Parenting Style, Differentiation of Self, and Pornography Use Among Adolescents: Exploring the Links

Abstract

Parenting style and differentiation of self (DoS), understood as an ability associated with emotional regulation, are two factors that may be linked with pornography use in adolescents. The main aim was to explore the association between parenting style (specifically warmth and demandingness), DoS (specifically emotional cutoff and emotional reactivity) and pornography use in a sample of 7161 hispanic adolescents aged 12 to 17. Frequency of pornography use, parenting style (using the shortened version of the Family Education Scale), DoS (through the Spanish Differentiation of Self for Adolescence) and different sociodemographic variables were evaluated. Higher levels of parental warmth were significantly linked to less pornography use (with a larger effect size in female adolescents). Conversely, higher levels of parental demandingness were significantly associated with less pornography use in male adolescents and in younger adolescents. In relation to DoS, greater differentiation in the Emotional Reactivity dimension was associated with less pornography use. Emotional Cutoff was not associated with pornography use. Adolescents who showed more difficulty regulating their own emotions and who perceived parents as less warm and demanding reported a higher frequency of pornography use. Pornography use may be used as a maladaptive strategy for emotional regulation. The causal relationship between these variables warrants direct examination.