The Associations of Pornography Use and Body Image Among Heterosexual and Sexual Minority Men.

This study investigated the relationship between pornography use and men's body image, utilizing the social comparison theory as the theoretical framework. The research focused on a moderated mediation model, examining the role of social body comparison as a mediator between pornography use (frequency and problematic use) and men's body image. The sample consisted of 726 men aged 18-68, with 223 (30.7%) identifying as sexual minorities. Sexual minority men reported higher levels of pornography use frequency, problematic use, perceived realism, social body comparison, negative body image, and psychological distress compared to heterosexual men. Findings revealed that problematic pornography use (but not frequency of use) was related to higher levels of social body comparison, which, in turn, were related to higher levels of negative body image. The perceived realism in pornography did not moderate the examined associations. Clinicians should consider the impact of the relationship between pornography and body image among men.

Who Finds Pornography Stressful? A Latent Profile Analysis.

This study explores the connection between pornography use, sexual functioning, and mental health using latent profile analysis (LPA) to identify distinct profiles among pornography users and assess variations in mental health, including anxiety, depression, and emotion regulation. The aim of this study was to identify profiles among pornography users, specifically distinguishing those with sexual distress and sexual function problems, characterize these profiles, and assess variations in mental health. Data were collected from 463 participants through an anonymous online survey. Three distinct pornography user profiles were identified based on their consumption and sexual problems: high-frequency problematic pornography use (PPU, which is defined as uncontrollable patterns of pornography use resulting in adverse consequences and significant distress) with sexual problems, high-frequency non-PPU without/with low sexual problems, and no/low-frequency non-PPU without sexual problems. Differences among the profiles emerged in anxiety and depressive symptoms as well as emotion regulation capabilities. The high-frequency PPU with sexual problems group exhibited lower emotion regulation capabilities, while the no/low-frequency non-PPU without sexual problems group reported significantly lower depressive symptoms. This study emphasizes the multifaceted nature of pornography use, revealing that certain patterns may be more problematic. The findings highlight the interplay between emotional dysregulation, anxiety, depression, problematic pornography use, and sexual problems and distress. Recognizing these distinct profiles is crucial for understanding the relationship between pornography use and sexual and mental well-being, ultimately contributing to more targeted interventions and improved outcomes for all populations.

Pornography use, demographic and sexual health characteristics among university students: a gender-based comparative study of non-users, non-problematic users, and problematic users.

BACKGROUND: Limited gender-based research has compared sexual health among pornography users (PUs) and non-users, including non-problematic pornography users (non-PPUs) and problematic pornography users (PPUs), particularly in non-Western cultures. METHODS: A 2022 cross-sectional study involving 450 Iranian university students categorized participants as PUs or non-users based on 12 months of use. PUs were further classified as non-PPUs or PPUs using the 'Problematic Pornography Use Scale' cutoff point, with comparisons of demographic and sexual variables made between these groups. RESULTS: Pornography use was reported among 39.6% of students, including 51.7% of men and 33.6% of women. In general, 9.5% of participants were PPUs, including 17.4% of men and 5.6% of women. PUs were mainly men, had fewer children, shorter marriages, lower religiosity, and lower levels of education. Compared with non-users, PUs reported earlier sexual relationships, lower satisfaction with sex frequency and communication, and greater rates of extramarital relationships, masturbation, sexual desire, and sexual distress. PPUs reported more sexual desire, pornography use, masturbation, and extramarital affairs than non-PPUs. Similar patterns in demographics, sexual history, and health were observed in pornography use across genders. The regression indicated being male (OR: 2.42, 95% CI: 1.44-4.06), having lower education (OR: 0.89, 95% CI: 0.81-0.97), fewer children (OR: 0.64, 95% CI: 0.48-0.86), higher masturbation (OR: 1.31, 95% CI: 1.14-1.49), more extramarital relationship (OR: 1.69, 95% CI: 1.07-2.67), less religiosity (OR: 0.87, 95% CI: 0.82-0.93), more sexual excitement (OR: 0.79, 95% CI:0.62-1), and more sexual distress (OR: 1.20, 95% CI: 1.02-1.32) were associated with pornography use. Two-way ANOVA found no significant effects of gender or pornography use on sexual satisfaction. Women had worse sexual function regardless of usage. Pornography users, regardless of gender, experienced higher sexual distress.

