Is Internet Pornography Causing Sexual Dysfunctions? A Review with Clinical Reports
- Authors
- Park, B. Y., Wilson, G., Berger, J., Christman, M., Reina, B., Bishop, F., Klam, W. P., & Doan, A. P.
- Year
- 2016
- Journal
- Behavioral Sciences
- Type
- Conceptual / review paper
- Last verified
- 2026-10-04
Main question
Is internet pornography causing sexual dysfunction in young men?
Related claims
Summary
Park and colleagues (2016) reviewed clinical reports describing young men with erectile dysfunction attributed to internet pornography use. The paper is widely cited in discussions of “porn-induced erectile dysfunction” (PIED).
What it can and cannot support
The review documents that some clinicians report seeing such cases, and hypothesizes a causal link. However, it is based on clinical reports rather than controlled studies, and it has been criticized for selection bias. It does not establish that pornography causes erectile dysfunction. See the PIED topic for the full, balanced picture.
Findings
- Reviews clinical reports of young men presenting with erectile dysfunction that was attributed to internet pornography use.
- Hypothesizes that escalating pornography use may contribute to sexual dysfunction in some men.
Limitations
- Based primarily on clinical reports and narrative review, not controlled studies.
- Causality is not established; the review has been criticized for selection bias and limited methodological rigor.
- verification needed (DOI/PMID not recorded)
Clinical relevance
Documents clinical reports but cannot establish causation.
Relevance to problematic pornography use
Primary source for the PIED hypothesis (low rigor).