Exploring the Role of Alcohol in the Association Between Problematic Pornography Use and Sexual Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration Among College Students

Emerging data suggest problematic pornography use is associated with sexual violence perpetration, though limited research has examined this association within intimate partners. One known correlate of college students’ sexual intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration that may influence the degree to which problematic pornography use relates to sexual IPV is alcohol use and problems. This study tested the hypothesis that problematic pornography use would positively relate to sexual IPV perpetration among undergraduates with high, but not low, levels of alcohol use and problems. College students ( N = 236; 67.4% women, 77.5% white) completed an online survey assessing problematic pornography use, alcohol use and problems, and sexual IPV perpetration. We estimated the moderating effect of alcohol use and problems on the association between problematic pornography use and sexual IPV perpetration while statistically controlling for sex assigned at birth. The interaction between problematic pornography use and alcohol use and problems was significantly related to sexual IPV perpetration ( B = 0.03, SE = 0.01, p = .01) such that problematic pornography use was positively associated with sexual IPV perpetration among participants with higher, but not lower, levels of alcohol use and problems. Problematic pornography use combined with greater alcohol use and problems in college students was associated with more frequent sexual IPV perpetration. Increased education on responsible alcohol and pornography use may mitigate sexual IPV perpetration risk among college students.