If you’re wondering whether your pornography use might be a concern, the Brief Pornography Screen (BPS) can offer a helpful starting point. As a Sydney psychologist, I use this 5-question tool to assist clients in assessing their risk in a straightforward way. First developed by researchers in 2020, the BPS is designed to gently highlight potential issues, offering clarity for those unsure about their habits. On this page, I’ll share what it measures and how it can support you, even if you can’t complete it directly online. My goal is to provide understanding and a path forward, tailored to your needs.

The BPS examines the frequency and impact of pornography use over the past 6 months. It’s a concise self-report tool with 5 questions, each rated from 0 (never) to 2 (very often). It explores aspects such as how often you use pornography, whether it feels difficult to manage, and if it leads to challenges—such as affecting your responsibilities or causing emotional distress. Researchers have tested it thoroughly to ensure it’s dependable, with validations spanning multiple countries (Bőthe et al., 2024). In my practice, I value its simplicity—it provides an initial sense of whether pornography might be playing a larger role in your life than feels comfortable, without being overwhelming.

Complete the Brief Pornography Scale

Bőthe, B., Baumgartner, C., Schafer, M., Bartussek, J., Demetrovics, Z., & Orosz, G. (2024). Validation of the Brief Pornography Screen and Problematic Pornography Consumption Scale in international samples. Addiction, 119(5), 897–908. https://doi.org/10.1111/add.16438
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/add.16438
Summary: This study validates the BPS, a 5-item screener, across global samples, confirming its effectiveness in assessing pornography addiction risk.

Kraus, S. W., Gola, M., Grubbs, J. B., Kowalewska, E., Hoff, R. A., Lew-Starowicz, M., Martino, S., Shirk, S. D., & Potenza, M. N. (2020). Validation of a Brief Pornography Screen across multiple samples. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 9(2), 259–271. https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.2020.00038
https://akjournals.com/view/journals/2006/9/2/article-p259.xml
Summary: This article details the initial development of the BPS in 2020, testing its psychometric properties across U.S. and Polish samples, establishing its 5-item structure and cutoff score.

Pornography Addiction Treatment Page

Porn Addiction Assessment Hub

Investigate other validated measures to assess possible pornography addiction.

Problematic Pornography Consumption Scale (PPCS) –
- Details: 18 questions, based on Griffiths’ six-component addiction model (salience, mood modification, tolerance, withdrawal, conflict, relapse).
- Cutoff: ≥76 (out of 126) indicates problematic use.
Problematic Pornography Usage Scale (PPUS) –
- Details: 12 questions, focuses on four domains—excessive use, control difficulties, negative consequences, emotional distress.
- Cutoff: ≥30 (out of 60) suggests at-risk use.
Brief Pornography Screen (BPS) –
- Details: 5 questions, a quick screener for frequency and impact of pornography use.
- Cutoff: ≥4 (out of 10) indicates risk.
Porn Addiction Blog

Brief Pornography Screen (BPS)

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Brief Pornography Screen (BPS) - A Quick Check for Porn Addiction

What BPS Measures

Complete the Brief Pornography Scale

References

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