Validation and Evaluation of the Psychometric Properties of the Bangla Version of the Brief Pornography Screen in Men and Women

With the growth of Internet pornography and the impacts of problematic pornography use (PPU), the validation of short and psychometrically sound screening instruments in different cultures is needed to identify individuals with PPU who may benefit from intervention. This study sought to validate the Bangla version of the Brief Pornography Screen (BPS) and examine its psychometric properties in a large adult sample of men and women. Using an online platform in Bangladesh, we recruited 6023 participants (39.9% women, Mage = 22.7 years; SD = 5.0) with lifetime pornography use for the study. To examine the psychometric properties of the BPS, confirmatory factor analysis and gender-based measurement invariance testing were conducted. We assessed theoretically relevant correlates (i.e., self-perceived PPU, depressive and anxiety symptoms) as elements of validity for the scale. The findings suggested that the Bangla BPS version demonstrated strong psychometric properties in terms of factor structure, reliability (i.e., Cronbach’s alpha = .86, composite reliability = .93), and measurement invariance (i.e., men vs. women). The BPS score positively correlated with self-perceived PPU, and anxiety and depressive symptoms, supporting elements of discriminant validity. The Bangla BPS is a reliable and valid self-report scale to assess PPU in the Bangladeshi cultural context.