The Relationship Between Love Addiction and Sex Addiction and the Influence of Social Support: An Exploratory Empirical Research

Abstract

Love addiction is increasingly gaining attention in academic literature, but it is often discussed as associated with other conditions, above all sex addiction, despite the lack of data supporting this choice. Our study examined the relationship between love addiction and sex addiction and the degree to which they are influenced by perceived social support. The study involved a clinical and a control group of 497 and 409 participants respectively. The clinical group showed significantly higher levels of love addiction and sex addiction, as well as lower levels of social support. Love and sex addiction were significantly correlated, whereas social support correlated with love addiction and, only in the clinical group, with sex addiction. Overall, the results seem to suggest that the constructs of love addiction and sex addiction are correlated but the overlap between the two is low. Moreover, their relationship appears to be influenced by a variety of factors.

Keywords:

• Love addiction
• sexual addiction
• behavioral addictions
• social support

Disclosure statement

The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.

Additional information

Funding

No funds, grants, or other support was received.