Sexual behavior and social adaptation among sadomasochistically-oriented males

The present study explored the sexual behavior and social adaptation of a sample of male sadomasochists. A total of 164 men who were members of two sadomasochistically-oriented clubs participated in the study. The numbers of heterosexual male and gay male participants were about equal. A semi-structured questionnaire containing items related to social, sexual, and psychological aspects of the participants' lives was used. The results showed that the participants were socially well-adjusted and that sadomasochistic behavior was mainly a facilitative aspect of their sexual lives, most participants being flexible in both sexual activities and sadomasochistic role-taking. Sadists were more likely to be younger and more sexually active than masochists.