Evaluating the factor structure and measurement invariance of the 20-item short version of the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale across multiple countries, languages, and gender identities.

The UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Model and the various psychometric instruments developed and validated based on this model are well established in clinical and research settings. However, evidence regarding the psychometric validity, reliability, and equivalence across multiple countries of residence, languages, or gender identities, including gender-diverse individuals, is lacking to date. Using data from the International Sex Survey (N = 82,243), confirmatory factor analyses and measurement invariance analyses were performed on the preestablished five-factor structure of the 20-item short version of the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale to examine whether (a) psychometric validity and reliability and (b) psychometric equivalence hold across 34 country-of-residence-related, 22 language-related, and three gender-identity-related groups. The results of the present study extend the latter psychometric instrument's well-established relevance to 26 countries, 13 languages, and three gender identities. Most notably, psychometric validity and reliability were evidenced across nine novel translations included in the present study (i.e., Croatian, English, German, Hebrew, Korean, Macedonian, Polish, Portuguese-Portugal, and Spanish-Latin American) and psychometric equivalence was evidenced across all three gender identities included in the present study (i.e., women, men, and gender-diverse individuals).

Role of Sports Motivation and Basic Psychological Needs in the Relationship Between Child Maltreatment and Psychological Adaptation in Adolescents.

Child maltreatment poses serious consequences, while sports participation among adolescents offers a potential avenue for mitigating such consequences. This study, based on self-determination theory (SDT), examines the associations among child maltreatment, sports motivation (intrinsic and extrinsic), and satisfaction or frustration of basic psychological needs (BPNs). This study also investigated the mediating role of sports motivation in the relationship between child maltreatment and psychological adaptation. Adolescents engaged in sports were derived from the first wave of a large two-wave study (wave 1: n = 1403; wave 2: n = 618) using data on child maltreatment, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, and satisfaction and frustration of within the sports context. Subsequently, data on psychological adaptation, including self-esteem and satisfaction with life, were collected during the second wave. Path analyses revealed satisfaction and frustration of BPNs as significant mediators in the relationship between child maltreatment and sports motivation. In addition, intrinsic motivation mediated the relationship between child maltreatment and psychological adaptation after 18 months. Specifically, the results indicated that enhancing intrinsic motivation in adolescents with a history of child maltreatment by improving satisfaction of BPNs could be an innovative intervention target.

Associations Between Pornography Use Through Different Media and Sexual and Relationship Satisfaction Among Cohabiting Couples.

Pornography can be used through multiple media and its associations with couples' relationship and sexual satisfaction are mixed. The aims of this study were to examine the proportion of use of different pornographic media (i.e., videos, pictures, audio material, and written material), including different contents (i.e., sexual activities and nudity), gender-based differences in the frequency of use of these media, and the associations between an individual's frequency of use of different pornographic media and their own and their partner's sexual and relationship satisfaction, considering potential gender differences. A sample of 706 adult couples (1368 participants; Mage = 32.19 years) completed online self-report questionnaires. Results of actor-partner interdependence models indicated that video use was associated with lower relationship and sexual satisfaction, and partners' lower sexual satisfaction. Picture use was associated with lower relationship satisfaction and partners' lower sexual satisfaction. Written material use was associated with lower sexual satisfaction. Cisgender women's audio use was associated with their own higher sexual satisfaction, whereas cisgender men's audio use was associated with their partner's lower sexual satisfaction. These findings suggest different associations with sexual and relationship satisfaction depending on the pornographic media.

Uncovering the most robust predictors of problematic pornography use: A large-scale machine learning study across 16 countries.

Problematic pornography use (PPU) is the most common manifestation of the newly introduced compulsive sexual behavior disorder diagnosis in the 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases. Research related to PPU has proliferated in the past two decades, but most prior studies were characterized by several shortcomings (e.g., using homogenous, small samples), resulting in crucial knowledge gaps and a limited understanding concerning empirically based risk factors for PPU. This study aimed to identify the most robust risk factors for PPU using a preregistered study design. Independent laboratories' 74 preexisting self-report data sets (Nparticipants = 112,397; Ncountries = 16) were combined to identify which factors can best predict PPU using an artificial intelligence-based method (i.e., machine learning). We conducted random forest models on each data set to examine how different sociodemographic, psychological, and other characteristics predict PPU, and combined the results of all data sets using random-effects meta-analysis with meta-analytic moderators (e.g., community vs. treatment-seeking samples). Predictors explained 45.84% of the variance in PPU scores. Out of the 700+ potential predictors, 17 variables emerged as significant predictors across data sets, with the top five being (a) pornography use frequency, (b) emotional avoidance pornography use motivation, (c) stress reduction pornography use motivation, (d) moral incongruence toward pornography use, and (e) sexual shame. This study is the largest and most integrative data analytic effort in the field to date. Findings contribute to a better understanding of PPU's etiology and may provide deeper insights for developing more efficient, cost-effective, empirically based directions for future research as well as prevention and intervention programs targeting PPU. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

