MASTURBATION
Researchers identify the main factors in pornography use among adolescents
The Universitat Rovira i Virgili research, based on data from over 33,000 students in Spain, links the adolescent pornography consumption to problematic Internet use, substance use, family conflict and certain risky sexual behaviors
A study by the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV) has analysed which factors are most associated with pornography use during adolescence. The results show that the most predictive variable is gender, followed by problematic internet use, cannabis and alcohol consumption, family conflict and engaging in certain risky sexual behaviours. The research, published in the journal Computation, was based on the 2023 ESTUDES survey and worked with a sample of 33,543 adolescents. The aim was to determine which personal, family, digital and behavioural variables are most useful for predicting whether an adolescent reports having viewed or used pornography in the previous 30 days.
“Our aim was not to single out individual adolescents, but to better understand which factors tend to be associated with this behaviour,” explains Jorge de Andrés-Sánchez, a researcher at the URV’s the Social and Business Research Laboratory and co-author of the article.
Detecting patterns with artificial intelligence
The study combines the conventional statistical technique of logistic regression, three machine learning models (XGBoost, LightGBM and CatBoost) and explainable artificial intelligence techniques. These tools are able to detect complex relationships between variables and reveal the weight that each variable carries in the predictions.
The different models produced similar results. The machine learning systems slightly improved some indicators, but the differences compared with logistic regression were small. The authors therefore note that more complex models should not automatically replace traditional statistical techniques. “Artificial intelligence helps us see that this behaviour does not appear in isolation, but within a broader profile of digital, family and behavioural factors,” the authors affirmed.
Sex and problematic internet use: the most influential factors
The sex of the individual is, by far, the variable that carries the most weight in the predictions, with boys being more likely to use pornography. Age is also associated with it, but has a lower predictive importance.
After gender, the next most significant factor is problematic Internet use, which includes behaviours such as having difficulty staying offline, sleeping less to be online, neglecting obligations or using the Internet to escape from worries or negative emotions. The researchers point out that problematic internet use does not equate to a clinical diagnosis of Internet addiction.
The next most predictive variables are cannabis and alcohol use and family conflict. Some risky sexual behaviours, such as having sex without a condom or having a sexual encounter that the teenager regrets the next day, are also slightly predictive. In contrast, parental control has a much more limited effect when all the variables are analysed together.
The study also identifies differences between boys and girls. Among boys, alcohol consumption is the most important predictor once the individual’s sex is excluded from the analysis, whereas among girls it is problematic internet use. The weight of family conflict also varies. Age-related differences, however, are smaller.
More comprehensive prevention
The research team insists that although the results show associations and predictive patterns, cause-and-effect relationships cannot be established. For this reason, the models should not be used to diagnose, label or sanction specific adolescents, but rather to better understand the phenomenon and to guide educational and preventative policies.
The conclusions point towards programmes that combine sex and relationship education, digital literacy, critical reflection on pornographic content, substance misuse prevention, the promotion of safe sexual practices and the strengthening of family communication.
“Pornography should not be addressed as a phenomenon disconnected from the other dimensions of adolescent life. It is part of a broader ecosystem of digital practices, family relationships, substance use and sex education,” the authors summarise.
The study was carried out by the researchers Jorge de Andrés-Sánchez, from the URV’s Department of Business Management, and Ángel Belzunegui-Eraso, Inma Pastor-Gosálbez and Anna Sánchez-Aragón, from the URV’s Department of History and Art History, all members of the Social and Business Research Laboratory.
Journal
Computation
Method of Research
Observational study
Subject of Research
People
Article Title
Predicting Pornography Use Among Adolescents in Spain: Findings from Ensemble Tree Models and Explainable Machine Learning
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