Gender, sexual orientation, and mental health in the kink community: an application of coping self-efficacy theory

Abstract

A growing literature on kink practitioners reveals a complex picture of elevated risk of suicidal behaviors co-occurring with reduced reports of negative mental health outcomes. A key to understanding this conflicting pattern may be through identifying specific risk and protective mechanisms among distinct subgroups of kink practitioners. Comparisons in the health of kink practitioners based on gender and sexual orientation are currently lacking in literature. Objective This paper advances understanding of the kink community by examining mental health and coping-self efficacy (CSE) variation by gender and sexual orientation. Design Adult members of the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom (N = 332) completed an online cross-sectional health assessment. Main outcome measures The assessment included the Coping Self-Efficacy (CSE) Scale; Depression and Anxiety Stress Scale-21; and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. Results Transgender and non-binary persons reported consistently low coping beliefs and poor mental health. Queer sexual minority persons reported low CSE thought stopping and high anxiety. Several CSE thought stopping moderation effects on mental health were observed. Conclusions Findings may inform clinical implications, as bolstering coping-related beliefs and skills via cognitive-behavioral therapy may offer mental health benefit to kink practitioners.