Alessandra Melita

The use of online pornography is widely prevalent among adolescents. This study presents a systematic review and meta-analysis to explore the relationship between online pornography use and psychopathological symptoms in this population. The study was conducted in accordance with the guidelines outlined in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science for studies published between 2005 and 2024. Eligible studies included quantitative research examining the association between online pornography use and psychopathological symptoms as defined by the DSM-5-TR, with samples comprising adolescents aged 10–19 years. Fourteen studies were included in the systematic review, and twelve were incorporated into the meta-analysis. The meta-analyses revealed a moderate positive correlation between online pornography use and psychopathological symptoms among adolescents. Subgroup analyses indicated no significant differences based on gender. The findings suggest that, in its most problematic manifestations, online pornography use among adolescents may serve as a maladaptive coping strategy for managing underlying distress. An empathetic approach with adolescents displaying problematic online pornography use has the potential to improve the outcomes of therapeutic interventions. These interventions might enhance adolescents’ personal and relational resources, thus facilitating the discovery of healthier alternatives that effectively address their psychological needs.

Problematic gaming has been consistently associated with insecure attachment styles and alexithymia. However, there is limited knowledge regarding the impact of specific alexithymic features and insecure attachment styles on problematic gaming. The study included a sample of 358 online game players (242 males, 67.6%) between the ages of 18 and 59 (M = 28.46; SD = 8.76) who were recruited from online gaming communities. The participants completed a sociodemographic schedule and measures on attachment styles, alexithymia, and problematic gaming. The results provide evidence for a positive prediction of problematic gaming by dismissing attachment style and the alexithymic factors concerning the difficulty identifying feelings and externally oriented thinking, even when controlling for potentially confounding factors, such as age, sex, education, marital status, and self-reported time devoted to online games. Additionally, the analysis revealed a significant interaction effect between externally oriented thinking and dismissing attachment style in the prediction of problematic gaming. The interaction implies that the alexithymia factors pertaining to externally oriented thinking hold significant relevance in predicting problematic gaming behaviors, especially in cases where dismissive attachment levels are moderately to highly present. These findings emphasize the significance of considering specific insecure attachment styles and alexithymic features when studying problematic gaming behaviors.