Childhood Maltreatment and Parental Attachment in the BDSM Community

Abstract

The present research is designed in an attempt to address sexual activities engaged in during adulthood regarding 4 categories of childhood maltreatment (CM) including emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect (physical and emotional) along parental attachment styles. The main focus of the study is to establish a relationship between the aforementioned, subtypes of maltreatment and attachment styles, and BDSM/Sadomasochistic activities. Building on a demographic questionnaire, the Adverse Childhood Experiences International Questionnaire (ACE-IQ), the Adult Scale of Parental Attachment- Short Form (ASPA-SF), and the Sadomasochism Checklist (SMCL), 113 young adults and adults from the Lebanese/Syrian BDSM community were asked anonymously and voluntarily to participate in the study. Participants were provided with a Microsoft form link to the research survey in which they were subjected to detailed and thorough informed consent before the beginning of the survey. This study discovered a connection between BDSM behaviors and adverse traumatic events, which were largely determined by childhood sexual abuse and emotional deprivation. It was as well found that individuals who engage in submissive conduct are more likely to have vulnerable insecure attachment styles.