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Birke JB, Jern P, Johansson A, Bondü R. Links between Aggressive Sexual Fantasies and Sexual Coercion: A Replication and Extension of a Multifactorial Model. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2024; 53:1047-1063. [PMID: 38233725 PMCID: PMC10920420 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-023-02782-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Current research indicates that aggressive sexual fantasies (ASF) are related to sexual aggression, above and beyond other risk factors for this behavior. There have, however, rarely been explicitly considered in multifactor models aiming to explain sexual aggression. One exception is the multifactorial Revised Confluence Model of Sexual Aggression that was replicated in two samples of male individuals who were convicted of sexual offenses and a small sample of men from the general population and evidenced a high relevance of ASF, respectively. There were, however, no further attempts to replicate the model in larger samples from the general population. We, therefore, used a subsample from the Finnish Genetics of Sexuality and Aggression project including 3269 men (age: M = 26.17 years, SD = 4.76) to do so. Cross-sectional latent structural equation models corroborated previous research and the assumption that ASF are a central component in multifactor models that aim to explain sexual aggression: ASF and antisocial behavior/aggression were equally important associates of sexual coercion when also considering adverse childhood experiences, hypersexuality, and callous-unemotional traits. Additionally, ASF mediated the links between hypersexuality, callous-unemotional traits, as well as childhood sexual abuse and sexual coercion. These links held stable when entering further risk factors, that is, distorted perceptions, rape-supportive attitudes, and violent pornography consumption into the model. Contrasting assumptions, alcohol consumption and antisocial behavior/aggression did not interact. These results illustrate the potential importance of ASF for sexual aggression. They indicate that ASF require consideration by research on sexual aggression as well as in the treatment and risk assessment of sexual perpetrators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Bernhard Birke
- Department of Psychology, Psychologische Hochschule Berlin, Am Köllnischen Park 2, 10179, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Patrick Jern
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Abo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - Ada Johansson
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Abo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - Rebecca Bondü
- Department of Psychology, Psychologische Hochschule Berlin, Am Köllnischen Park 2, 10179, Berlin, Germany
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Bondü R. Aggressive sexual fantasy frequency outperforms other characteristics in cross-sectionally predicting self-reported sexual aggression in 4 samples. J Sex Med 2023; 20:1414-1430. [PMID: 37855896 DOI: 10.1093/jsxmed/qdad128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aggressive sexual fantasies (ASFs) have consistently been associated with sexual aggression measures. ASF frequency has mostly been used to indicate ASF, but other ASF characteristics may be important to explain the apparent gap between alleged high lifetime prevalence rates of ASF and lower sexual aggression rates-that is, why ASFs are only sometimes put into action. AIM The present study therefore examined whether additional ASF characteristics show associations with sexual aggression measures above and beyond ASF frequency to identify the most relevant ASF characteristics. METHODS The present study is based on cross-sectional survey data from 4 independent mostly community samples with 448, 131, 758, and 415 participants to examine whether ASF elaboration, intrusion, preoccupation, context, and consent were associated with self-reported sexual aggression measures beyond ASF frequency. OUTCOMES Self-reported sexual aggression measures included presumably consensual and nonconsensual sexual sadism, self-reports on acting on ASF, sexual harassment, use of coercive strategies, and rape proclivity. RESULTS The results showed positive correlations among all ASF characteristics. ASF frequency was the most consistent and often strongest predictor of sexual aggression across samples and outcome measures. ASF elaboration and/or its interaction with ASF frequency added to this prediction in study 1 but not in study 2. All other ASF characteristics in studies 1 to 4 either did not add to the predictions or yielded results contrary to expectations, mostly suggesting suppressor effects. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS Sexual medicine and forensic sexology researchers may want to consider ASF frequency in diagnostics and develop and refine interventions to reduce it in cases of clearly elevated levels. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS The strengths of the present study include considering 4 independent samples as well as a large number of ASF characteristics and sexual aggression measures. Its limitations include the reliance on cross-sectional data and not being able to examine the potential influences of all ASF characteristics in a single model. CONCLUSION ASF frequency seems the most valid and reliable indicator of ASF and the most important associate of sexual aggression. It should be considered the main indicator of ASF by future research and in prevention efforts and risk assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Bondü
- Department of Psychology, Psychologische Hochschule Berlin, Berlin, 10179, Germany