LGBQ-affirming clinical recommendations for compulsive sexual behavior disorder.

Background and aims: Since the inclusion of Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder (CSBD) in the International Classification of Diseases (11th ed.), there has been little effort placed into developing clinical recommendations for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer (LGBQ) clients with this condition. Thus, we develop preliminary clinical recommendations for mental health professionals working with LGBQ clients who may be struggling with CSBD. Methods: The present paper synthesizes the CSBD literature with advances in LGBQ-affirming care to develop assessment and treatment recommendations. These recommendations are discussed within the context of minority stress theory, which provides an empirically supported explanation for how anti-LGBQ stigma may contribute to the development of mental health conditions in LGBQ populations. Results: Assessment recommendations are designed to assist mental health professionals in distinguishing aspects of an LGBQ client's sociocultural context from CSBD symptomology, given recent concerns that these constructs may be wrongly conflated and result in misdiagnosis. The treatment recommendations consist of broadly applicable, evidence-based principles that can be leveraged by mental health professionals of various theoretical orientations to provide LGBQ-affirming treatment for CSBD. Discussion and Conclusions: The present article provides theoretically and empirically supported recommendations for mental health professionals who want to provide LGBQ-affirming care for CSBD. Given the preliminary nature of these recommendations, future research is needed to investigate their clinical applicability and efficacy.

Associations Between Pornography Use Frequency and Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration Among Young Adult Couples: A 2-Year Longitudinal Study.

Pornography use is a common sexual activity for many individuals including those in a romantic relationship. Some studies have shown that violent content depicted in pornography is a risk factor for perpetration of violence in real life. Even if most of these studies examined perpetration of violent behaviors in general, not specifically toward the intimate partner, some studies have shown that pornography use frequency is related to a greater perpetration of intimate partner violence (IPV), while other studies have found that it is not significantly related. However, most previous studies were cross-sectional, sampled individuals rather than couples, and did not include separately forms of IPV (e.g., physical, psychological, and sexual). The present study examined the associations between pornography use frequency and the perpetration of physical and psychological IPV, and sexual coercion among young adult couples. A convenience sample of 113 couples aged between 16 and 29 years old completed self-reported online questionnaires two times over a 2-year period. The results of autoregressive cross-lagged models showed that a person's pornography use frequency at Time 1 was related to their own higher sexual coercion perpetration 2 years later and that a person's sexual coercion perpetration was related to their partner's lower pornography use frequency 2 years later. However, no significant association between pornography use frequency and physical and psychological IPV emerged. In line with previous studies, our results suggest that pornography use represents an important risk factor for the perpetration of sexual coercion. Findings support the need to include education around pornography use in sexual violence prevention programs to avoid that young adults reproduce pornographic scripts in their sexuality.

Compulsive sexual behaviour in Iranian married women: Prevalence, sociodemographic, sexual, and psychological predictors across-country.

Background and Aims: This study addresses the scarcity of research on Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder (CSBD) in non-Western cultures and women, exploring its prevalence, sociodemographic, sexual history characteristics, and sexual and psychological health factors in Iranian married women. Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 772 heterosexual married women was conducted between 2022 and 2023, covering all 31 provinces of Iran. Participants were categorized as CSBD+ (at-risk individuals) and CSBD- (low-risk individuals) based on a pre-established cut-off point of ≥18 by the Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder Scale -7. Depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, self-esteem, sexual distress, sexual satisfaction, relationship satisfaction, and sexual dysfunction were assessed as psychological and sexual health variables by standardized scales. Results: The prevalence of CSBD was 3.8% in women. Linear regression analysis showed that lower education, being jobless, substance use, pornography use, paraphilic behaviors, conflict on sex frequency, relationship, orgasm and sexual dissatisfaction, higher sexual arousal, depression, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms were positively associated with CSBD. The univariate analysis, at a stringent significance level of 0.005, mirrored the regression findings. Additionally, women with CSBD+ exhibited lower religiousness and higher anxiety compared to those without CSBD-. Discussion and Conclusions: Raising awareness of CSBD is crucial for health systems and individuals for better policy-making and help-seeking behavior. Identifying risk factors like substance use presents opportunities for prevention, and the association of CSBD with sexual and mental health variables suggests addressing co-occurring issues for improved treatment outcomes. Recognizing culture and gender-specific sexual and psychological correlates enables targeted and effective treatment approaches.

