Thanks Emma for a well-written article on the topic. The one addition I'd suggest is to say that BDSM kinksters (who remain in the lifestyle for an extended period) always have far better interpersonal communication skills than vanilla couples precisely because (a) it's essential for BDSM to work well for both parties, and (b) there's no shame, embarrassment, or hesitation, all things which which too often cripple vanilla relationships.