Factor Analysis With Unusual Sexual Interests: A Replication Study in a Representative Population Sample

A previous study found a variety of unusual sexual interests to cluster in a five-factor structure, namely submission/masochism, forbidden sexual activities, dominance/sadism, mysophilia, and fetishism (Schippers et al., 2021). The current study was an empirical replication to examine whether these findings generalized to a representative population sample. An online, anonymous sample (N = 256) representative of the Dutch adult male population rated 32 unusual sexual interests on a scale from 1 (very unappealing) to 7 (very appealing). An exploratory factor analysis assessed whether similar factors would emerge as in the original study. A subsequent confirmatory factor analysis served to confirm the factor structure. Four slightly different factors of sexual interest were found: extreme, illegal and mysophilic sexual activities; light BDSM without real pain or suffering; heavy BDSM that may include pain or suffering; and illegal but lower-sentenced and fetishistic sexual activities. The model fit was acceptable. The representative replication sample was more sexually conservative and showed less sexual engagement than the original convenience sample. On a fundamental level, sexual interest in light BDSM activities and extreme, forbidden, and mysophilic activities seem to be relatively separate constructs.

Online forum use in child attracted persons

Social support for child-attracted persons (CAPs) may be important for increasing well-being, thereby reducing the risk of committing child sexual abuse. Unfortunately, in-person social support may be difficult to obtain because of stigma. CAPs may instead turn to online forums for people who are sexually attracted to children. The present study looks at the emotional, informational, and tangible support CAPs offered and received through online forums. We recruited 353 CAPs from Twitter and multiple online forums. The survey covered basic demographics, frequency of forum use, reasons for forum use, social support received or offered, helpfulness of forums, and their quality of offline support. Most CAPs said that they initially sought out forums to avoid feeling alone in their attraction; the quality of offline support was rated as moderate. Emotional support and informational support were the most frequently endorsed forms of social support. CAPs who visited more forums reported forums to be less helpful, which could reflect “forum shopping.” A Poisson regression predicting online support from quality of offline support and various demographic and forum use variables did not reveal any significant results. This is the first quantitative study to look at the benefits of forums for CAPs regarding specific types of social support. The authors consider if certain forums, in addition to professional help, could be part of a repertoire of resources for CAPs who may be struggling.

Exploring the Ownership of Child-Like Sex Dolls

There is a fervent social debate ongoing that relates to the ownership of child-like sex dolls. On the one hand, some proponents of dolls suggest that they offer a safe sexual outlet for minor-attracted people (MAPs) and could be used in efforts to prevent the sexual abuse of children. On the other side of the debate, child-like dolls are seen as articles that sexualize children, encourage deviant fantasies, and increase offending risk. To date, no empirical analyses have been undertaken with people who own such dolls. In this paper, we present data from child-like sex doll owners (n = 85) and MAPs who do not own dolls (n = 120) recruited from online forums visited by people who own sex dolls or forums for people with sexual attractions to children. Specifically, we compared their psychological characteristics and proclivities for sexual aggression. Among non-owners, 79.2% of participants declared an interest in owning a sex doll, which is higher than the 20-40% rate reported in adult-attracted samples of non-owners. We found few differences between the groups on most personality variables, with doll owners being less antisocial and anxiously attached than non-owners, but exhibiting more schizotypal traits. Related to offending proclivities, doll ownership was associated with lower levels of sexual preoccupation and self-reported arousal to hypothetical abuse scenarios, but higher levels of sexually objectifying behaviors and anticipated enjoyment of sexual encounters with children. We discuss these data in relation to a functional model of child-like sex doll ownership among MAPs.

10 years later: Revisiting Seto’s (2012) conceptualization of orientation to sexual maturity among pedohebephilic persons

Emerging research has examined the experiences of individuals who are sexually attracted to children. This study collected both quantitative and qualitative data from individuals with self-identified pedohebephilic attractions ( n = 116). Several analyses were used to assess whether the sample characteristics followed Seto’s (2012) conceptual outline of pedophilia as an orientation to sexual maturity. The three developmental characteristics of gender-based sexual orientation were explored using survey and interview data. Overlapping patterns with relation to the age of onset, expressions of both sexual and romantic attractions, and stability of such attraction over time were found. As noted by researchers and clinicians in this area, there are clear clinical implications associated with a shift in the conceptualization of sexual attraction to children. Such etiological conceptualizations are often poorly understood and/or conflated with sociocultural understandings and reactions. Despite resistance to such conceptualizations, the findings indicate that orientation to sexual maturity closely mirrors the developmental trajectory of gender sexual orientation, as outlined in Seto’s seminal paper.

BDSM: Does it Hurt or Help Sexual Satisfaction, Relationship Satisfaction, and Relationship Closeness?