Assessment and treatment of compulsive sexual behavior disorder: a sexual medicine perspective.

INTRODUCTION: The addition of compulsive sexual behavior disorder (CSBD) into the ICD-11 chapter on mental, behavioral, or neurodevelopmental disorders has greatly stimulated research and controversy around compulsive sexual behavior, or what has been termed "hypersexual disorder," "sexual addiction," "porn addiction," "sexual compulsivity," and "out-of-control sexual behavior." OBJECTIVES: To identify where concerns exist from the perspective of sexual medicine and what can be done to resolve them. METHODS: A scientific review committee convened by the International Society for Sexual Medicine reviewed pertinent literature and discussed clinical research and experience related to CSBD diagnoses and misdiagnoses, pathologizing nonheteronormative sexual behavior, basic research on potential underlying causes of CSBD, its relationship to paraphilic disorder, and its potential sexual health consequences. The panel used a modified Delphi method to reach consensus on these issues. RESULTS: CSBD was differentiated from other sexual activity on the basis of the ICD-11 diagnostic criteria, and issues regarding sexual medicine and sexual health were identified. Concerns were raised about self-labeling processes, attitudes hostile to sexual pleasure, pathologizing of nonheteronormative sexual behavior and high sexual desire, mixing of normative attitudes with clinical distress, and the belief that masturbation and pornography use represent "unhealthy" sexual behavior. A guide to CSBD case formulation and care/treatment recommendations was proposed. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical sexologic and sexual medicine expertise for the diagnosis and treatment of CSBD in the psychiatric-psychotherapeutic context is imperative to differentiate and understand the determinants and impact of CSBD and related "out-of-control sexual behaviors" on mental and sexual well-being, to detect forensically relevant and nonrelevant forms, and to refine best practices in care and treatment. Evidence-based, sexual medicine-informed therapies should be offered to achieve a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and the possibility of having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences.

Problematic pornography use across countries, genders, and sexual orientations: Insights from the International Sex Survey and comparison of different assessment tools.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Problematic pornography use (PPU) is a common manifestation of the newly introduced Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder diagnosis in the 11th edition of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems. Although cultural, gender- and sexual orientation-related differences in sexual behaviors are well documented, there is a relative absence of data on PPU outside Western countries and among women as well as gender- and sexually-diverse individuals. We addressed these gaps by (a) validating the long and short versions of the Problematic Pornography Consumption Scale (PPCS and PPCS-6, respectively) and the Brief Pornography Screen (BPS) and (b) measuring PPU risk across diverse populations. METHODS: Using data from the pre-registered International Sex Survey [n = 82 243; mean age (Mage) = 32.4 years, standard deviation = 12.5], a study across 42 countries from five continents, we evaluated the psychometric properties (i.e. factor structure, measurement invariance, and reliability) of the PPCS, PPCS-6, and BPS and examined their associations with relevant correlates (e.g. treatment-seeking). We also compared PPU risk among diverse groups (e.g. three genders). RESULTS: The PPCS, PPCS-6, and BPS demonstrated excellent psychometric properties [for example, comparative fit index = 0.985, Tucker-Lewis Index = 0.981, root mean square error of approximation = 0.060 (90% confidence interval = 0.059-0.060)] in the confirmatory factor analysis, with all PPCS' inter-factor correlations positive and strong (rs = 0.72-0.96). A total of 3.2% of participants were at risk of experiencing PPU (PPU+) based on the PPCS, with significant country- and gender-based differences (e.g. men reported the highest levels of PPU). No sexual orientation-based differences were observed. Only 4-10% of individuals in the PPU+ group had ever sought treatment for PPU, while an additional 21-37% wanted to, but did not do so for specific reasons (e.g. unaffordability). CONCLUSIONS: This study validated three measures to assess the severity of problematic pornography use across languages, countries, genders, and sexual orientations in 26 languages: the Problematic Pornography Consumption Scale (PPCS, and PPCS-6, respectively), and the Brief Pornography Screen (BPS). The problematic pornography use risk is estimated to be 3.2-16.6% of the population of 42 countries, and varies among different groups (e.g. genders) and based on the measure used.

