BDSM and masochistic sexual fantasies in women with borderline personality disorder: simply on the spectrum of “normality” or source of suffering?

Table 1 Sociodemographic characteristics in women with and without BPD

	BPD (n = 115)		HC (n = 115)		Statistic			Effect size
	M	SD	M	SD	U		p
age (years)	28.65	7.80	28.99	7.46	6,950.00		0.503	η²=0.00
	n	%	n	%	df	χ²	p
marital status, single	61	53.1	39	33.9	1	8.56	0.005	φ = 0.19
children, yes	14	12.2	15	13.0	1	0.04	1	φ=-0.01
school education, high	49	42.6	88	76.5	1	27.46	< 0.001	φ = 0.35
occupation, full-time	19	16.5	39	33.9	1	9.22	0.004	φ = 0.20
heterosexual orientation	39	33.9	65	56.5	1	11.87	0.001	φ = 0.23
comorbid trauma diagnosis
PTSD	55	47.8	-	-	1	72.29	< 0.001	φ=-0.56
cPTSD	50	43.5	-	-	1	63.89	< 0.001	φ=-0.53
experienced sexual abuse
CSA	68^a	60.7	10	8.7	1	68.07	< 0.001	φ=-0.55
ASA	52^b	49.1	10	8.7	1	44.52	< 0.001	φ=-0.45
revictimization	42^c	40.8	3	2.6	1	48.32	< 0.001	φ=-0.47
BDSM role (masoc.)	38^e	70.4	13	50.0	1	3.15	0.064	φ=-0.20
Aroused by MF1	83	72.2	81	70.4	1	0.09	0.442	φ=-0.02
Frequency of MF1	80^f	89.9	70	82.4	1	2.08	0.111	φ=-0.11
Distress from MF	38^f	42.7	11	12.9	1	19.03	< 0.001	φ=-0.33
Aroused by MF2	71	62.3	73	63.5	1	0.04	0.480	φ = 0.01
Frequency of MF2	70^f	78.7	68	80.0	1	0.05	0.487	φ = 0.02
Distress from MF2	33^f	37.5	10	11.8	1	15.33	< 0.001	φ=-0.30
Aroused by MF3	76	66.1	70	60.9	1	0.68	0.247	φ=-0.05
Frequency of MF3	75^f	84.3	64	75.3	1	2.18	0.099	φ=-0.11
Distress from MF3	38^f	42.7	15	17.6	1	12.88	< 0.001	φ=-0.27

Note. BPD = Borderline Personality Disorder, HC = Healthy Controls, (c)PTSD = (complex) Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, CSA = Child Sexual Abuse, ASA = Adult Sexual Abuse, BDSM = Sexual activities related to Bondage & Discipline, Dominance & Submission, Sadism & Masochism, MF = masochistic fantasies, MF1 = MF in sexual fantasies, MF2 = MF in masturbation fantasies, MF3 = MF in sexual behavior. a: missing patient data n = 3. b: missing patient data n = 9. c: missing patient data n = 12, d: missing patient data n = 9. e: percentages relate to women having practiced BDSM. f: percentages relate to women having MF

ISSN: 2051-6673