This national web-population study from Norway (N = 4,148) assessed 1) the prevalence of BDSM and role-play interests and behaviors, 2) the socio-demographic characteristics of the BDSM-oriented participants, and 3) the associations between a) BDSM and b) role-play interests and behaviors, and sexual satisfaction, relationship satisfaction, and relationship closeness. Over one in three study participants endorsed at least one BDSM interest or behavior variable. There were no gender nor educational level differences between the BDSM-oriented participants and their traditional "vanilla" (non-BDSM-oriented) counterparts, though BDSM and interests were more common among younger and self-identified LGBQ+ participants. Sexual satisfaction was positively associated with role-play and BDSM behaviors while interest in role-play (but not having previously engaged in it) was negatively associated with this outcome. Lower relationship closeness was associated with an interest in role-play (but not having tried it). No BDSM-related variables were significantly associated with relationship closeness. The findings suggest that BDSM interests and behaviors are relatively common and are linked with sexual and relationship satisfaction.

A Brief Report on Fetishism in Romania: An Approach Based on Gender and Sexual Orientation

Objectives: With this research, we aimed to assess the level of fetishism in Romania, to explore the gender and sexual orientation differences and to inspect its relationship with sexual satisfaction and well-being. Methods: This study analyses data from 525 participants from the non-clinical population. Results: The analyses showed that some levels of fetishism are present in almost 70 % of the sample, that queer participants report higher scores and that it does not impact sexual satisfaction and well-being. Conclusion: These findings can be used for a better understanding of fetishism and its impact by both clinicians and individuals with fetishes.

Exploratory Factor Analysis of Unusual Sexual Interests

BACKGROUND

Unusual sexual interests are largely intercorrelated, yet not much is known about underlying patterns of clusters between various sexual interests.

AIM

To identify underlying clusters of unusual sexual interests using exploratory factor analysis.

METHODS

We conducted exploratory factor analysis with self-reported interest in a wide variety of unusual sexual acts for an online, international sample (N = 669; 61% female), and for women and men separately. Factor regression weights were correlated to self-reported sex life satisfaction, sexual outlet, and psychiatric symptoms.

OUTCOMES

Participants rated the attractiveness of 50 unusual sexual activities, and reported on their sex life satisfaction (Arizona Sexual Experiences Scale), sexual outlet, and symptoms regarding ADHD (Adult ADHD Self-Report Screening Scale for DSM-5), depression, anxiety, and stress (Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale).

RESULTS

We identified 5 factors of unusual sexual interests that were largely comparable for women and men: submission/masochism, forbidden sexual activities, dominance/sadism, mysophilia (attraction to dirtiness or soiled things), and fetishism. For women, unusual sexual interests related to more psychiatric symptoms and higher sexual outlet, whereas this relation was less explicit for men.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Different factors of unusual sexual interests may serve different underlying functions or motivations, for instance related to sexual, and emotional regulation. A better understanding of the nature of unusual sexual interests is important to be able to influence sexual interests that are unwanted or cause damage to others.

STRENGTHS & LIMITATIONS

Strength of this study include its anonymity, the avoidance of sexual orientation effects, and the possibility to indicate only a slight endorsement toward sexual items. Limitations include the sample's generalizability and the truthfulness of online responding.

CONCLUSION

Unusual sexual interests could be clustered into 5 factors that were largely comparable for women and men: submission/masochism, forbidden sexual activities, dominance/sadism, mysophilia, and fetishism. Schippers EE, Smid WJ, Huckelba AL, et al. Exploratory Factor Analysis of Unusual Sexual Interests. J Sex Med 2021;18:1615-1631.

What Is So Appealing About Being Spanked, Flogged, Dominated, or Restrained? Answers from Practitioners of Sexual Masochism/Submission

A growing number of studies have demonstrated that BDSM (Bondage/Discipline-Domination/Submission-Sadism/Masochism) practices are not signs of mental illness. However, the reasons for engaging in such behaviors are not well understood, especially for sexual masochism or submission (m/s). A thorough review of the literature was conducted, as well as a search in Internet forums and an online survey to obtain testimonies that provide information on the origins of interest in m/s and the reasons for engaging in it. A qualitative content analysis was performed on narratives from 227 m/s practitioners. Sixteen themes emerged from this analysis, eight related to the origins of interest in m/s and eight to the reasons for engaging in m/s. The origins described were seen as either intrinsic or extrinsic. Reasons to engage in m/s were related to one of three main types of activities: use of interpersonal power; experiencing physical pain; and altering one's state of mind. These results concord with accounts found in non-academic books and small-scale studies suggesting that m/s interests are often present early in life and usually practiced to reach an altered state of mind associated with sexual arousal. Possible reasons for choosing m/s over more common means of mind alteration are discussed.