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Páv M, Sebalo I, Brichcín S, Perkins D. Outcome Evaluation of a Treatment Program for Men with Paraphilic Disorders Convicted of Sexual Offenses: 10-Year Community Follow-up. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OFFENDER THERAPY AND COMPARATIVE CRIMINOLOGY 2023:306624X231165416. [PMID: 37157822 DOI: 10.1177/0306624x231165416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Evidence concerning specific paraphilia treatment effectiveness is limited. We present observation data of 127 men convicted of paraphilic sexual offenses who attended inpatient and outpatient follow-up treatment in Czechia. We collected participants' sociodemographic and treatment-related information, including STATIC-99R scores, and used proportional hazards models to analyze variables' effect on recidivism risk. Within the observation period, the general recidivism and sexual recidivism rates were 33.1% and 16.5%, respectively, and the sexual contact recidivism rate was 4.7%. The total STATIC-99 score for those who re-offended was 5.65 (SD = 2.11) and for those who did not was 3.98 (SD = 2.02). Recidivism risk was 7.52 times higher for those diagnosed with exhibitionism than with pedophilia, sadomasochism, or antisocial personality disorder. General recidivism is comparable to others' findings. We attribute the lower sexual contact recidivism rate to the combined effects of psychological and pharmacological treatment, and higher numbers of non-contact offenses to limited antidepressant use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marek Páv
- Psychiatric Hospital Bohnice, Prague, Czech Republic
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Birke J, Bondü R. From Fantasy to Reality: Self-Reported Aggression-Related Sexual Fantasies Predict Sexually Sadistic Behavior beyond Indirect and Direct Measures of Sexual Preference. JOURNAL OF SEX RESEARCH 2023; 60:558-573. [PMID: 35040707 DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2021.2022588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Aggression-related sexual fantasies (ASF) have been related to various forms of harmful sexual behavior in both sex offender and community samples. However, more research is needed to fully understand this relation, particularly whether ASF is associated with harmful sexual behavior beyond hostile sexism against women and a sexual preference for violence and sexual violence. In the present study, N = 428 participants (61.9% women) between 18 and 83 years of age (M = 28.17, SD = 9.7) reported their ASF and hostile sexism. They rated their sexual arousal by erotic, violent, and sexually violent pictures as a direct measure of sexual preference. Response latencies between stimulus presentation and arousal ratings were used as an indirect measure of sexual preference. ASF and the directly and indirectly assessed sexual preference for violent and sexually violent stimuli were positively correlated. They were unrelated to hostile sexism against women. ASF showed the strongest associations with self-reported sexually sadistic behavior and presumably non-consensual sexual sadism beyond these preferences and hostile sexism in the total group and separately among men and women. The findings indicate that ASF and sexual preference are not equivalent constructs and further underscore the potential relevance of ASF for harmful sexual behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Birke
- Department of Psychology, Psychologische Hochschule Berlin
- Department of Psychology, University of Potsdam
| | - Rebecca Bondü
- Department of Psychology, Psychologische Hochschule Berlin
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Boschetti A, Camperio Ciani A, Scarpazza C. Sexual offenses and the brain. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2023; 197:161-179. [PMID: 37633708 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-821375-9.00017-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/28/2023]
Abstract
Sexual offenses are a great concern worldwide due to the devastating physical and psychological consequences the victims of such crimes often experience. It is an important task to investigate potential mechanisms that may underlie sexual offending and predispose an individual for such antisocial behavior. Advanced techniques in neuroscience are increasingly used to uncover biomarkers in psychiatric disorders and organic brain disease. As this type of research is flourishing, preliminary studies with the aim to explore the neural basis of sex offenders have started to appear. To this purpose, researchers began to study the brain's structural and functional changes and the neurocognitive profiles of sex offenders, in comparison to nonoffenders and nonsex offenders, or among different subtypes of sex offenders. Most of the research to date has focused on pedophilia, with some inconsistent findings, which hampers the translation of the results into the forensic and clinical context. Any attempt to increase convergent evidence may profit from the harmonization of data analysis and avoidance of methodological inconsistencies, which can account for the different results across studies. Today, uncovering the neural basis of sex offences has to become a priority, not only for clinical interventions, but might also be important knowledge for crime prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Boschetti
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Andrea Camperio Ciani
- Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Cristina Scarpazza
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy; Translational Cognitive and NeuroImaging Lab, IRCCS Camillo Hospital, Venice, Italy.
