Research, data, and accuracy
This page presents real published sources and clearly labels limitations. No invented clinical success rates, recovery timelines, or guaranteed outcomes are provided.
Selected published research (with study details)
| Topic | Sample | Age | Gender | Duration | Method | Date | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PPU prevalence in a large online sample | N = 11,711 adults | Mean 33.2 years (range 18–75) | Men 62.4%, Women 37.6% | Cross-sectional (single time point) | Online survey; Problematic Pornography Consumption Scale (PPCS) | 2019 | Bőthe et al., 2020 (J. Sex Res.) |
| Pornography use and relationship outcomes (longitudinal) | N = 1,036 adults (US, probability panel) | 18+ (national panel) | Mixed; nationally representative weights applied | 3 waves (approx. 2014–2016) | Longitudinal panel survey; self-reported use and well-being/relationship measures | 2018 | Grubbs, Perry, Grant Weinandy & Kraus, 2018 |
| Pornography, partners, and marital quality (longitudinal) | Married adults from US panel samples (varies by analysis) | Adults (panel) | Men and women | Longitudinal (multi-wave panels) | Panel survey analyses of use, marital quality, and divorce-related outcomes | 2017 | Perry, 2017 (Arch. Sex. Behav.) |
| CSBD classification (ICD-11) | Not a participant sample (diagnostic classification) | Clinical contexts (age-appropriate assessment required) | Not specified (classification) | Adopted 2019; in effect 2022 | WHO expert review and classification framework | 2019/2022 | World Health Organization, ICD-11 (6C72) |
| Neuroscience correlates in CSB/PPU (cue reactivity) | Small clinical/online samples (varies by study) | Mostly adults | Often majority male; limited diversity | Typically cross-sectional lab studies | Neuroimaging (fMRI) and behavioural tasks; heterogeneous measures | 2014 | Voon et al., 2014 (PLOS ONE) |
Evidence strength varies: systematic reviews/meta-analyses and longitudinal studies generally provide stronger inference than single cross-sectional self-report studies, but all have limitations. Findings on PPU and relationships are mixed and moderated by context (e.g., values incongruence, perceived control).
Conceptual pathway (illustrative, not a timeline of recovery)
Illustrative only: Real, uniform recovery timelines or month-by-month prevalence trends are not available. Change is individual and non-linear; this is not a measured trend and not a guarantee.
Recognizing patterns, triggers, and impacts (if present).
Practising boundaries, coping, urge management, and routine adjustments.
Some people experience setbacks; compassionate review can support continued progress.
Professional or couples counselling may be helpful when distress or impacts persist.
Example from one large-sample study (not prevalence for all)
From Bőthe et al. (2020), self-reported categories in an online adult sample (PPCS cutoffs). Not a clinical diagnosis and not generalizable to all populations.
Terminology: Pornography addiction is not described as a formally recognized standalone WHO diagnosis. CSBD is classified in ICD-11 as an impulse control disorder.