Skip to main content
Top
Published in: International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction 3/2021

01-06-2021 | Addiction | Original Article

Online Sex Addiction After 50: an Exploratory Study of Age-Related Vulnerability

Authors: Anna Ševčíková, Lukas Blinka, Kateřina Škařupová, David Vašek

Published in: International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction | Issue 3/2021

Login to get access

Abstract

The population of Internet users is ageing, yet online sex addiction research remains limited to younger age groups. Our study aimed to explore the association between online sex addiction and vulnerabilities related to older age, such as the absence of a partner, changes in work career, and boredom. Out of 2518 respondents who participated in an online survey, 158 (6.3%) were aged 50–77 and constituted the primary focus of the study. Linear regression analyses showed that occupational status, boredom (reasons for Internet use), and involvement in cybersex predicted online sex addiction, and that relationship status and offline sex had no effect on addictive behaviour. There was no evidence for a moderating effect from the occupational status on the relationship between boredom and online sex addiction. The results suggest that older age does not protect against the development of online sex addiction, and age-related vulnerability may amplify the risks.
Appendix
Available only for authorised users
Literature
go back to reference American Association of Retired Persons. (2010). Sex, romance, and relationships: AARP survey of midlife and older adults. Washington: AARP. American Association of Retired Persons. (2010). Sex, romance, and relationships: AARP survey of midlife and older adults. Washington: AARP.
go back to reference Buuren, S. V., & Groothuis-Oudshoorn, K. (2010). mice: multivariate imputation by chained equations in R. Journal of statistical software, 1-68. Buuren, S. V., & Groothuis-Oudshoorn, K. (2010). mice: multivariate imputation by chained equations in R. Journal of statistical software, 1-68.
go back to reference Enders, C. K. (2010). Applied missing data analysis. Guilford Press. Enders, C. K. (2010). Applied missing data analysis. Guilford Press.
go back to reference Eshet-Alkalai, Y., & Chajut, E. (2010). You can teach old dogs new tricks: the factors that affect changes over time in digital literacy. Journal of Information Technology Education: Research, 9, 173–181.CrossRef Eshet-Alkalai, Y., & Chajut, E. (2010). You can teach old dogs new tricks: the factors that affect changes over time in digital literacy. Journal of Information Technology Education: Research, 9, 173–181.CrossRef
go back to reference Gorman, M. (2017). Development and the rights of older people. In J. Randel, T. German, & D. Ewing (Eds.), The ageing and development report (pp. 21–39). London: Routledge. Gorman, M. (2017). Development and the rights of older people. In J. Randel, T. German, & D. Ewing (Eds.), The ageing and development report (pp. 21–39). London: Routledge.
go back to reference Hooper, D., Coughlan, J., & Mullen, M. R. (2008). Structural equation modelling: guidelines for determining model fit. Electronic Journal of Business Research Methods, 6, 53–60. Hooper, D., Coughlan, J., & Mullen, M. R. (2008). Structural equation modelling: guidelines for determining model fit. Electronic Journal of Business Research Methods, 6, 53–60.
go back to reference MacCallum, R. C., Browne, M. W., Sugawara, H., & M. (1996). Power analysis and determination of sample size for covariance structure modeling. Psychological Methods, 1(2), 130–149.CrossRef MacCallum, R. C., Browne, M. W., Sugawara, H., & M. (1996). Power analysis and determination of sample size for covariance structure modeling. Psychological Methods, 1(2), 130–149.CrossRef
go back to reference McDonald, R. (1999). Test theory: a unified treatment. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. McDonald, R. (1999). Test theory: a unified treatment. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
go back to reference Mikulas, W. L., & Vodanovich, S. J. (1993). The essence of boredom. The Psychological Record, 43(1), 3. Mikulas, W. L., & Vodanovich, S. J. (1993). The essence of boredom. The Psychological Record, 43(1), 3.
go back to reference Obert, J.L., Weiner, A., Stimson, J., & Rawson, R.A. (2004). Treating substance use disorders. In R. Holman Coombs (Ed.), Handbook of addictive disorders: a practical guide to diagnosis and treatment, (pp. 94-125). John Wiley & Sons Obert, J.L., Weiner, A., Stimson, J., & Rawson, R.A. (2004). Treating substance use disorders. In R. Holman Coombs (Ed.), Handbook of addictive disorders: a practical guide to diagnosis and treatment, (pp. 94-125). John Wiley & Sons
go back to reference Rumpf, H. J., Vermulst, A. A., Bischof, A., Kastirke, N., Gürtler, D., Bischof, G., Meerkerk, G. J., John, U., & Meyer, C. (2014). Occurrence of Internet addiction in a general population sample: a latent class analysis. European Addiction Research, 20(4), 159–166. https://doi.org/10.1159/000354321.CrossRefPubMed Rumpf, H. J., Vermulst, A. A., Bischof, A., Kastirke, N., Gürtler, D., Bischof, G., Meerkerk, G. J., John, U., & Meyer, C. (2014). Occurrence of Internet addiction in a general population sample: a latent class analysis. European Addiction Research, 20(4), 159–166. https://​doi.​org/​10.​1159/​000354321.CrossRefPubMed
go back to reference Weiss, R. (2004). Treating sex addiction. In R. H. Coombs (Ed.), Handbook of addictive disorders: a practical guide to diagnosis and treatment (pp. 233–274). John Wiley & Sons. Weiss, R. (2004). Treating sex addiction. In R. H. Coombs (Ed.), Handbook of addictive disorders: a practical guide to diagnosis and treatment (pp. 233–274). John Wiley & Sons.
go back to reference Young, K. S. (1998). Caught in the net: how to recognize the signs of internet addiction--and a winning strategy for recovery. New York: John Wiley & Sons. Young, K. S. (1998). Caught in the net: how to recognize the signs of internet addiction--and a winning strategy for recovery. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Metadata
Title
Online Sex Addiction After 50: an Exploratory Study of Age-Related Vulnerability
Authors
Anna Ševčíková
Lukas Blinka
Kateřina Škařupová
David Vašek
Publication date
01-06-2021
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction / Issue 3/2021
Print ISSN: 1557-1874
Electronic ISSN: 1557-1882
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-019-00200-3

Other articles of this Issue 3/2021

International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction 3/2021 Go to the issue