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Ronis ST, Knight RA, Vander Molen L. The Covariation of Sexual Fantasies and Behaviors Among Self-Identified Sexually Aggressive Criminal and Noncriminal Samples. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OFFENDER THERAPY AND COMPARATIVE CRIMINOLOGY 2022; 66:517-537. [PMID: 31884839 DOI: 10.1177/0306624x19895905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
This study examined the association of sexually appetitive fantasies and sexually coercive behaviors among adult men convicted of nonsexual crimes (n = 159) and adult men with no criminal histories (n = 219). Individuals completed the Multidimensional Assessment of Sex and Aggression (MASA) and, on the basis of these reports, were classified whether or not they had ever attempted to assault or coerce someone sexually. Consistent with fewer opportunities to engage in sexual behavior, individuals with criminal histories reported generally less preoccupation, compulsivity, and frequency than did noncriminal individuals. Regardless of criminal history, self-identified sexually coercive men reported significantly more sexually appetitive fantasy and behavior in general and sexually deviant behavior in particular than did noncoercive males. Implications of these findings for research, theory, and dispositional decisions are discussed.
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Hughes SD, Hammack PL. Narratives of the Origins of Kinky Sexual Desire Held by Users of a Kink-Oriented Social Networking Website. JOURNAL OF SEX RESEARCH 2022; 59:360-371. [PMID: 33179986 DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2020.1840495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Empirical research on the origins of kinky erotic desires (e.g., sadomasochism, bondage, domination/submission, roleplaying, sexual fetishism, etc.) has been limited and rarely rooted in the narratives of kinky people themselves. Among a sample of 260 self-identified kinky users of a kink-oriented social networking website living in 21 countries, we examined self-reported narratives of the origins of kink desires. An inductive coding process by four independent coders yielded 20 categories of responses, organized into five broad discourses about the origins of kinky desires: identity (e.g., personality, personal taste, and role exploration; 72.7% of responses), nurture (e.g., both traumatic and non-traumatic life experiences; 38.1% of responses), negation (e.g., disavowing or doubting a particular idea about the origins of their kink interests; 24.6% of responses), nature (e.g., biology and genetics; 22.7% of responses), and uncertainty (e.g., not being able to identify an origin of kinky desires; 10.4% of responses). Fewer than 19% of participants mentioned any kind of trauma in their responses. We discuss implications for scientific understandings of kinky sexual desire within the umbrella of sexual diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sam D Hughes
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Santa Cruz
- Center for Positive Sexuality
| | - Phillip L Hammack
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Santa Cruz
- Center for Positive Sexuality
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Wuyts E, Morrens M. The Biology of BDSM: A Systematic Review. J Sex Med 2022; 19:144-157. [PMID: 36963978 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsxm.2021.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Revised: 10/31/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION BDSM is an abbreviation used to reference the concepts of bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, sadism and masochism, enacted by power exchanges between consensual partners. In recent years, attention has shifted from the idea of BDSM as a pathological and tabooed niche practice towards viewing BDSM as a healthy form of intimacy. AIM This systematic review brings together all existing literature on the biology of BDSM and places it in a broader biological context. METHODS A systematic search was conducted on PubMed, Web of Science and PsycARTICLES, of which 10 articles are included and discussed in this systematic review. RESULTS There is evidence for cortisol changes in submissives as a result of a BDSM interaction, suggesting involvement of the physiological stress system. Endocannabinoid changes implicate the pleasure and reward system. In dominants, this biologically measured pleasure seemed to be dependent on power play rather than pain play. Testosterone and oxytocin are also implicated in BDSM, though their role is less evident. Research into brain region activity patterns related to BDSM interest suggests a role for the parietal operculum and ventral striatum in the context of the pleasure and reward system, the primary and secondary somatosensory cortex in the context of pain