Personality characteristics of fetishists, transvestites and sadomasochists

Many theorists have suggested that sexual deviates adopt impersonal outlets because of difficulties in social interaction, particularly with adult members of the opposite sex. In order to investigate the personality and mental health of non-clinical fetishists, transvestites and sadomasochists, the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire was distributed to the members of clubs catering to these predilections. Completed questionnaires were obtained from 125 fetishists (mainly rubber and leather), 285 transvestites and transsexuals, and 133 sadomasochists. Comparison of personality scores with male controls revealed that these groups of men are relatively introverted, neurotic and slightly higher on psychoticism. However, their levels of neuroticism and psychoticism were not so high as to be comparable with clinical samples of neurotics, psychotics or even patients with sex problems. Analysis of individual items in the EPQ showed that the deviant groups were more shy, lonely, sensitive and depressed than controls and were less likely to enjoy telling jokes, all of which suggests some difficulty with social skills. Other questions concerning their social background and upbringing revealed that the deviant groups were more likely to be without a steady partner, to have perceived their upbringing as restrictive and to have disliked their mother. However, it was not possible to implicate the experience of corporal punishment in childhood with any of these sexual preferences.