EMOTIONAL NEEDS, SOCIAL NETWORKING ADDICTION AND PORNOGRAPHY CRAVING IN EMERGING ADULTS

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.