Early trauma and attachment patterns help explain adults’ BDSM role preferences

A Slovenian study found that childhood sexual abuse and insecure adult attachment relate to BDSM role preferences: survivors tended to be submissive, while dismissive attachment linked to dominance and preoccupied attachment to submission. The study also found that non-heterosexual orientation did not mediate these links, and urban dwellers, older participants, and those identifying as bisexual or homosexual reported higher participation. Gender differences emerged with men reporting more submissive roles, but overall the results are correlational with noted limitations (self-report, small subgroups, lack of mental health screening), prompting calls for qualitative research to understand motivations behind these dynamics.