BDSM research is useful when it corrects a myth you might carry into a venue.
What the research is about
Sex and Psychology summarizes five scientific findings about BDSM. The citations live on their page.
Source: 5 Things Science Has Taught Us About BDSM, Sex and Psychology, August 16,
- Figures, samples, and methods are on that page.
How this shows up in public play
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Practicing BDSM is not evidence of a mental illness.
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Consent and communication are the findings that matter at the door.
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Studies describe groups. They do not describe your partner.
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Take a class from a person. Do not treat a paper as instruction.