Masochism.

This text presents how Freud thinks about the masochism. In 1915, it is the return of active sadism in a passive drive which is characteristic of masochism, always secondary. In 1919, he sees in masochism the genesis of perversions. And the article of 1924 knows a primary masochism and distinguishes erotogenic masochism, feminine masochism and moral masochism. After Freud, many studies of clinical forms of masochism can be noted, and in France there is a thesis about the masochism as a first psychic link (Benno Rosenberg, Marilia Aisenstein).

Thinking about encountering masochism/masochistic elements in analytic practice in the Kleinian tradition then and now.

Masochistic elements are puzzling entanglements for most of us in the beginning. Taking Melanie Klein's attempts to think about them thus show one way how to make sense of them. Starting from her struggles with masochistic symptoms in child analyses in the early 1920ies Melanie Klein tried to conceptualize those experiences in a way that could help to fact them in the analytic process. In this article the development is outlined, the move from thinking about them in libidinal terms to gradually grasping in greater depth their destructive quality. She speaks of an "evil principle" and then finds a conclusive solution in conceptualizing masochism as a representation of the death drive. In the next decades her followers would further work on the complexities of the countertransference issues and superego organizations in masochism in more detail as will be shown. Finally, a look in a piece of present analytic work will exemplify the clinical usefulness of the Kleinian conceptualization.

The work of Benno Rosenberg.

Benno Rosenberg's work has been little translated into English. Yet, his work on masochism is a landmark in France. He set himself the goal of deploying all the richness and implications of the second Freudian drive theory and the introduction of the death drive. He therefore returns to "the Economic Problem of Masochism" to give all its value to the drive fusion that it achieves internally and which is therefore for it "guardian of life", even if it is can also be fatal. He draws consequences on the psychic construction of the ego, the superego and on that of temporality. He also describes a "work of melancholy" which is different from mourning. Thinking it necessary to push the consequences of the new theorizing further than Freud was able to do, he revisits "Inhibition, Symptom and Anxiety" to articulate the triggering of anxiety by a libidinal demand and the threat to the unity of the ego who comes from the death drive due to conflict. Starting from the psychosomatic descriptions of Pierre Marty, whose options are specified, he also proposed a metapsychology of somatization during the overflow of the psyche by the destructiveness which will then threaten the body.

Self-harm.

This paper attempts to address self-harm from a psychoanalytic perspective in contemporary clinical practice and their relationship with aggression, impulsiveness, violence, and masochism. Self-harm is frequent in adolescents and young people, predominantly in feminine gender. The author describes the different manifestations of self-injurious behaviors in the contemporary clinic, its manifestation in adolescents and its relationship with psychopathology. Self-harm is a way of communication, through actions, to deal with psychic pain and with the self-vulnerability. Self-harm behaviors are a manifestation of psychic tension that results overwhelming, intolerable and its discharge relieves the subject suffering, although this way is ephemeral. Suffering is linked to childhood traumatic experiences, where the self of the infant was cathected with a greater amount of aggression than erotic libido. The author states that affective aggression is triggered by emotions like anger, sadness, and emptiness. Archaic masochism is a form of identification with the aggressor and a turn against oneself aggression commonly associated with episodes of child abuse. Also, it argues that the violence linked to self-injury is intersubjective fabric in nature and requires an interdisciplinary approach.

A metapsychological framework for sadomasochism.

The authors present a summary of sadomasochism, its centrality in all pathology and the difficulties encountered by all analysts in working with sadomasochism. An integrative model is presented with determinants and manifestations from all phases of development, including the transmission of pathology between generations. Addiction to pain and the formation of hostile omnipotent beliefs are described as components of sadomasochism that explain how resistant sadomasochism is to change and growth. The emergent idea of two systems of self-regulation is presented and its utility for technique is described. Specific focus on developmental aspects offers therapists developmental markers they can use in clinical work.

Reflections on masochism: An introduction.

