The ABDL Surveys

ABDLs aren't all the same. While we have many things in common, there are significant differences. These may give rise to stereotypes, arbitrary divisions, arguments, and possibly even marginalized minorities. Previous polls and surveys had difficulty exploring these differences because they typically considered the answers of each question separately. For example, they typically mixed the answers from ABs, DLs, and AB+DLs together. As a result, these surveys could show the differences of ABDLs, but not how much ABs had in common with other ABs, and DLs with other DLs. This survey series will attempt to correlate across questions and across surveys, to get a clearer picture of who we really are.

Responses for the second survey, Diapers and More, are being gathered.

If there is a question you would like asked or a theory that you would like to test, or if you would like to take an active role in improving our understanding of community, please Email BitterGrey .

Survey #1 - ABs, DLs, Etc.,

The goal of this first survey is to get a better idea of how alike we really are, and how ABDLs fit into the larger fetish and BDSM communities. The target audience included ABDLs and ageplayers, as well as diaper-related BDSM enthusiasts and fetishists. Responses were collected from 2006 to 2008.

• Summary results
  • #4-7: the basics
  • #8-12: important aspects
  • #13: joys
  • #14-15,17: childhood
  • #16: events
  • #18-22: struggles
  • #23: messages
  • #24-31: roleplay
  • #32-35: sex
  • #35-37: election
• Trauma and Exposure Among AB/DLs contrasts three groups of AB/DLs to explore whether the interests of AB/DLs is inate or induced. These three groups were those who reported always having their desire, those who attributed the start of their desires to a rare traumatic event such as child sexual abuse, and those who believe that exposure to AB/DL wesites, adult diapers, etc caused their interests. There was a clear difference between the 'exposure' group and the other two, suggesting that an interest in diapers and/or babyhood could be developed. This group was generally without a driving condition. There was not a clear difference between the first and second groups, 'always' and 'trauma.' The second group's size and gender distribution are not consistent with a generally causal relationship between childhood trauma and paraphilic infantilism. This suggests that childhood trauma doesn't generally cause paraphilic infantilism.
• AB/DLs in Diapers Already explores the effects of a childhood spent in diapers, due to extended betwetting, incontinence, etc. The presence and reality of diapers affected how the interests of these AB/DLs were expressed. Those with paraphilic infantilism or diaper fetishism would be more able to deny their desires, while those without might be more willing to develop diaper-realted interests. They were also more likely to either embrace the themes of yieding control and accepting babyhood, or shun them. While the expressions may have been marginally different, the data suggested a similarity in the underlying causes. The main difference might simply be that they grew up in diapers, as opposed to fantasizing about wearing them.
• Girls, Boys, and Diapers compares male and female ABDLs. It found similarity in early onset cases, such as consistently high importance of diapers and a 10th percentile onset age of 4 years. In contrast, there were differences in late onset cases. For example, the 90th percentile onset age was 16 for men, and 26 for women. Women with a late onset were also as equally likely to consider diapers important or unimportant.
• The Range Between AB and DL explores how the interests in wetting/messing, roleplay, regression, and sexuality vary among ABDLs. (Preliminary)
• The Changing ABDL Community explores how changes in technology in culture have affected ABDLs. It also touches upon whether infantilism and diaper fetishes should be considered as disorders, conditions, or mere interests. (Preliminary)
• Mapping Paraphilic Infantilism and Diaper Fetishes attempts to explore the importance of five diaper-related aspects - feeling/smell/sound, sexuality, control, babyhood, and convenience. Previous methods of visualizing the diversity of ABDL interests are discussed, and a new one proposed. The results show that the common themes, particularly sexuality, are not as important as their presence in fiction and fantasy would suggest. (Skip directly to sections: Abstract - Background - Results - Discussion - References). (Preliminary)

This survey explores one thing central to ABDLs, and some things that aren't. Data collection started in 2008.

Future Survey - Fantasies + Practices

This survey explores in detail the interests of ABDLs and how (or if) they change with time and experience.

Future Survey - Origins

This survey will try to test some of the more popular theories about why ABDLs are ABDLs. It will be correlated with data from other surveys, since different ABDLs are likely to be the result of different causes.

Email BitterGrey Level: General | Status: Finished | Last Update: 25 April 2009| First 7 June 2006

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