Abstract: In this study, the authors analyzed the problematic use of pornographic websites
and Internet sex addiction in representative samples of respondents from different age
groups including 2948 respondents from Serbia and 1486 from Montenegro. A standard
questionnaire of 33 questions with answers in binary form was used. In addition to
epidemiological indicators, the study also included nine family risk factors and six risk
factors associated with early psychosocial developmental disorders. Finally, the social
profiles of Internet sex addicts in Serbia and Montenegro were described.
The results of the research showed that Internet sex addicts are mostly young adults aged 20 to
30. The overall dependency rate was estimated within average limits. In general, Internet sex
addiction is among the lowest of all behavioral addictions. The authors see the reason for this in
the greatest potency of this addiction for the development of addictive patterns of behavior,
but also in the great predictiveness of this addiction together with the gambling addiction
for the emergence and development of other behavioral addictions. All examined risk factors
(except for shyness and reticence) "separate" Internet sex addicts from those who do not have
the listed risk factors at zero level of significance. However, an examination of the prediction of
Internet sex addiction using binary logistic regression showed that aggressive and criminal
behaviors in early youth, followed by disorders in educational and emotional relations between
parents and children, have the highest predictive values for Internet sex addiction.
Social profiles are unclear and unstructured, and the authors explain this by the fact that
biological, not sociological, and sociocultural factors play a dominant role in developing
addictive patterns of behavior.
Keywords: Internet sex addiction, risk factors, social profiles
Published in: IPSI Bgd TIR (Volume: 18)
Number: 2
ISSN: 1820 - 4503