A study on the relationship between shame, guilt, self-criticism and compulsive sexual behaviour disorder

There is evidence that compulsive sexual behaviour (CSB) and problematic pornography use (PPU) can be associated with selfcriticism, shame and guilt. The aim of the current study was to investigate further these relationships. Study 1- Participants were 121 adults, mean age 26.82 years (18–45), 58 males and 63 females. They filled in a demographic questionnaire, the Hypersexual Behaviour Inventory (HBI), self-criticizing/attacking and self-reassuring scale (FSCRS) and the Test of Self-Conscious Affect, (TOSCA). In a second study participants were 186 male adults, mean age 26.35 years (18–40). They filled in a demographic questionnaire, the Short Internet Addiction Test (s-IAT-sex), adapted for pornography use, FSCRS and TOSCA. The first study showed positive associations between CSB and self-criticism. Multiple regression analysis revealed that self-criticism has contributed to ratings of CSB and it explained 32% of the variance. The second study using a structural equation modelling showed that self-criticism predicted shame-and-guilt, which in turn predicted PPU, thus explaining 20% of PPU variance. CSB entails with self-criticism while PPU adds feelings of shame and guilt that become more dominant and it mediates self-criticism.