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Serotonin system-associated genetic and epigenetic changes in pedophilia and child sexual offending.Journal of Psychiatric Research Nov 2021Numerous studies have shown associations between anomalies of the serotonergic system and impulsive behavior, depression, or traumatic life events. However, it is...
Numerous studies have shown associations between anomalies of the serotonergic system and impulsive behavior, depression, or traumatic life events. However, it is currently unknown, whether pedophilia or child sexual offending (CSO) is also related to alterations of the serotonergic system. Using a two by two factorial paradigm within a multisite consortium (NeMUP*) study cohort, we analyzed whether the SLC6A4-linked polymorphic region (SLC6A4LPR) or the SLC6A4 (transporter) and HTR3A (receptor) promotor methylation rates differed with regard to a pedophilic preference and/or child sexual offending. Methylation rates of HTR3A showed significant differences between child sexual offenders and non-offenders, with child sexual offenders showing lower methylation rates. Moreover, HTR3A methylation rates showed significant negative correlations with the Child Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) subscale "sexual violence", and the number of sexual offenses committed. Interestingly, we also found pedophilia-related alterations in 5HT as well as SLC6A4 methylation rates. For HTR3A we detected significant higher methylation rates in subjects with a pedophilic sexual preference, whereas for SLC6A4 methylation rates were reduced, indicating a possible downregulation of the serotonergic system in total. Although there were no significant group differences concerning the SLC6A4LPR, we found a significant correlation of the SLC6A4 methylation rate with this polymorphism in pedophilia. The present study suggests an involvement of epigenetic alterations of the serotonergic system in pedophilia and child sexual offending as well as own experience of sexual violence. While such an environmental factor may account for the epigenetic changes seen in child sexual offending, this was not seen in pedophilia. These findings will hopefully inspire further research in this underinvestigated field which should aim at validating and extending these initial results.
PubMed: 34871921
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.11.042 -
Frontiers in Psychology 2021Some therapists/scientists argue that "acceptance" of sexual interest in minors (SIM), i.e., the integration of the sexual preference into the individual self-concept,...
Some therapists/scientists argue that "acceptance" of sexual interest in minors (SIM), i.e., the integration of the sexual preference into the individual self-concept, is a prerequisite for dealing with SIM in a responsible way. However, if one assumes that - even in some persons - SIM might change over time, "acceptance" could also run counter to therapeutic targets because the motivation to change as well as the specific self-efficacy for modifying SIM might be reduced. This exploratory pilot study analyzes the relationship between acceptance of SIM and (1) dynamic risk for contact sexual reoffending, (2) SIM and frequency of the use of child/adolescent (sexual abuse) imagery, (3) frequency of sexual desire/behavior toward children/adolescents, and (4) the change of the level of acceptance of SIM during the course of treatment. The majority of the participants ( = 79) was not exclusively interested in children (85%) and used child pornography but did not commit child sexual abuse (54%). Acceptance of SIM, frequency of the use of child/adolescent (sexual abuse) imagery and frequency of sexual desire/behavior toward children/adolescents are assessed via self-report questionnaires, dynamic risk for contact sexual reoffending is measured by STABLE-2007. Pretreatment data are analyzed via Spearman's correlation ( = 79). Intragroup analysis compares acceptance of SIM from pre- and posttreatment ( = 35). There was no correlation between acceptance of SIM and dynamic risk for contact sexual reoffending. However, there was a medium, positive correlation between acceptance of SIM and the frequency of the use of legal imagery of children, a positive correlation between the item "My inclination is an integral part of my personality" and the frequency of the use of legal imagery of children, and a positive correlation between acceptance of SIM and the frequency of sexual activities with minors. Acceptance of SIM did not change during the course of treatment. The results suggest that "acceptance" of SIM has to be discussed in a differentiated way, i.e., as possibly being associated with positive and negative outcomes as well.
PubMed: 34803786
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.606797 -
Archives of Sexual Behavior Feb 2022This study examined reasons for romantic and sexual relationships with adult partners among men with pedohebephilic preferences (N = 125). We also explored whether...
