Comparison of Psychopathological and Socio-cultural Outcomes Among Distinct Fetishism Subgroups: A Cluster Analysis Approach

Abstract There is a lack of data on the prevalence of object and body parts (foot, etc.) fetishes in non-Western societies, and on the connection between fetishism and some clinical and socio-cultural variables. This study aims to determine the prevalence of object/foot fetishes in an Iranian population and to examine their association with depression, anxiety, and religious beliefs. A qualitative questionnaire was used to gather information on sociodemographic and clinical variables. The Patient-Health Questionnaire and Generalized Anxiety Disorder were employed to assess depression and anxiety, respectively. The final sample consisted of 291 individuals, comprising 22 females, 262 males, and three non-binary individuals. Foot fetishism is relatively common among individuals in Iran, with no significant links found between the type of religious belief and the presence of the fetish. Cluster analysis found three different sub-populations (ego-dystonic, ego-syntonic fetishism, and low interest towards fetish), based on the frequency, intensity, importance, control, self-impact of fetish, and partner impact of fetish. ANCOVA analysis showed significant differences in the three sub-groups in terms of depression, which was significantly different for the ego-dystonic sub-group. Our data support the association between different types of fetishism manifestation and some psychopathological traits with a specific focus on depression, which seems to characterize prevalently people with an ego-dystonic fetishism.