Masochism is central to all pathologies and its relevance in clinical practise cannot be underestimated. The initial connection made by Freud was that masochism was a component or partial instinct, still operating within the pleasure principle. The relationship between masochism and the theory of drives marks a main theoretical difference in the different authors' explorations of this subject. The understanding of what is meant by 'masochism' gained complexity following Freud's postulation of a life and death drive (which is more or less contemporary with his 1924 paper on masochism) and the differences made by him between 'primary' and 'secondary' masochism. This introduction to the papers presented in this section will address some of these differences, as well as exploring the notions of primary erotogenic masochism, feminine and moral masochism. It will also look at the notion of binding /unbinding of the life/death drives, and the role of the superego. It will introduce the different papers by Novick and Novick, Bourdin, Frank and Persano on developmental perspectives, primary masochism, views on French analysts such as Benno Rosenberg and on Kleinian ideas on the subject as well as on the role of the body, pain and self harm.

Dark personalities and general masochistic tendencies: Their relationships to giving and receiving sexualized pain.

Recent research has shown that a tendency to harm others goes hand in hand with a tendency to harm oneself. The present two studies further supported the notion that the joy of harming others and oneself has a common core by showing positive relationships between dark personality traits (particularly psychopathy) and sexual masochistic preferences and between general masochistic tendencies and sexual sadistic preferences. Despite the overlap between dark personality traits and general masochistic tendencies, they independently predicted the engagement in sexual sadomasochism. These relationships statistically held when controlling for the impact of basic personality (Study 1). Study 2 found that self-enhancement, openness to change, and low conservation values serve as motivators for a person's attraction to sexual sadomasochism and shed some light on the differences between sexual sadomasochism and the Dark Tetrad. Overall, people who score relatively high on dark personalities and masochism are particularly predisposed to engage in sexual sadomasochism, in both the dominant and the submissive roles.

BDSM Proclivity Among College Students.

Bondage/discipline, dominance/submission, and sadism/masochism (BDSM) proclivity among college students is poorly characterized, in part because existing measures of BDSM proclivity highlight the consensual nature of BDSM and are appropriate for use with non-community members (e.g., those who may not understand BDSM jargon). The current study introduces such a measure, the BDSM Proclivity Scale, which characterizes BDSM proclivity among college students and evaluates relations of BDSM proclivity with other sexual attitudes and behaviors. College students (n = 552) completed measures of BDSM proclivity, sociosexual attitudes and behaviors, rape-supportive attitudes, lifetime sexual partners, and consent-seeking behavior. Two factors mapping onto attitudes and experiences related to BDSM were identified and cross-validated. Average endorsements of BDSM attitudes and experiences on a 7-point Likert scale (1 = strong disagreement, 7 = strong agreement) were 5.61 and 4.44, respectively. Structural models revealed that lifetime sexual contact and gender significantly positively correlated with BDSM attitudes and experiences, sociosexual attitudes positively correlated with BDSM attitudes, and rape-supportive attitudes positively correlated with BDSM experiences. Consent-seeking was unrelated to BDSM experiences or attitudes. College student BDSM proclivity was evident for both attitudes and experiences, highlighting the need to characterize the development of BDSM proclivity and its correlates, the sources of students' knowledge, and the nature of students' experiences. The observed associations between BDSM proclivity and relevant sexual attitudes and behaviors support its construct validity and suggest that BDSM proclivity may prove to be an important addition to the broader constructs assessed in sexual attitudinal and behavioral domains.

Paula J. Caplan (1947-2021).

Memorializes Paula J. Caplan (1947-2021). Caplan was a leading scholar in feminist psychology, and an early contributor to the feminist critique and re-visioning of psychology. In her now-classic books The Myth of Women's Masochism; Don't Blame Mother: Mending the Mother-Daughter Relationship; and Between Women: Lowering the Barriers she took particular aim at psychoanalytic theories that women are inherently masochistic and unable to form loving bonds with their mothers and female friends. She was concerned throughout her career with the ways that medicalized views of people's suffering framed them as mentally ill without considering how society's structures and social behaviors (including sex and race discrimination) forced people into difficult situations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Sexual Violence and Nonconsensual Experiences Among Alt-Sex Communities' Members.