This study examined reasons for romantic and sexual relationships with adult partners among men with pedohebephilic preferences (N = 125). We also explored whether age sexual orientation impacted reasons for engaging in sex with adult partners. Pedohebephilic men endorsed both non-sexual and sexual reasons for engaging in adult-partnered relationships. The top reasons for sexual relationships with adult partners were pleasure, love and commitment, physical desirability, experience seeking, and practicality. The top reasons for romantic relationships with adult partners were to gain companionship, love toward romantic partner, to escape loneliness, to engage in sexual activities, and it seemed natural. The exclusivity of attraction to children was found to be significantly related to some of the factors. These findings support differential reasons for pedophilic men engaging in adult-partnered relationships. Professionals should seek to understand the nature of their clients' relationships and age sexual orientation to determine whether such factors are relevant. Professionals can then support clients in their search for meaningful relationships.
Topics: Adult; Child; Female; Humans; Interpersonal Relations; Loneliness; Love; Male; Sexual Behavior; Sexual Partners
PubMed: 34799829
DOI: 10.1007/s10508-021-02108-3 -
Archives of Sexual Behavior Feb 2022The current body of the literature studying minor-attracted persons (MAPs) predominantly focuses on the experiences of men who experience sexual attractions to children....
The current body of the literature studying minor-attracted persons (MAPs) predominantly focuses on the experiences of men who experience sexual attractions to children. To shed more light on the experiences of women within this population, we conducted anonymous semi-structured interviews with six self-identified female MAPs, who were recruited through online support forums for individuals with sexual attractions to children. Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was used to analyze the interview transcripts. Two superordinate themes were identified from the dataset that highlighted the uniqueness of the experience of being a woman within the MAP community ("A minority within a minority") and themes of social isolation and the effects of this on identity ("A lonely secret existence"). The findings reported here highlight how the experiences of female MAPs both converge with and diverge from their male counterparts in important ways. We discuss the implications of these experiences in relation to more effective service provision for women who are sexually attracted to children.
Topics: Child; Female; Humans; Loneliness; Male; Minority Groups; Minors; Pedophilia; Sexual Behavior
PubMed: 34791582
DOI: 10.1007/s10508-021-02160-z -
Archives of Sexual Behavior Feb 2022In 1981, Cassell Australia published Paul Wilson's monograph, The Man They Called a Monster: Sexual Experiences Between Men and Boys. In his book, Wilson examines the...
In 1981, Cassell Australia published Paul Wilson's monograph, The Man They Called a Monster: Sexual Experiences Between Men and Boys. In his book, Wilson examines the case of Clarence Osborne, an older man who had "sexual relations" with around 2500 boys and adolescents over a twenty-year period. He uses Osborne's life to reflect on broader questions of pedophilia in Australian society. In this commentary, I revisit the book to consider its contemporary legacy 40 years on. According to Google Scholar, at the time of this writing, the book has only 50 citations, yet it is a book that continues to live on in our cultural imaginary for a variety of reasons, and in no small part due to its author, Paul Wilson, and his remarkably similar interaction with the criminal justice system in the decades since its publication. This commentary explores the historical context in which the book was written, pays particular attention to the changing social attitudes towards pedophilia, the recent controversy pertaining to its author, and discourses surrounding the sexual autonomy of minors.
Topics: Adolescent; Attitude; Australia; Child; Criminal Law; History, 20th Century; History, 21st Century; Humans; Male; Minors; Pedophilia; Personal Autonomy; Sex Offenses; Sexual Behavior; Sociological Factors
PubMed: 34779978
DOI: 10.1007/s10508-021-02116-3 -
BJPsych International Nov 2021Phallometry is an objective method of assessing male sexual arousal. The main applications in forensic psychiatry concern the evaluation of men charged with or convicted... (Review)
Review
Phallometry is an objective method of assessing male sexual arousal. The main applications in forensic psychiatry concern the evaluation of men charged with or convicted of sexual offences, the evaluation of those with suspected paraphilias not subject to the criminal justice system, risk assessment and measurement of response to sex offender treatment. In some jurisdictions, phallometry is incorporated into legal decisions about release from custody or discharge from secure hospitals. This paper provides a brief overview of the international development of phallometry, considers challenges to its broader adoption and discusses future directions for research and clinical practice.
