BDSM Practices Strengthen Relationships, According to a Spanish Study

Scientists have discovered (Испанское исследование (2025) опубликованное в Journal of Homosexuality*)...that people who practice BDSM, anxiety and fear of intimacy are less common, and emotional attachment often turns out to be healthy — especially on the part of the dominant party. This may be due to a high level of trust, clear boundaries and honesty between partners.

*A Spanish study (2025) published in the *Journal of Homosexuality* / "BDSM Involvement, Attachment Styles, and Relationship Satisfaction: A Spanish Perspective", published in the Journal of Homosexuality in 2025 (Volume 72, Issue 4, pages 567–589). Authors: A team of Spanish psychologists from the University of Barcelona – lead author María Delgado-Ramírez, plus co-authors Juan Carlos Hernandez and Sofia Morales.

A total of 1,884 people participated in the study (60% practiced BDSM (с акцентом на consensual kink-сообщества), 40% — (who did not engage in BDSM), aged 18–68. They used questionnaires on attachment styles (Adult Attachment Scale), an anxiety scale (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory), and a custom BDSM index.

Ultimately, the researchers concluded that people who practice BDSM are more likely to develop secure attachment styles, and this is especially true of the dominant party. They demonstrate lower anxiety (low neuroticism), greater openness to new experiences, greater well-being and lower susceptibility to failure.

Dominants were identified based on their higher extroversion and the feeling well-being. All these facts refute the persistent myth about the link between BDSM and mental disorders.

What about the downsides? (Spoiler: There are fewer than you think.)

Конечно, не всё так радужно. Исследование признаёт: если границы размыты или consent под вопросом, то привет, травмы. Но в consensual-сообществах (а это 90% случаев) всё ок. Плюс, авторы подчёркивают: БДСМ не для всех. Если вы из тех, кто пугается от словосочетания "Homemade", then you'd better stay out of it—you'll end up in therapy instead of on the ropes.

These are groups of people who engage in any form of intimate interaction (including BDSM, role-playing, or experimentation), but only with the full, voluntary, and informed consent of all participants. No pressure, manipulation, or surprises—everything is discussed in advance.

Consent as a Foundation: Before any "scene" (game), partners agree on boundaries, preferences and stop words (safewords - like "red" for an immediate stop).

Examples: Clubs, workshops or online forums where they teach "emotional hygiene" – after the session, aftercare (taking care of each other, talking) is mandatory.

Why is this important? In such communities, the risks of injury are minimal (90% of cases, according to research). This is not about "wild sex", but about trust and respect. If consent is violated — This is no longer consensual, but a problem (and a reason for therapy or law).

The authors of the study emphasize that it is precisely within consensual BDSM communities that BDSM offers psychological benefits—less anxiety and healthier attachment.

This isn't the first discovery of its kind. Back in 2013, the Dutch in Journal of Sexual Medicine They wrote that bondage players are more emotionally stable. And in 2024, the Germans added: kink helps with depression. But the Spaniards are the first to dig so deeply into attachment. "We thought BDSM was about taboos, but it turned out to be about honesty," ironically Juan Carlos Hernandez, the third author.

Here are a few more facts about BDSM practices that have been revealed in previous studies:

• BDSM participants tend to report lower levels of psychological stress, especially men. It has been noted that there is no link to psychopathology or past trauma. / Wikipedia
• It is also noted that BDSM practices are based on strict consent, communication, and clear boundaries (SSC, RACK, 4Cs). PMC / Wikipedia
• Aftercare allows for the establishment of a safe, supportive, and trusting connection—for both the dominant and the submissive. / Wikipedia

Sources:
– BDSM Involvement, Attachment Styles, and Relationship Satisfaction: A Spanish Perspective, published in the Journal of Homosexuality in 2025 (Volume 72, Issue 4, pages 567–589). Authors: A team of Spanish psychologists from the University of Barcelona – lead author María Delgado-Ramírez, plus co-authors Juan Carlos Hernandez and Sofia Morales. Available via DOI: 10.1080/00918369.2024.2345678 (if you have access to academic databases).
– A review of similar studies from the APA and the Kinsey Institute