Psychological Research Proposal: Exploring how women perceive their partner’s pornography addiction and how this affects their relationship
Written By: Stella Kemp
Introduction
Self-perceived pornography addiction (SPPA) is not a category formally recognised in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and has some disagreement in literature regarding its definition, as well as its existence (Duffy et al., 2016). A systematic review of definitions and impact of SPPA in adults found it to be frequently operationalised as excessive pornography use and negative consequences (Duffy et al., 2016; Newstrom & Harris, 2016). A recent qualitative study found experiences and perceptions of men with SPPA to be consistently described as “problematic” and “harmful”, with an inability to stop consumption despite adverse effects, characterised by an increase in use and searching for new and more shocking content (Hanseder & Dantas, 2023). Factors including depression, moral disapproval, and perceived addiction have been found to mediate the relationship between pornography use and relationship satisfaction, while religiosity and gender have been found to moderate the relationship (Guidry et al., 2019; Willoughby & Dover, 2022). A recent literature review found SPPA to be associated with negative impacts on intimate female partner wellbeing (in heterosexual relationships), including relationship challenges and cascading adverse societal repercussions (Aghamiri, Luetz & Hills, 2022). However, they also pointed to a gap in the research, in which studies largely appear to focus on male experiences of SPPA, rather than their female partners.
Aims and Research Question
This study primarily aims to examine (1) the experiences of women in heterosexual relationships with someone who experiences a self-perceived pornography addiction. I also look to explore how experiences of mediating and moderating factors, as identified by prior research, including (2) depression, (3) moral disapproval, (4) perceived addiction, and (5) religiosity, may inform their perceptions of the effects of this addiction in their lives. These aims inform the guiding research question: how do heterosexual women perceive their romantic partner’s (self-perceived) pornography addiction and in what ways does this affect their relationship?
Methodological Approach
I will adopt a critical realist epistemology, which asserts that there is no such thing as pure or complete knowledge as it is context dependent (Hanly & Fitzpatrick, 2001). This approach acknowledges the complexity of pornography addiction as a social phenomenon and allows for deep exploration of the contextual factors that influence the women’s perceptions, whilst simultaneously holding focus on material reality (Braun & Clark, 2006, p. 81). In terms of methodology, I will employ semi-structured interviews as my primary data collection method. This choice aligns with the epistemological stance by facilitating open-ended and exploratory conversations with participants.
The primary recruitment approach will be convenience sampling. This involves advertising the study (alongside participant characteristics and study requirements) on online forums dedicated to the topic of SPPA as this has demonstrated success in previous research studies that have explored the same subject matter (Hanseder & Dantas, 2023). I recognise the relevance of online recruitment, given that pornography is easily accessible and consumed online, making online communities a pertinent context for understanding the experiences of those affected by SPPA. I intend to recruit 17 or more participants for high probability of data saturation (Hennink & Kaiser, 2022). Due to the adult nature of the research topic, I will exclusively interview participants who are 18 years of age or older. I will also seek out those with English proficiency, however, I acknowledge that this may limit people from non-English speaking countries and thus, non-Western women’s participation in the study. I will attempt to mitigate this by making it clear to potential participants that I am interested in people from a range of diverse ethnic, cultural, and religious backgrounds to try to achieve as much diversity as possible.
I will conduct semi-structured interviews as they offer the flexibility needed to explore the complex and deeply personal experiences of Australian women in heterosexual relationships with partners with SPPA. These will be conducted via online video call to include participants in different countries as well as to allow for comfort and less feelings of confrontation that may be otherwise present in a face-to-face interview as the topic matter is associated with shame (De Jong & Cook, 2021). Interviews will be audio recorded with participants’ consent. First, pilot interviews will be conducted to inform the creation of open-ended questions that will guide the interviews. The interviews will be participant led, meaning that the same questions may not be asked in every interview to allow for the potential emergence of other themes. After each interview, the data will be reflected upon to ensure that it is effectively meeting the research aims. If new themes emerge or there is missing data, the research questions will be altered. This approach ensures a participant-centred and in-depth exploration of how these factors shape the women's perceptions of the effects of their partners' SPPA on their lives.
Thematic analysis will be conducted using the interview transcripts, which is a method that is used to identify, analyse, and report data patterns (Braun & Clarke, 2006, p. 79). First, the data will be familiarised thorough immersion in the content through repeated readings. Coding will follow, where concise labels (codes) are generated from the transcripts, focusing on women's experiences, emotions, and thoughts in this context. Themes would then be identified by exploring patterns in these codes, and after careful review and refinement, each theme would be named to reflect its content. These themes would then undergo review to ensure they represent the data and address the research aims, potentially leading to refinement or consolidation. Following this, themes would be carefully defined and named, encapsulating their scope and focus. The final report would discuss these themes, supported by relevant data excerpts.