BACKGROUND: As behaviors, alternative sexual (alt-sex) (i.e., kink, bondage, discipline, dominance, submission, sadism, and masochism , consensual non-monogamy, swinging, leather, and fetish practices) practitioners often emphasize that consent and boundaries are key elements of alt-sex activities. Despite these emphases, individuals experience consent violations and sexual assault both prior to engaging and during their involvement in alt-sex activities. PURPOSE: This study examines alt-sex practitioners' sexual assault and nonconsensual experiences in order to highlight potential means of intervention and prevention, as well as inform clinical and legal professionals. METHODS: In collaboration with the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom, this study uses an international survey of adults in alt-sex communities (N = 2996) to examine sexual assault and nonconsensual experiences both within and outside of alt-sex contexts. RESULTS: We found a lower rate of consent violations in the alt-sex community (26%) compared to sexual assault as an adult outside of alt-sex contexts (34%) and sexual assault as a minor (40%). We found significant differences by groups in sexual assault as a minor (gender, sexual orientation, age, and live in the US or not), sexual assault outside of alt-sex contexts (gender, sexual orientation, and age), nonconsensual experiences in alt-sex contexts (gender, sexual orientation, age, and race), receiving nonconsensual touch in alt-sex contexts (gender, sexual orientation, and age), giving nonconsensual touch in alt-sex contexts (sexual orientation, age, living in the US or not, and race), and being falsely accused of nonconsensual touching in alt-sex contexts (gender, age, and living in the US or not). Within the most recent consent violation, the most common behaviors were non-kink related, except for lack of aftercare. Nearly 40% of participants reported the reasons for their most recent consent violation in alt-sex contexts were being selfish or caught up in the moment. IMPLICATIONS: Focused interventions are needed to address how different populations are experiencing assault and violations in alt-sex contexts.

BDSM, Non-Monogamy, Consent, and Stigma Navigation: Narrative Experiences.

With the rise in popularity of media pieces depicting alternative sexual/relationship preferences, there has been a rise in interest in kink and BDSM (Sprott & Berkey, 2015), which corresponds with research suggesting that approximately 20% of Americans have been in a consensually non-monogamous relationship (Haupert et al., 2016). Despite this growing popularity, these populations are often stigmatized and misunderstood (Bettinger, 2002). The present study examined the self-reported experiences of individuals who have participated in kink, BDSM, non-monogamy, and/or polyamory. Specifically, the study used qualitative methodology to examine narratives of discrimination, harassment, coming out, being outed, consent violations, and/or sexual assault in a BDSM or non-monogamous encounter. Participants consisted of 67 adults who completed an online survey conducted by the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom and were asked to provide narratives of their experience. Data were analyzed using a modified consensual qualitative research methodology (CQR-M; Spangler et al., 2012). Results indicated 11 categories falling into three domains: navigating incidents (consent issues, negotiation of scenes or relationships, identity/beliefs about coming out, and reporting), contributing factors (role of social media/media, exacerbating factors, and beliefs about the community), and response/prevention (outcome of incident, emotions felt, lessons learned from incident by the participant, and what would be helpful from the community). This study contributes to our understanding of the experiences in this community and elucidates strategies that can be used to intervene and advocate for these populations, including education of the general public and deliberate community support.

Pathways and Patterns of Entrance into BDSM.

Prior limited research on entrance into BDSM divided paths of entry into external or internal factors (Yosta & Hunter, 2012), while research on age at entry into BDSM has not considered variation by BDSM role identity, gender, sexual orientation, and other demographic differences. In this mixed-methods exploratory study, we contribute to this literature by collecting and analyzing qualitative interviews with 96 self-described practitioners of BDSM to more fully describe distinct pathways into BDSM, adding nuance to prior descriptions of entry. We also collected and analyzed surveys with 2,017 self-described practitioners of BDSM to examine patterns of age at entry into BDSM practices and fantasies, and selection into older or younger age at practice and age at fantasy by BDSM role identity, gender, sexual orientation, and other demographic characteristics. Interview respondents told "constructionist sexual stories" describing introductions to BDSM via popular culture including pornography and other media, the Internet, or a sexual partner that awaked an inherent interest, along with "essentialist sexual stories" which described self-discovery solely attributed to an inherent personality characteristic. Survey data revealed that age at fantasy and onset of behavior varied by social-environmental factors. Pathways and patterns into BDSM behavior and fantasies therefore reflect a combination of idiosyncratic interests, exposure to ideas via the media or partners, and stratified social norms and opportunities related to sexual behavior.

