Is “Pedophilia” a Useful or a Confusing Concept? An Empirical Study on Sexual Abuse of Children, Sexual Orientation and Typology: Implications for Therapy (original) (raw)
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Pedophilia is a taxon among 706 adult males assessed at a civil commitment center
Journal of Psychopathology and Clinical Science, 2022
This study examined whether pedophilia is best understood as a dimension or a discrete class (taxon). We considered pedophilia to include both physical sexual attraction to children as well as emotional attraction to children and childhood. Archival data from 901 adult males from a U.S. civil commitment treatment center for sexually dangerous persons were used. Three indicators were submitted to Meehl and Ruscio's taxometric analyses: (a) a screening scale for pedophilic interests based on criminal history, (b) a composite indicator of pedophilic physical attraction, and (c) a composite indicator of pedophilic emotional attraction. All analyses supported a taxon. Compared with nontaxon members, taxon members had more interpersonal deficits, more neurodevelopmental perturbations, more sex-crime specific problems, and fewer problems related to criminality overall. Although previous research showed mixed results (some dimensional, some taxonic), the current study moves the balance of evidence toward considering pedophilia as a distinct disorder. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).
Pedophilia: Psychiatric Insights
Family Court Review, 2003
Sex offenses against children are considered the worst of cnrnes, even arnong cnminals thernselves. Attitudes have changed frorn blaming the victim to holding the perpetrator responsible for the actions. The prevalence of such offenses continues unabated despite the stigma for the offender and the irreparable trauma to the victim. Society and the medical and legal comrnunities have to present a more feasible definition ofthe problern, addressing specifically the acts that fdl under the term ofpedophilia. A plan needs to be formulated by various disciplines working together for the common goal of identifj4ng the most effective method to deal with the victims and perpetrator and also to lower the incidence and recidivism rates. Different psychological and biological tests have been devised for investigations but fall short of the desired purpose. Various treatment modalities have been suggested and tried, but much work still needs to be done in that area.
Contrary to public perception, child sex offending (CSO) and paedophilia are not the same. Only half of all cases of CSO are motivated by paedophilic preference, and a paedophilic preference does not necessarily lead to CSO. However, studies that investigated clinical factors accompanying and contributing to paedophilia so far mainly relied on paedophiles with a history of CSO. The aim of this study was to distinguish between factors associated with sexual preference (paedophile versus non-paedophile) and offender status (with versus without CSO). Accordingly, a 2 (sexual preference) Â 2 (offender status) factorial design was used for a comprehensive clinical assessment of paedophiles with and without a history of CSO (n = 83, n = 79 respectively), child sex offenders without paedophilia (n = 32) and healthy controls (n = 148). Results indicated that psychiatric comorbidities, sexual dysfunctions and adverse childhood experiences were more common among paedophiles and child sex offenders than controls. Offenders and non-offenders differed in age, intelligence, educational level and experience of childhood sexual abuse, whereas paedophiles and non-paedophiles mainly differed in sexual characteristics (e.g., additional paraphilias, onset and current level of sexual activity). Regression analyses were more powerful in segregating offender status than sexual preference (mean classification accuracy: 76% versus 68%). In differentiating between * Corresponding author at: Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, European Psychiatry j o u r n a l h o m e p a g e : h t t p : / / w w w. e u r o p s y-j o u r n a l. c o m offence-and preference-related factors this study improves clinical understanding of both phenomena and may be used to develop scientifically grounded CSO prevention and treatment programmes. It also highlights that some deviations are not traceable to just one of these two factors, thus raising the issue of the mechanism underlying both phenomena.
2005
This study examined the utility of the diagnosis of pedophilia in a sample of extra-familial child molesters assessed at a university teaching hospital between 1983 and 1995. Pedophilia was defined in one of four ways: 1) A DSM diagnosis made by a psychiatrist 2) A deviant phallometric profile 3) A DSM diagnosis and a deviant phallometric profile, and 4) high scores based on the Screening Scale for Pedophilic Interest (Seto & Lalumière, 2001). Demographic data and information on psychological tests, offence history and recidivism were gathered and group differences were analyzed along with the ability of certain variables to uniquely contribute to the classification of pedophilia. Results indicated that few differences existed on psychological measures between pedophilic and nonpedophilic sexual offenders regardless of the classification system used. Additionally, results indicated that the construct of pedophilia was unable to reveal differences in sexual, violent, or criminal reci...
