Associations between pornography use, psychological well-being, and sexual satisfaction: a gender-based meta-analysis

Pornography use has been examined in relation to psychological well-being and sexual outcomes. This systematic review and meta-analysis examined gender-based associations between pornography use, psychological outcomes, sexual function, sexual satisfaction, and relationship satisfaction. PubMed, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar were searched for quantitative observational studies published between 2007 and 2025. Fourteen studies comprising 128,105 participants were included, although one large study accounted for 82.3% of the total sample. Participant mean ages ranged from 21.3 to 61.6 years. Outcomes included pornography use frequency, perceived problematic or compulsive use, psychological distress, depression, anxiety, sexual function, sexual satisfaction, and relationship satisfaction. Random-effects models were applied, and heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 statistic. Men generally reported higher pornography use frequency and greater perceived problematic use. However, associations with psychological outcomes, sexual function, sexual satisfaction, and relationship satisfaction varied substantially across studies, with considerable heterogeneity in both magnitude and direction. Overall, the findings support a correlational rather than causal interpretation. Future longitudinal studies using harmonised measures and more balanced samples are needed to clarify the relationships among pornography use, psychological well-being, sexual satisfaction, and relationship outcomes.