Objective:

To examine associations between alcohol and cannabis use severity and symptoms of Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder (CSBD) and problematic pornography use (PPU) in a non-clinical adult sample, highlighting the significance of these associations.

Key Findings:

• Mean alcohol use severity score was 16.29 (± 4.53) and cannabis use severity score was 15.49 (± 5.08).
• Mean CSBD score was 21.14 (± 7.74) and mean PPU score was 6.99 (± 2.55).
• Unadjusted regression models indicated increases in alcohol and cannabis use severity were associated with increases in CSBD and PPU scores.
• After controlling for age and gender, no significant associations were found between alcohol or cannabis use severity and CSBD or PPU, emphasizing the need to consider sociodemographic factors.

Interpretation:

The study suggests that the observed associations between substance use severity and CSBD/PPU may be influenced by sociodemographic differences rather than direct effects of substance use, warranting further investigation.

Limitations:

• Cross-sectional design limits causal inferences.
• Sample size may not be representative of the broader population.
• Self-reported measures may introduce bias, and potential confounding variables were not controlled for.

Conclusion:

Further longitudinal studies and advanced analytical approaches are needed to validate these findings, particularly focusing on the role of sociodemographic factors.