BDSM: Does it Hurt or Help Sexual Satisfaction, Relationship Satisfaction, and Relationship Closeness?

This national web-population study from Norway (N = 4,148) assessed 1) the prevalence of BDSM and role-play interests and behaviors, 2) the socio-demographic characteristics of the BDSM-oriented participants, and 3) the associations between a) BDSM and b) role-play interests and behaviors, and sexual satisfaction, relationship satisfaction, and relationship closeness. Over one in three study participants endorsed at least one BDSM interest or behavior variable. There were no gender nor educational level differences between the BDSM-oriented participants and their traditional "vanilla" (non-BDSM-oriented) counterparts, though BDSM and interests were more common among younger and self-identified LGBQ+ participants. Sexual satisfaction was positively associated with role-play and BDSM behaviors while interest in role-play (but not having previously engaged in it) was negatively associated with this outcome. Lower relationship closeness was associated with an interest in role-play (but not having tried it). No BDSM-related variables were significantly associated with relationship closeness. The findings suggest that BDSM interests and behaviors are relatively common and are linked with sexual and relationship satisfaction.

Challenge at the Intersection of Race and Kink: Racial Discrimination, Fetishization, and Inclusivity Within the BDSM (Bondage-Discipline, Dominance-Submission, and Sadism-Masochism) Community.

The bondage-discipline, dominance-submission, and sadism-masochism (BDSM) community has achieved diversity with respect to gender identity and sexual orientation yet does so to a lesser extent with respect to race and ethnicity. A total of 398 BDSM practitioners recruited in 2018 and 2019 from BDSM conferences located within the Southern, Midwestern, and Western regions of the U.S., as well as online, completed surveys asking about racial and ethnic discrimination, fetishization, and inclusivity. People of color were 16 times more likely than non-people of color to feel discriminated against at BDSM events and 17 times more likely to feel fetishized. Qualitative results included troubling stories of overt racism and offensive racial slurs, and examples of microaggressions, feelings of isolation, and feelings of being dismissed. The results suggest that organizations can increase inclusivity by understanding the unique costs faced by people of color with an awareness that these costs might be invisible to non-people of color, diversifying positions of authority and leadership, and teaching well-meaning members what types of behaviors could create a hostile environment.

Narratives of the Origins of Kinky Sexual Desire Held by Users of a Kink-Oriented Social Networking Website.

Empirical research on the origins of kinky erotic desires (e.g., sadomasochism, bondage, domination/submission, roleplaying, sexual fetishism, etc.) has been limited and rarely rooted in the narratives of kinky people themselves. Among a sample of 260 self-identified kinky users of a kink-oriented social networking website living in 21 countries, we examined self-reported narratives of the origins of kink desires. An inductive coding process by four independent coders yielded 20 categories of responses, organized into five broad discourses about the origins of kinky desires: identity (e.g., personality, personal taste, and role exploration; 72.7% of responses), nurture (e.g., both traumatic and non-traumatic life experiences; 38.1% of responses), negation (e.g., disavowing or doubting a particular idea about the origins of their kink interests; 24.6% of responses), nature (e.g., biology and genetics; 22.7% of responses), and uncertainty (e.g., not being able to identify an origin of kinky desires; 10.4% of responses). Fewer than 19% of participants mentioned any kind of trauma in their responses. We discuss implications for scientific understandings of kinky sexual desire within the umbrella of sexual diversity.

Sexual Variety in Norwegian Men and Women of Different Sexual Orientations and Ages.

