At its best, BDSM is a way to help partners connect, communicate their desires, and live their fantasies. It comes as no surprise, then, that some research shows that practicing BDSM is associated with greater relationship satisfaction. But what about BDSM’s effect on sex? A May 2023 study compared the sexual function of people practicing D/s and those who don’t and uncovered interesting findings—some perhaps predictable and some concerning.
What was the study?
Using the data from three large surveys examining Finnish twins and children of twins, researchers delved into how D/s behaviors relate to sexual function. The surveys were conducted in 2006, 2009, and 2021–2022 and included 29,821 participants combined. The surveys assessed sexual function, desire, physical response (erections for men and wetness for women), and quality of orgasm using gender-specific measures like the Checklist for Early Ejaculation Symptoms (CHEES) and the Female Sexual Function Index. The surveys also used gender-neutral questions adapted from the Female Sexual Distress Scale, which measures respondents’ ratings of sexual regrets, anxiety, and dissatisfaction. The study highlights differences in sexual function as well as sexual distress for dominant and submissive survey respondents.
What were the findings?
This study shows strong evidence that BDSM leads to better sex. Specifically, sexual function is better for kinky men and women, versus their vanilla counterparts, in terms of improved erectile function and fewer cases of early ejaculation for men and improved orgasms for women. The study authors speculate that D/s, especially sexual submission, reduces performance anxiety and leads to better sex. Unfortunately, this seems to come at the cost of increased sexual distress. The researchers hypothesize this could be due to people’s lack of self-acceptance of their kinks.
What are the study’s shortcomings?
The higher sexual distress scale (SDS) scores among D/s people could be interpreted to contradict the better sexual function findings because of how the results are presented. The study doesn’t disaggregate the SDS responses to show the physically distressing aspects of sex versus distressing sexual feelings. Although scores from the sexual function surveys are broken down individually for wetness, orgasm, desire, and more, the SDS results are lumped together as one line item.
It seems likely that kinky respondents scored higher on SDS items related to sexual feelings, such as “regrets about your sexuality” and “stressed about sex,” than they did on SDS items alluding to sexual function issues, such as “guilty about sexual difficulties,” given the fact that kinksters tend to have better erectile function and orgasms. With this in mind, the researchers speculate that the kinky respondents scored higher on the SDS because they’re more likely to suffer from stigma or a lack of self-acceptance. Hopefully another study will take a second look at the surveys soon and answer this question.
What’s the main takeaway?
Though this may seem like simple research with fairly predictable results, this study provides evidence of the relationship between the benefits of practicing BDSM and the complicated and stressful feelings people often have when enacting their fantasies. Perhaps more accessible education, such as the posts and resources found on our blog, can help everyday kinksters realize their desires are normal and beneficial in many ways and reverse negative trends, such as the possible finding of a lack of self-acceptance.
BDSM fantasies are hardly abnormal or something to be ashamed of. This study references two sources that show that 60 percent of people have BDSM thoughts or fantasies. And Justin Lehmiller’s online survey of Americans showed that more than 93 percent of people have daydreams about BDSM. The study we just recapped suggests that the large number of people who are apprehensive about their kinks may have a lot to gain in the bedroom by exploring them.
Interested in learning more about BDSM research? Check out our other Research Recaps!