perception, empathy-related circuits such as the anterior insula, anterior midcingulate cortex and sensorimotor cortex and the left frontal cortex in the context of social and sexual interactions. Pain thresholds are shown to be higher in submissive individuals and a BDSM interaction may cause pain thresholds to rise in submissives as well. CONCLUSION BDSM interactions are complex and influenced by several psychological, social and biological processes. Though research is limited, there is emerging evidence for an interaction between several biological systems involved in these types of interests and activities. This means there is an important role for future research to replicate and supplement current results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise Wuyts
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Collaborative Antwerp Psychiatric Research Institute (CAPRI), Campus Drie Eiken, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Manuel Morrens
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Collaborative Antwerp Psychiatric Research Institute (CAPRI), Campus Drie Eiken, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- University Department of Psychiatry, Campus Duffel, Duffel, Belgium
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Bondü R, Birke JB. Aggression-Related Sexual Fantasies: Prevalence Rates, Sex Differences, and Links With Personality, Attitudes, and Behavior. J Sex Med 2021; 18:1383-1397. [PMID: 37057451 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsxm.2021.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Revised: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/13/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aggression-related sexual fantasies (ASF) are considered an important risk factor for sexual aggression, but empirical knowledge is limited, in part because previous research has been based on predominantly male, North-American college samples, and limited numbers of questions. AIM The present study aimed to foster the knowledge about the frequency and correlates of ASF, while including a large sample of women and a broad range of ASF. METHOD A convenience sample of N = 664 participants from Germany including 508 (77%) women and 156 (23%) men with a median age of 25 (21-27) years answered an online questionnaire. Participants were mainly recruited via social networks (online and in person) and were mainly students. We examined the frequencies of (aggression-related) sexual fantasies and their expected factor structure (factors reflecting affective, experimental, masochistic, and aggression-related contents) via exploratory factor analysis. We investigated potential correlates (eg, psychopathic traits, attitudes towards sexual fantasies) as predictors of ASF using multiple regression analyses. Finally, we examined whether ASF would positively predict sexual aggression beyond other pertinent risk factors using multiple regression analysis. OUTCOMES The participants rated the frequency of a broad set of 56 aggression-related and other sexual fantasies, attitudes towards sexual fantasies, the Big Five (ie, broad personality dimensions including neuroticism and extraversion), sexual aggression, and other risk factors for sexual aggression. RESULTS All participants reported non-aggression-related sexual fantasies and 77% reported at least one ASF in their lives. Being male, frequent sexual fantasies, psychopathic traits, and negative attitudes towards sexual fantasies predicted more frequent ASF. ASF were the strongest predictor of sexual aggression beyond other risk factors, including general aggression, psychopathic traits, rape myth acceptance, and violent pornography consumption. CLINICAL TRANSLATION ASF may be an important risk factor for sexual aggression and should be more strongly considered in prevention and intervention efforts. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS The strengths of the present study include using a large item pool and a large sample with a large proportion of women in order to examine ASF as a predictor of sexual aggression beyond important control variables. Its weaknesses include the reliance on cross-sectional data, that preclude causal inferences, and not continuously distinguishing between consensual and non-consensual acts. CONCLUSION ASF are a frequent phenomenon even in in the general population and among women and show strong associations with sexual aggression. Thus, they require more attention by research on sexual aggression and its prevention. Bondü R, Birke JB, Aggression-Related Sexual Fantasies: Prevalence Rates, Sex Differences, and Links With Personality, Attitudes, and Behavior. J Sex Med 2021;18:1383-1397.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Bondü
- Psychologische Hochschule Berlin, Berlin, Germany; University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany.
