Personality Traits and Online Pornography Use Among Lebanese Adults

Elsa Sfeir, MD; Diana Malaeb, PharmD, MPH, PhD; Souheil Hallit, PharmD, MSc, MPH, PhD; Sahar Obeid, MSc, PhD

Prim Care Companion CNS Disord 2022;24(6):22m03131

ABSTRACT

Objective: To evaluate the association between personality traits and online pornography use among a sample of Lebanese adults.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out between October and November 2020 and enrolled participants from all Lebanese districts through an online survey following a snowball technique. Participants (N = 653) completed a self-administered questionnaire, which included questions from the Cyber-Pornography Use Inventory and the Big 5 Inventory.

Results: Higher extroversion (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.06) and agreeableness (aOR = 1.05), as well as having a secondary (aOR = 1.82) or university (aOR = 2.18) level of education compared to a primary/complementary level were significantly associated with more porn-addictive patterns. Females had lower porn-addictive patterns compared to males (aOR = 0.67). Alcohol consumption (aOR = 2.26), higher agreeableness (aOR = 1.04), and having a secondary (aOR = 1.58) or university (aOR = 1.80) level of education compared to a primary/complementary level were significantly associated with more guilt regarding online porn use. Finally, alcohol drinking (aOR = 2.28) was significantly associated with more online sexual behavior, whereas female gender (aOR = 0.34) and more agreeableness (aOR = 0.94) were significantly associated with less online sexual behavior.

Conclusions: The study highlights that some personality traits (agreeableness and extroversion) and other factors (alcohol consumption, gender, and education level) are associated factors with online pornography use. Further research is needed to assess different factors associated with pornography viewing.

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