Examining sexually explicit material use in adults over the age of 65 years

Abstract

Older adult use of sexually explicit material (SEM) is under-researched. The current exploratory, cross-sectional study explored SEM use among adults 65 years and older. Eighty-eight participants from Canada and the United States completed a survey through Amazon Mechanical Turk to address questions on SEM use, access and barriers to use, and preferences in SEM. Results indicated that participants were accessing SEM 10.73 ( SD = 10.13) times per month and spending about 27.20 ( SD = 23.09) minutes per session. Users, on average, were more likely to be men. Results also indicated participants preferred mature, amateur, and MILF genres, and primarily accessed SEM online. Top barriers to SEM use were related to disapproval and shame, indicating that stigma around older adult sexuality may be present. Study findings expand upon knowledge in the field and help provide further understanding of older adults’ sexuality and SEM use.