The things we know are . . .

male bdsm recipients of spankings tend to be happier than the population as a whole in Australia . . .
http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Span...6696796042.html

practitioners in general in another study had other qualities "better" than the population as a whole
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/unique-everybody-else/201307/bdsm-personality-and-mental-health


there are a variety of recipients who report anecdotes of spanking/caning/whipping helping, ameliorating or eliminating depression

there is a clinic in Russia which canes for psychological benefits for depression and drug abuse

"The study compared the BDSM practitioners and the control group on the Big Five personality traits – neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experience, conscientiousness, and agreeableness – as well as on rejection sensitivity, relationship attachment styles, and subjective well-being (link is external) (happiness) in the past two weeks."

Comparing the BDSM group as a whole with the controls gives a rather favourable impression of practitioners. The BDSM group as a whole were on average more extraverted, open to experience and conscientious, and less neurotic, as well as less sensitive to rejection, more securely attached, and higher in subjective well-being than the comparison group. On the less favourable side though, the BDSM group was less agreeable. High extraversion and low neuroticism tend to be associated with greater overall happiness, so it is not surprising that people with these traits appear psychologically secure and to have high subjective well-being.