JAMA, 1980
This article addresses the risk factors associated with the psychiatric disorder pedophilia, its treatment, and treatment outcomes. It addresses physician responsibilities associated with case identification of victims and possible roles in the medical management of pedophilia. The essential feature of pedophilia is that an individual is sexually attracted exclusively or in part to prepubescent children. While pedophilia may be limited to fantasies and impulses, pedophilic behaviors are the primary concern of both the mental health and criminal justice systems. Remote risk factors for development of pedophilia often include the individual having been sexually abused as a child. Proximate risk factors for its behavioral expression are prevalence of comorbid psychiatric disorders and substance abuse disorders. Current treatment goals focus on stopping the behavior and achieving long-term behavioral control in the community. Common treatment methods are cognitive-behavioral, group ther...
Heterosexual male perpetrators of childhood sexual abuse: a preliminary neuropsychiatric model
The Psychiatric quarterly, 2002
This paper presents data from a series of preliminary neuropsychiatric studies, including neuropsychological, personality, sexual history, plethysmographic and neuroimaging investigations, on a sample of 22 male, heterosexual, nonexclusive pedophiles and 24 demographically similar healthy controls. A psychobiological model of pedophilia is proposed, positing that early childhood sexual abuse leads to neurodevelopmental abnormalities in the temporal regions mediating sexual arousal and erotic discrimination and the frontal regions mediating the cognitive aspects of sexual desire and behavioral inhibition. In this way, pedophiles develop deviant pedophilic arousal. Subsequently, if there is comorbid personality pathology, specifically sociopathy and cognitive distortions, there will be failure to inhibit pedophilic behavior.
Pedophilia: biosocial dimensions
1990
This is Part II of a two-part article addressing the relationship of pedophilia and the homosexualities to the important issue of sexual advances by Roman Catholic priests and religious brothers towards minors, most of whom have been pubescent boys. Part I appeared in the previous issue of Antonianum and should be read first. It addressed the basics of human sexuality, including human sexual (gender and age) orientations. Part II will address the widely held implication that men who are homosexual, especially in the priesthood and religious life, are particularly prone to pedophilia. Is this implication correct? Or is the association better understood as semantic confusion, homophobia, or both? On these and some other issues related to harm reduction and prevention, the concluding Part II of this article aims to present the "best knowledge" among professionals today, including the author's own work, as his contribution to the ongoing discussion.
Journal of critical review, 2020
Many academic works of literature and papers discuss the issue of children's rights and protection today. Many laws and bills have been enacted to provide children with appropriate protection rights. However, many things have been done to eliminate cases involving children. The fact is that the number of victims among children is increasing year after year. Therefore, this article is written looking at the perspective of paedophiles themselves, as the cause of the increase in the number of victims comes from the proliferation of predators themselves. This article aims to analyse expert opinions on the causes of an individual's sexual orientation towards children. This article uses qualitative methods based on interview records with expert respondents. The study selected five individual experts as respondents of the study, thus debating their opinions in light of their experience and expertise in dealing with this issue. The study found that the main factor driving the paedophilia was that they had been victims of sexual abuse in childhood. As such, this article is essential to discuss to understand the situations and causes that drove the individual's psychology to change his or her sexual nature to young children.
The Utility of the Diagnosis of Pedophilia: A Comparison of Various Classification Procedures
Archives of Sexual Behavior, 2007
This study examined the utility of the diagnosis of pedophilia in a sample of extra-familial child molesters assessed at a university teaching hospital between 1982 and 1992. Pedophilia was defined in one of four ways: (1) DSM diagnosis made by a psychiatrist; (2) deviant phallometric profile; (3) DSM diagnosis and a deviant phallometric profile; and, (4) high scores based on the Screening Scale for Pedophilic Interest (Seto & Lalumière, 2001). Demographic data, psychological tests, and offence history were obtained and group differences were analyzed along with the ability of certain variables to contribute uniquely to the classification of pedophilia. Results indicated that few significant differences existed on psychological measures between pedophilic and nonpedophilic extra-familial child molesters regardless of the classification system employed. Finally, results indicated that the procedures used to define pedophilia were not significantly related to one another. Results are discussed in terms of the utility of the diagnosis of pedophilia.