of Sexually Explicit Internet Content: A Survey Study among German Internet Users

ABSTRACT Studies showed that some individuals use sexually explicit Internet content in an excessive, potentially pathological manner, which can have serious negative consequences. However, existing studies often suffer from measurement and sampling issues. In the current study, we adapted a widely acknowledged DSM-5-based scale to assess the prevalence of the problematic use of sexually explicit Internet content (PUSIC) in a random-quota sample of German Internet users (N = 1,019, including 468 users of sexually explicit content). We detected a prevalence rate of 3.4% problematic users among participants that use sexually explicit Internet content. PUSIC was positively related to increased depression, anxiety, and loneliness.