{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,26]],"date-time":"2026-06-26T01:47:52Z","timestamp":1782438472489,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":35,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,22]],"date-time":"2026-06-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1782086400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Catholic University of Valencia"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JCM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Problematic pornography use (PPU) has emerged as a clinically significant phenomenon with severe repercussions for mental health and interpersonal relationships. Despite advances in prevalence studies, a gap remains in understanding the subjective processes of recovery and personal transformation. Objective: To describe the lived experience of individuals in recovery from PPU and compulsive sexual behavior and to analyze the perceived factors and dynamics of group support within their process of change. Methods: A qualitative study was conducted following Van Manen\u2019s phenomenological-hermeneutical approach. In-depth semi-structured interviews were held with 27 individuals (26 men, 1 woman) engaged in structured recovery. Data analysis was performed through thematic analysis supported by ATLAS.ti Scientific Software Development GmbH, 2026. Results: A structured trajectory was identified across three phases: personal collapse, group engagement, and transformative mechanisms. Accountability emerged as a salient perceived mechanism of change, fostering sincerity (35.7%) and relapse prevention (19.1%). The \u201cmirror effect\u201d and \u201crational hope\u201d within the support group facilitate a profound identity shift from a \u201cspoiled identity\u201d to a state of personal authenticity. Conclusions: For individuals engaged in structured support groups, recovery from PPU transcends mere abstinence, requiring a profound identity transformation facilitated by collective connection and honesty. These findings suggest the potential utility of integrating group-based accountability into therapeutic interventions for behavioral addictions tailored to the patient\u2019s experiential profile.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm15124845","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,24]],"date-time":"2026-06-24T03:09:17Z","timestamp":1782270557000},"page":"4845","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Identity Transformation and the Role of Accountability in Recovery from Problematic Pornography Use: A Phenomenological-Hermeneutical Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"given":"Lu\u00eds","family":"Lorente-Corral","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Doctoral Degree School, Catholic University San Vicente M\u00e1rtir, 46001 Valencia, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4911-5058","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"David","family":"Sancho-Cantus","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nursing, Catholic University San Vicente M\u00e1rtir, 46001 Valencia, Spain"},{"name":"Nursing & Mental Health Research Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Catholic University San Vicente M\u00e1rtir, 46001 Valencia, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3028-6981","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Samuel","family":"Asensio","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Cardenal Herrera, CEU Universities, 46001 Valencia, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Cristina","family":"Cunha-P\u00e9rez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nursing, Catholic University San Vicente M\u00e1rtir, 46001 Valencia, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9647-5980","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jorge","family":"Casa\u00f1a-Mohedo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nursing, Catholic University San Vicente M\u00e1rtir, 46001 Valencia, Spain"},{"name":"SONEV Research Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Catholic University San Vicente M\u00e1rtir, 46001 Valencia, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,22]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"187","DOI":"10.1089\/cpb.1998.1.187","article-title":"Sexuality and the Internet: Surfing into the New Millennium","volume":"1","author":"Cooper","year":"1998","journal-title":"CyberPsychol. 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