PS-03-003 Adult attachment, sadism/masochism and domination/submission in a BDSM group

Objective: Several studies have analysed the psychological characteristics of the BDSM population compared to the no-BDSMers. However, despite the great variety of roles and practices in BDSM, only a few studies have focused on sadism/masochism and domination/submission differences within the BDSMers. Given the centrality of the relational component in BDSM, the goal of this study was to evaluate the adult attachment styles in relation to the preferred roles and practices. Methods: An anonymous on-line questionnaire was used to assess 267 people practicing BDSM on demographic data, roles and practices, together with the ECR-R (Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised) in order to evaluate their adult attachment styles in relationships. Results: Regarding roles, women seem to choose more frequently the submissive while men the dominant role. About the attachment, it has been found that people who recognize themselves as submissive, reported a higher score in attachment Anxiety scale. F2,260¼4,27 No significant differences were found between gender and preferences in BDSM practices, and between attachment style and preference for sadism, masochism, or fetishism. Conclusion: Our results lead us to hypothesize that there is no relationship between sadism, masochism, or fetishism and adult attachment styles. The high scores in the attachment anxiety scale of people who choose submission.