A roadmap for future research into Problematic Pornography Use
Darryl Mead sets out a future vision for research into pornography use. It will be useful to both people working in the caring professions and for those trying to overcome problems with problematic pornography use.
In May 2020 Darryl and his Reward Foundation colleague Mary Sharpe published a paper in the International Journal on Environmental Research and Public Health setting out a roadmap for future research into problematic pornography use. This was in response to the 2018 “Manifesto for a European Research Network into Problematic Usage of the Internet”. Our aim was to meet the diverse needs of consumers, recovery communities and professionals impacted by the problematic use of pornography. Key future research areas identified include: investigating if it is possible to get early exposure to pornography classified as an Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE); and, inserting the word “pornography” into the future wording of disorders in the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Diseases. We still need much more robust research to demonstrate causal links between pornography and effects on health, relationships, education and gender relations. Ideally this will include before and after neuroscience studies.
The talk was first presented at the Coalition to End Sexual Exploitation 2020 Global Summit on July 23rd.