The Prevalence of BDSM in Finland and the Association between BDSM Interest and Personality Traits

Abstract

<p>According to previous research, interest in BDSM (Bondage-Discipline, Dominance-Submission and<br>Sadomasochism) activities is high in several European countries and various BDSM practices are not<br>uncommon. There is limited amount of research on the personalities of BDSM practitioners, but in<br>previous research practitioners have been found to have better overall well-being and to be more<br>educated than the general population. The current study explored the prevalence of BDSM interest and<br>practice in a Finnish sample (n = 8,137, age range 18–60, M = 30.14, SD = 8.08) and investigated the<br>association between BDSM interest and personality measured with the six-factor personality measure<br>HEXACO. A total of 38% of the sample was interested in BDSM sex and non-heterosexual individuals<br>displayed almost twice as much interest and at most 83% more participation in BDSM than heterosexual<br>individuals. Younger participants (18–28 years old) displayed almost three times as much interest than<br>older participants. There were some associations between BDSM interest and personality factors, but the<br>effect sizes of these associations were modest. The study shows that BDSM interest is quite common<br>among the Finnish population.<br></p>