Abstract:
This study was planned to explore the link between emotional needs and pornography craving
the and mediating role of social networking addiction. In this correlational study, participants
were emerging adults aging between 17-21 years (M= 18.9, SD = 1.12). A convenient sampling
technique was utilized to select participants and data was assembled from government and
private colleges of Lahore, Pakistan. Standardized instruments of Emotional Needs Audit,
Pornography Craving Questionnaire, and Social Networking Addiction scale were used to assess
emotional needs, pornography craving, and social networking addiction respectively. Results
indicated the significant mediating role of social networking addiction in the link between
emotional needs and pornography craving. The findings reveal that emotional needs have a
significant but negative relationship with pornography cravings. The study results demonstrated
that emotional needs have a significant but negative relationship with pornography craving, and
only three sub-scales of social networking addiction (i.e., mood modification, conflict, and
relapse) were correlating with pornography craving. In terms of the relationship between social
networking addiction and pornography craving, the research work found a positive correlation
between the two. The findings of the study suggest that emotional needs may be a protective
factor against problematic pornography use and that only specific sub-scales of social
networking addiction are related to pornography craving.
