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The psychology of kink: A survey study investigating stigma and psychological mechanisms in BDSM

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 September 2022

A. Schuerwegen ,
M. Morrens ,
E. Wuyts ,
W. Huys ,
K. Goethals  and
I. De Zeeuw-Jans
A. Schuerwegen*
Affiliation:
University Forensic Center (UFC), University Forensic Center (ufc), Edegem, Belgium
M. Morrens
Affiliation:
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Collaborative Antwerp Psychiatric Research Institute (CAPRI), University Of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
E. Wuyts
Affiliation:
Collaborative Antwerp Psychiatric Research Institute (CAPRI), Faculty Of Medicine And Health Sciences, Campus Drie Eiken, University Of Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium
W. Huys
Affiliation:
University Forensic Center (UFC), University Forensic Center (ufc), Edegem, Belgium
K. Goethals
Affiliation:
Antwerp University Hospital, University Forensic Centre, Edegem, Belgium
I. De Zeeuw-Jans
Affiliation:
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Collaborative Antwerp Psychiatric Research Institute (CAPRI), University Of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
*
*Corresponding author.

Abstract

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Introduction

The past years BDSM (an acronym for bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, and sadism and masochism) has gained a significant amount of attention and popularity in the general population, portraying an inaccurate image of BDSM and the people who share these interests. Yet despite this increasing popularity, only little empirical research has focused on this subject and it’s possible driving mechanisms so far, sustaining the existing misconceptions and stigma towards BDSM in general and BDSM practitioners in specific.

Objectives

We aimed to gain more insights on understanding the underlying psychological mechanisms, such as sensation seeking and coping, in people who participate in BDSM-related activities, as well as into the factors which contribute to the existing stigma and discrimination

Methods

In a national survey study 256 Dutch-speaking BDSM-practitioners were compared to a matched sample of people from the general Belgian population (N = 300) who lack any interest in BDSM in two separate studies.

Results

About 86% of the general population maintained stigmatizing beliefs about these sexual interests and practices. In regard to sensation seeking and coping, compared to controls, BDSM practitioners reported signifcantly higher levels of sensation seeking for all dimensions, as well as the use of more active coping skills.

Conclusions

People who do not conform to the current social standards of our society often seem to remain the subject of stigmatization and discrimination. Further research is needed to explore the psychological processes that drive BDSM interests in order to destigmatize and normalize consensual BDSM-related activities.

Disclosure

No significant relationships.

Keywords

BDSMSensation seekingstigmacoping
Type
Abstract
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 65 , Special Issue S1: Abstracts of the 30th European Congress of Psychiatry , June 2022 , pp. S804
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the European Psychiatric Association
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