The purpose of this study was to examine Norwegians' reports of seven varied sexual acts. Data were obtained from a questionnaire survey of a probability-based web sample of 2,181 men and 1,967 women aged 18-89 years. Among seven acts of sexual variety, the most common sexual experiences were trying to watch pornography with a partner, engaging in sex in unusual places, and using sex toys. Older age was negatively associated with all sexual behaviors. Regarding more unorthodox acts of sexual variety, heterosexual men's sexual preferences involved having and desiring group sex, whereas heterosexual women's sexual experiences and desires involved having sex in unusual places. Lesbian, gay, bisexual (LGB) individuals generally showed greater curiosity or experience of having group sex and engaging in BDSM (bondage, discipline, dominance and submission, and sadomasochism) activities than heterosexual adults. However, while LGB men had a high preference for group sex activities, LGB women had more positive attitudes toward BDSM activity. Individuals appear to accumulate more acts of sexual variety over time, thus making the incorporation of sexual variety a function of age. This study supports the idea that sexual variety has expanded among those born from 1960 onwards.

The Biology of BDSM: A Systematic Review.

INTRODUCTION: BDSM is an abbreviation used to reference the concepts of bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, sadism and masochism, enacted by power exchanges between consensual partners. In recent years, attention has shifted from the idea of BDSM as a pathological and tabooed niche practice towards viewing BDSM as a healthy form of intimacy. AIM: This systematic review brings together all existing literature on the biology of BDSM and places it in a broader biological context. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted on PubMed, Web of Science and PsycARTICLES, of which 10 articles are included and discussed in this systematic review. RESULTS: There is evidence for cortisol changes in submissives as a result of a BDSM interaction, suggesting involvement of the physiological stress system. Endocannabinoid changes implicate the pleasure and reward system. In dominants, this biologically measured pleasure seemed to be dependent on power play rather than pain play. Testosterone and oxytocin are also implicated in BDSM, though their role is less evident. Research into brain region activity patterns related to BDSM interest suggests a role for the parietal operculum and ventral striatum in the context of the pleasure and reward system, the primary and secondary somatosensory cortex in the context of pain perception, empathy-related circuits such as the anterior insula, anterior midcingulate cortex and sensorimotor cortex and the left frontal cortex in the context of social and sexual interactions. Pain thresholds are shown to be higher in submissive individuals and a BDSM interaction may cause pain thresholds to rise in submissives as well. CONCLUSION: BDSM interactions are complex and influenced by several psychological, social and biological processes. Though research is limited, there is emerging evidence for an interaction between several biological systems involved in these types of interests and activities. This means there is an important role for future research to replicate and supplement current results. Wuyts E, Morrens M. The Biology of BDSM: A Systematic Review. J Sex Med 2022;19:144-157.

How safe is BDSM? A literature review on fatal outcome in BDSM play.

A noteworthy number of people are interested in BDSM (bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, sadism, and masochism). Fatal outcomes while participating in BDSM activities occur. The aim of this literature review is to give a better insight into potential dangerous BDSM play by summarizing published data on BDSM fatalities. A literature search was conducted. It was searched for non-natural death related to BDSM activity. Seventeen cases were found. The age of the deceased ranged between 23 and 49 years (mean age 34.9 years). Strangulation in the course of erotic asphyxiation was the most common cause of death (88.2%). In 13 cases, a toxicology report for the deceased was mentioned, of which in eight cases (61.5%) toxicology analysis was positive. In four of these cases, the BDSM partner was also tested positive with the same substance. Drugs or alcohol was involved in 64.3% of fatal BDSM play. In nine cases, the level of experience in BDMS activity of the deceased and the partner was described, and in all of them, the deceased and the partner were not new to BDSM play. Fatal outcomes of BDSM plays are rarer than autoerotic fatalities and natural deaths related to sexual activities. Safeguards and education on medical aspects exist in the BDSM communities. If they are followed by the practitioners, the risks of BDMS play can be reduced. Cases of non-natural death connected to BDSM are rare incidents and can be prevented.