Associations Between Contents of Pornography and Sexual Satisfaction and Function Among Young Adults.

Pornography offers a wide variety of sexual contents and has documented potential positive (e.g., higher sexual satisfaction) and negative associations (e.g., lower sexual function) with sexuality. The aims of this study were to describe the proportion of use of five different contents of pornography (i.e. group sex, passion and romance, gender-bending, taboo transgression and forbidden sex, power, control, and rough sex pornography), to examine gender-based differences in the frequency of use of these contents, and to examine the associations between the frequency of use of these contents and sexual satisfaction and function, considering potential differences among genders and individuals with and without a romantic or sexual partner, and controlling for frequency of masturbation. A sample of 827 young adults (503 women; Mage = 23.44) completed online self-report questionnaires. Results of path analysis indicated that, controlling for frequency of masturbation, the use of passion and romance pornography was associated with higher sexual satisfaction, whereas the use of power, control, and rough sex pornography was associated with lower sexual satisfaction. Cisgender men's use of power, control, and rough sex pornography was also associated with lower sexual function. These findings suggest different associations between pornography use and sexual satisfaction and function depending on the pornographic contents used.

Compulsive sexual behavior disorder: The importance of research on women.

The current understanding of compulsive sexual behavior disorder (CSBD) is primarily based on studies involving non-clinical samples of heterosexual men, resulting in significant gaps in knowledge regarding women with CSBD. The commentary highlights the domains where further research is necessary, including incidence and prevalence, etiology, diagnostic criteria, comorbidities, sexual patterns, personality profiles, and barriers to help-seeking among women with CSBD. Bridging this research gap is essential for improving clinical care, developing tailored interventions, and increasing awareness about CSBD in women among healthcare providers, policymakers, and the general public.

Spanish Validation of the Long and Short Versions of the Problematic Pornography Consumption Scale (PPCS and PPCS-6) in Adolescents.

Although 1-14% of adolescents may experience problematic pornography use (PPU), psychometrically sound instruments for assessing PPU in Spanish-speaking adolescents are scarce. Given the advantages of the different forms of the Problematic Pornography Consumption Scale (PPCS), the aim of the present study was to assess the psychometric properties of the PPCS and PPCS-6, and to examine associations between PPU and age among boys and girls. Two school-based adolescent samples were recruited in Spain (n = 650; Mage = 16.0 [SD = 1.1]; 50% girls and 50% boys) and Mexico (n1, 160; Mage = 15.8 [SD = 1.1]; 68% girls) to assess the psychometric properties of the PPCS and PPCS-6. Confirmatory factor analysis was applied and convergent and discriminant validity with other measures related to PPU was also tested. The results provided empirical support for the six-factor structure of the PPCS and the one-factor structure of the PPCS-6. Boys with older age showed higher levels of tolerance than girls on the PPCS in both countries. Both the PPCS and the PPCS-6 may be considered valid psychometric instruments for the assessment of PPU in Spanish-speaking adolescents from Spain and Mexico.

How Does Sexual Subjectivity Vary on the Basis of Gender and Sexual Orientation? Validation of the Short Sexual Subjectivity Inventory (SSSI-11) in Cisgender, Heterosexual and Sexual and Gender Minority Adolescents.

Through sexual exploration, adolescents learn that they are sexual beings with choices, desires, and are deserving of pleasure, which corresponds to sexual subjectivity. However, the two measures of this construct (i.e., Female Sexual Subjectivity Inventory and Male Sexual Subjectivity Inventory) have not been validated with younger adolescents and have different items for boys and girls (with no scale available for gender diverse individuals), limiting gender comparisons. This study examined (1) the factor structure of the adapted Short Sexual Subjectivity Inventory-11 items (SSSI-11) in a large sample of young cisgender, heterosexual and sexual and gender minority adolescents, (2) measurement invariance across language (English and French), gender, and sexual orientation, (3) validity with sexuality-related outcomes, and (4) one-year temporal stability. Results of a confirmatory factor analysis among 2001 adolescents (Mage = 15.5 years, SD = 0.60) revealed a multidimensional factor structure. The SSSI-11, in both English and French, showed adequate reliability and one-year temporal stability, and was invariant across genders, sexual orientations, and languages. Girls had lower scores on the entitlement to self-pleasure and self-efficacy in achieving pleasure factors, and higher scores on the entitlement to pleasure from a partner factor. No significant differences were observed on the basis of language or between heterosexual and sexual minority adolescents. The SSSI-11 correlated positively with sexuality-related variables. Findings support the strong psychometric properties of the SSSI-11, rendering it of considerable use in clinical, education, and research applications.