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Lehmann RJB, Schmidt AF, Jahnke S. Stigmatization of Paraphilias and Psychological Conditions Linked to Sexual Offending. JOURNAL OF SEX RESEARCH 2021; 58:438-447. [PMID: 32352329 DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2020.1754748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Except for pedophilia, little is known about public attitudes toward paraphilias and psychological conditions that are considered risk factors for sexual offending. In the present study we sought to compare the stigma attached to pedophilia with attitudes toward sexual sadism and antisocial tendencies (Study 1, N = 720) and with attitudes toward necrophilia and zoophilia (Study 2, N = 210) in convenience samples of community individuals. When investigating social distance intentions both studies explicitly referred to people with paraphilic sexual interests or antisocial tendencies who had not committed any crimes. In both studies, people with pedophilia emerged as highly stigmatized even though most participants showed awareness that pedophilic interests cannot be chosen or changed at will. The present studies solidify the evidence that pedophilia occupies a place in the public consciousness as less deserving of acceptance than most other sexual offending risk-relevant conditions, including ones that compare in terms of rarity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alexander F Schmidt
- Institute of Psychology, Social & Legal Psychology, Johannes Gutenberg-University of Mainz
| | - Sara Jahnke
- Department of Research Synthesis, Intervention, and Evaluation, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena
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Sheff E. Kinky Sex Gone Wrong: Legal Prosecutions Concerning Consent, Age Play, and Death via BDSM. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2021; 50:761-771. [PMID: 33650015 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-020-01866-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2020] [Revised: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
This commentary begins by describing the author's research and expert witness practice serving sex and gender minorities, especially practitioners of BDSM/kinky sex. Then, it reviews the three most common reasons that BDSM is legally prosecuted. First, consent: was this assault, rape, and/or kidnapping, or was it consensual kinky sex that either got out of hand or is now being strategically employed to punish the other partner? Second, age play: was this adult trying to have sex with children or was he (and it is virtually always men) intending to age play with an adult who is pretending to be an adolescent? Third, death by kinky sex: was this a person who murdered their lover or was this an accidental death? Finally, this article concludes with recommendations for kinksters who wish to assure consent and safe play, and for litigators involved in the prosecution of kinky sex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Sheff
- Sheff Consulting, 751 Runyan Dr., Chattanooga, TN, 37405, USA.