Personalidades autoritárias e preconceitos: relações / Authoritarian personalities and prejudices: relationships

Com o objetivo de verificar se há distinções entre preconceitos dirigidos a diversos alvos, e se tipos distintos de personalidade autoritária se associam de formas diferentes com esses tipos de preconceitos, aplicou-se a 161 estudantes de universidade pública paulista duas escalas: Escala de Fascismo (Escala F) e Escala de Manifestação de Preconceitos; a Escala F foi dividida em duas subescalas; uma delas verificou tendências sadomasoquistas, a outra mensurou um tipo de personalidade com um ego mais frágil. Os resultados de análise fatorial com os itens da Escala de manifestação de preconceitos indicaram quatro fatores, cada um com um alvo específico. O sadomasoquista teve relação maior com o preconceito contra pessoas consideradas desviantes e ambos os tipos de personalidade se associaram igualmente com o preconceito contra pessoas com deficiência e contra indivíduos de outras etnias.(AU)

To verify whether there are distinctions between prejudices directed at different targets, and if different types of authoritarian personality are associated in different ways with these types of prejudices, two scales were applied to 161 students from SãoPaulo public university: Fascism Scale (Scale F) and Scale of Manifestation of Prejudice; Scale F was divided into two subscales; one of them found sadomasochistic tendencies, the other measured a personality type with a more fragile ego. The results of factor analysis with the items of the Scale of manifestation of prejudice indicated four factors, each with a specific target. The sadomasochist had a greater relationship with prejudice against people considered deviant and both personality types were equally associated with prejudice against people with disabilities and against individuals of other ethnicities.(AU)

Luna, uma personalidade flagelada: relato e comentários sobre um caso clínico / Luna, a stricken personality: report and comments on a clinical case / Luna, una personalidad flagelada: informe y comentarios sobre un caso clínico / Luna, une personnalité flagellée: récit et commentaires concernant un cas clinique

A proposta deste trabalho é relatar e comentar uma experiência clínica na qual o estado mental invejoso, como manifestação externa da pulsão de morte, teve lugar de destaque. O fio condutor escolhido pela autora destaca o predomínio dos impulsos destrutivos, os quais, além de causarem muito sofrimento à analisanda, se manifestaram através de ataques ao vínculo psicanalítico. A autora conjectura que o malogro da continuidade da relação terapêutica decorreu da intolerância à dependência receptiva, uma vez que a ligação era experimentada como humilhação. Discorre sobre a implicância e a obscuridade do conceito de pulsão de morte, subjacente aos conceitos utilizados para a compreensão do caso.

The purpose of this paper is to report and comment on a clinical experience in which the envious mental state, as an external manifestation of the death drive, had a prominent place. The common thread chosen by the author highlighted the predominance of destructive impulses, which, in addition to causing much suffering to the analysand, manifested themselves through attacks on the psychoanalytic bond. She conjectured that the failure of the continuity of the therapeutic relationship was due to an intolerance to receptive dependence, since the connection was experienced as humiliation. The author commented on the implication and obscurity of the concept of death drive, underlying the concepts used to understand the case.

El propósito de este trabajo es informar y comentar una experiencia clínica en la que el estado mental envidioso, como manifestación externa de la pulsión de muerte, tuvo un lugar destacado. El hilo conductor elegido por el autor destacó el predominio de los impulsos destructivos, que además de causar mucho sufrimiento al analizando, se manifestaron a través de ataques al vínculo psicoanalítico. Conjeturó que el fracaso de la continuidad de la relación terapéutica se debía a una intolerancia a la dependencia receptiva, ya que la conexión se vivía como una humillación. La autora comentó sobre la implicación y oscuridad del concepto de pulsión de muerte, subyacente a los conceptos utilizados para entender el caso.

Le but de cet article est de narrer et de commenter une expérience clinique dans laquelle l’état mental envieux, en tant qu’une manifestation externe de la pulsion de mort, a pris une place prépondérante. Le fil conducteur choisi par l’autrice a mis en évidence la prédominance des pulsions destructrices, ce qui, en plus de causer beaucoup de souffrance à l’analysant, s’est manifesté par des atteintes au lien psychanalytique. L’autrice a conjecturé que l’échec de la continuité de la relation thérapeutique a été dû à une intolérance à la dépendance réceptive, puisque la connexion était vécue comme une humiliation. Elle a commenté l’implication et l’obscurité du concept de pulsion de mort, sous-jacent aux concepts utilisés pour comprendre le cas.