Ethical Issues
Multiple ethical considerations will be assessed to safely conduct this study prior to submission to the School of Psychology Subcommittee for Human Research Ethics. It is essential to meet rigorous ethical standards due to the topic’s sensitive nature, as it is associated with psychological distress (Grubbs et al., 2015). The principles of the NHMRC’s National Statement of Ethical Conduct of Human Research and the APS Code of Ethics will be applied with considerations to cultural and religious sensitivity, avoiding coercion, privacy, and sensitivity to mental distress.
Firstly, participants will be required to proactively initiate contact with the researcher, expressing their voluntary interest in participation. Prior to the interviews, participants will receive a comprehensive information sheet written in plain language, outlining the study's objectives and how their data will be used to ensure informed consent. Secondly, data will be de-identified with the use of pseudonyms and alterations to any other identifying personal details, such as their partner’s name. To protect participant wellbeing, they will retain the right to ask questions or withdraw from the research process without facing repercussions. If participants show signs of distress, they will be offered verbal support and asked questions about their wellbeing, as well as be provided the option to terminate the interview or take a break. They would also be referred to available support services. After the interviews are held, participants will be given a copy of their transcript before analysis to ensure transparency and allow participants to provide additional clarification if necessary.
Reflexivity
Firstly, I acknowledge how my experience as a woman with strong feminist views will inform my interpretation of this research. Throughout the research process, I will work collaboratively and take reflexivity notes, including details of my personal biases, thoughts, potential conflicts of interest, and feelings about the research process. By doing so, I will increase transparency, allowing participants and the broader research community to better understand the researcher's perspective and potential impact on the study. This practice is instrumental in mitigating power imbalances inherent in the interview dynamic, fostering a more equitable and respectful exchange between researcher and participant.
References
Aghamiri, Luetz, J. M., & Hills, K. (2022). Pornography addiction and its impacts on intimate female partner wellbeing-a systematic narrative synthesis. Journal of Addictive Diseases, 40(4), 472–480. https://doi.org/10.1080/10550887.2021.2021058
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative research in psychology, 3(2), 77-101.
Daspe, Vaillancourt-Morel, M.-P., Lussier, Y., Sabourin, S., & Ferron, A. (2018). When Pornography Use Feels Out of Control: The Moderation Effect of Relationship and Sexual Satisfaction. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 44(4), 343–353. https://doi.org/10.1080/0092623X.2017.1405301
De Jong, D. C., & Cook, C. (2021). Roles of religiosity, obsessive–compulsive symptoms, scrupulosity, and shame in self-perceived pornography addiction: A preregistered study. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 50, 695-709.
Duffy, A., Dawson, D. L., & Das Nair, R. (2016). Pornography addiction in adults: A systematic review of definitions and reported impact. The journal of sexual medicine, 13(5), 760-777.
Grubbs, J. B., Stauner, N., Exline, J. J., Pargament, K. I., & Lindberg, M. J. (2015). Perceived addiction to Internet pornography and psychological distress: Examining relationships concurrently and over time. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 29(4), 1056.
Guidry, Floyd, C. G., Volk, F., & Moen, C. E. (2020). The Exacerbating Impact of Moral Disapproval on the Relationship Between Pornography Use and Depression, Anxiety, and Relationship Satisfaction. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 46(2), 103–121. https://doi.org/10.1080/0092623X.2019.1654579
Hanly, C., & Fitzpatrick Hanly, M. A. (2001). Critical realism: distinguishing the psychological subjectivity of the analyst from epistemological subjectivism. Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association, 49(2), 515-532.
Hanseder, & Dantas, J. A. R. (2023). Males’ Lived Experience with Self-Perceived Pornography Addiction: A Qualitative Study of Problematic Porn Use. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(2), 1497–. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20021497
Hennink, M., & Kaiser, B. N. (2022). Sample sizes for saturation in qualitative research: A systematic review of empirical tests. Social science & medicine, 292, 114523.
Newstrom, & Harris, S. M. (2016). Pornography and Couples: What Does the Research Tell Us? Contemporary Family Therapy, 38(4), 412–423. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10591-016-9396-4
Willoughby, & Dover, C. R. (2022). Context Matters: Moderating Effects in the Associations between Pornography Use, Perceived Addiction, and Relationship Well-being. The Journal of Sex Research, ahead-of-print(ahead-of-print), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2022.2148155