The landscape of open science in behavioral addiction research: Current practices and future directions.

Open science refers to a set of practices that aim to make scientific research more transparent, accessible, and reproducible, including pre-registration of study protocols, sharing of data and materials, the use of transparent research methods, and open access publishing. In this commentary, we describe and evaluate the current state of open science practices in behavioral addiction research. We highlight the specific value of open science practices for the field; discuss recent field-specific meta-scientific reviews that show the adoption of such practices remains in its infancy; address the challenges to engaging with open science; and make recommendations for how researchers, journals, and scientific institutions can work to overcome these challenges and promote high-quality, transparently reported behavioral addiction research. By collaboratively promoting open science practices, the field can create a more sustainable and productive research environment that benefits both the scientific community and society as a whole.

Examining the impact of perceived psychological distances of quitting and continuing tobacco smoking on antismoking intention: a cross-sectional study.

To date, little research has been conducted to understand the role of psychological distances on smoking behaviour. Construal Level Theory posits that individuals mentally construe events, objects, or ideas based on their perceived distance in terms of spatial, temporal, social, and hypothetical dimensions, influencing their judgments and decision-making processes. The aim of the current study was (1) to provide a comprehensive exploration of psychological distances of costs and benefits of tobacco smoking and antismoking intention and (2) to examine whether smoking can be attributed to rational behaviour based on the psychological distance weighted balance of perceived costs and benefits of quitting and continuing smoking. Mediation models delineating the relationships among temporal and hypothetical psychological distances, personal relevance and antismoking intention were tested on cross-sectional survey data of 1486 smokers (880 men, Mage = 39.9 years, SD = 13.36). Psychological distances were shown to be important factors in the cognitive evaluation process of smoking behaviour. Perceived temporal distance to smoking continuation/cessation was related to personal importance and hypothetical psychological distances, which were associated with anti-smoking intention. Furthermore, antismoking intention was related to the psychological distance-weighted gain-cost balance of quitting and continuing smoking. The current findings enhance our knowledge of the cognitive evaluation of the outcomes of smoking, indicating that the choice of not quitting smoking may be partially based on a biased rational decision-making process.

Investigating mental representations of psychoactive substance use and other potentially addictive behaviors using a data driven network-based clustering method.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The aim of the present study was to examine the mental representations of the use of different substances and other potentially addictive behaviors in order to explore meaningful similarities and differences that may contribute to a better understanding of behavioral addictions' representations and diagnostic criteria. METHODS: The authors mapped the mental and emotional representations of 661 participants (70.5% women; Mage = 35.2 years, SD = 11.7) to the concept "your most disturbing excessive activity" using free-word associations combined with a network-based clustering method. RESULTS: The network analyses identified four distinct mental representations, three implicating dominantly negative (Guilt/Shame/Relief, Addiction/Health, and Procrastination/Boredom) and one dominantly positive emotion (Stress/Relaxation). The distribution of Addiction/Health and Procrastination/Boredom representations were different across substance use and problem behaviors, indicating meaningful differences in the underlying cognitive evaluation processes. The Addiction/Health representation was more frequent for substances, while for other addictive behaviors, the Procrastination/Boredom representation was more frequent, and its frequency increased with the self-reported intensity of the behavior. Guilt/Shame/Relief was equally common for both substances and behaviors, but importantly, for substances its' likelihood increased with the intensity of use. CONCLUSION: The common part of representations for substance use and other potentially addictive behaviors supports the scientific viewpoint, that real addictions can exist even in the absence of psychoactive drugs. Based on the results, a novel proposition is posited, that a more appropriate indicator of tolerance for problem behaviors might be the perceived amount of time wasted on the activity rather than the actual time spent.