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Dunkley CR, Brotto LA. The Role of Consent in the Context of BDSM. SEXUAL ABUSE : A JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND TREATMENT 2020; 32:657-678. [PMID: 31010393 DOI: 10.1177/1079063219842847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Consent represents a central focus in the controversial realm of BDSM-an overlapping acronym referring to the practices of Bondage and Discipline, Dominance and Submission, and Sadism and Masochism. Many authors have argued that the hallmark feature that distinguishes BDSM activity from abuse and psychopathology is the presence of mutual informed consent of all those involved. This review examines the relevant literature on consent in BDSM, including discussions on safety precautions, consent violations, North American laws pertaining to BDSM practice, and the role of the BDSM community with respect to education and etiquette surrounding consent. Practical information relevant to professionals who work toward the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse is provided. The explicit approach to consent practiced by those in the BDSM community is proposed as a model for discussions around consent in clinical and educational contexts. Criteria for distinguishing abuse from BDSM and identifying abuse within BDSM relationships are outlined. It is our hope to demystify the consent process and add to the growing body of literature that destigmatizes consensual BDSM practices.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lori A Brotto
- The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
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De Neef N, Coppens V, Huys W, Morrens M. Bondage-Discipline, Dominance-Submission and Sadomasochism (BDSM) From an Integrative Biopsychosocial Perspective: A Systematic Review. Sex Med 2019; 7:129-144. [PMID: 30956128 PMCID: PMC6525106 DOI: 10.1016/j.esxm.2019.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2018] [Revised: 01/25/2019] [Accepted: 02/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION BDSM (bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, and sadism and masochism) increasingly receives attention from the scientific community. Where earlier research efforts mainly focused on epidemiologic characteristics, psychological and biologic factors driving BDSM preferences have recently gained interest as well. AIM To bring together all the existing scientific literature on BDSM from a biopsychosocial perspective. METHODS Based on the PRISMA guidelines, the current systematic review brings together all the existing literature on BDSM from a biopsychosocial perspective. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Prevalence rates of BDSM interests were investigated in the literature, as well as the associations between BDSM interests on one hand and personality traits, adverse childhood experiences, education levels, sexual orientations and biological markers on the other. RESULTS Biologic factors such as gender identity, sex hormone levels, and the neurologic constitution of the brain's pain and reward systems influence BDSM orientation. With regard to psychological factors, both personality traits (eg, higher levels of openness or extraversion) and the presence of a personality disorder have been associated with a heightened interest in BDSM, although only limited supporting evidence is available. Additionally, sensation-seeking levels and impulsivity seem to contribute, because they presumably guide one's drive to explore new or more-intense kinks. Whereas attachment styles impact couple dynamics, they also influence willingness to explore limits in a BDSM context. Lastly, education levels impact relational and sexual dynamics. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS The limitations of the current review reflect those of the topical scientific literature. Although the number of studies focused on all aspects of BDSM is exponentially growing, most of these are only descriptive, and very few focus on underlying driving processes. CONCLUSION From this biopsychosocial perspective, we offer a dimensional approach while integrating the factors driving the onset and evolution of BDSM interests. De Neef N, Coppens V, Huys W, et al. Bondage-Discipline, Dominance-Submission and Sadomasochism (BDSM) From an Integrative Biopsychosocial Perspective: A Systematic Review. Sex Med 2019;7:129-144.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nele De Neef
- Europe Hospitals, Campus St Michel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Violette Coppens
- Collaborative Antwerp Psychiatric Research Institute (CAPRI), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium; University Psychiatric Hospital Antwerp, Campus Duffel, Duffel, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Wim Huys
- Collaborative Antwerp Psychiatric Research Institute (CAPRI), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Manuel Morrens
- Collaborative Antwerp Psychiatric Research Institute (CAPRI), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium; University Psychiatric Hospital Antwerp, Campus Duffel, Duffel, Antwerp, Belgium.
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Baur E, Forsman M, Långström N. Response to Joyal's (2016) "Linking Crime to Paraphilia: Be Careful with Label". ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2017; 46:867-868. [PMID: 28204903 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-017-0949-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2017] [Accepted: 01/19/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Elena Baur
- LWL-Maßregelvollzugsklinik, Herne, Germany
| | - Mats Forsman
- Research and Evaluation Unit, Swedish Prison and Probation Service, PO Box 44015, 100 73, Stockholm, Sweden.
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Niklas Långström
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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Joyal CC. Linking Crime to Paraphilia: Be Careful with Label. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2017; 46:865-866. [PMID: 27873032 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-016-0903-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2016] [Accepted: 11/12/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Christian C Joyal
- Department of Psychology, University of Quebec at Trois-Rivieres, Trois-Rivieres, QC, G9A 5H7, Canada.
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