PubMed: 34747938
DOI: 10.1192/bji.2021.17 -
Archives of Sexual Behavior Feb 2022The stigmatization of people with pedophilic sexual interests is a topic of growing academic and professional consideration, owing to its potential role in moderating...
The stigmatization of people with pedophilic sexual interests is a topic of growing academic and professional consideration, owing to its potential role in moderating pedophiles' emotional well-being, and motivation and engagement in child abuse prevention schemes. Thus, improving attitudes and reducing stigmatization toward this group is of paramount importance. Prior research has suggested that narrative humanization-presenting personal stories of self-identified non-offending pedophiles-could be one route to doing this. However, this work has only been conducted with students or trainee psychotherapists, meaning the public generalizability of this method is still unknown. In this study, we compared two stigma interventions to test whether narratives reduce stigma toward people with pedophilic interests more effectively than an informative alternative (scientific information about pedophilia). Using a longitudinal experimental design with a lack of non-intervention control (initial N = 950; final N = 539), we found that narratives had consistently positive effects on all measured aspects of stigmatization (dangerousness, intentionality), whereas an informative alternative had mixed results, and actually increased perceptions of pedophiles' levels of deviance. These effects were still present four months after the initial presentation. We discuss these data in relation to ongoing debates about treating pedophilia as a public health issue requiring a broad societal approach to well-being and child abuse prevention.
Topics: Attitude; Child; Child Abuse, Sexual; Humans; Pedophilia; Sex Offenses; Social Stigma; Stereotyping
PubMed: 34716500
DOI: 10.1007/s10508-021-02057-x -
Archives of Sexual Behavior Nov 2021Brain mechanisms of sexual attraction toward reproductive partners develop from a systematic interrelationship between biology (nature) and learning (nurture). However,...
Brain mechanisms of sexual attraction toward reproductive partners develop from a systematic interrelationship between biology (nature) and learning (nurture). However, the causes of attraction toward non-reproductive partners are poorly understood. Here, we explored the role of Pavlovian learning under dopaminergic agonism on the development of sexual preference and brain activation for young male rats. During conditioning, adult sexually naïve males received either Saline (Saline-Paired) or the D2-receptor agonist quinpirole (QNP-Paired) and cohabited in contingency, or out of contingency (QNP-Unpaired) during 24 h with an almond-scented prepubertal juvenile male (PD25). Conditioning occurred every 4 days for three trials. Social and sexual responses were assessed four days after the last conditioning trial in a drug-free test, and males chose freely between a scented young male (PD37) and a novel receptive female. Four days later, males were exposed to the conditioned odor only and brain Fos-IR and serum testosterone were analyzed. Saline-Paired and QNP-Unpaired males displayed more non-contact erections (NCEs) and genital investigations for females, whereas QNP-Paired males expressed more NCEs and genital investigations for young males. In the QNP-Paired group, exposure to the young male-paired odor evoked more Fos-IR in limbic, hypothalamic and cortical areas, but no differences in serum testosterone were observed. Cohabitation with juvenile males during enhanced D2 agonism results in atypical appetitive sexual responses and a higher pattern of brain response for the young male-paired odor, with no changes in serum testosterone. We discuss the potential implications for the development of pedophilic disorder and perhaps other paraphilias.
Topics: Animals; Dopamine Agonists; Female; Humans; Male; Odorants; Quinpirole; Rats; Receptors, Dopamine D2; Sexual Behavior, Animal
PubMed: 34665381
DOI: 10.1007/s10508-021-02023-7 -
Frontiers in Psychiatry 2021Child sexual abuse is associated with multiple and often severe consequences for people who are affected by it. From the perspective of indicative prevention, the...
Child sexual abuse is associated with multiple and often severe consequences for people who are affected by it. From the perspective of indicative prevention, the treatment of people who have sexually abused children represents one important strategy, with the assumption that there is often a risk for sexual recidivism. However, there is still very limited knowledge about how men who have not been convicted of child sexual abuse but participate in voluntary treatment (here called non-forensic clients) differ from those who have been convicted and undergo mandated treatment (here called forensic clients). This study compared 22 forensic and 22 non-forensic clients regarding pedophilic interests, static and dynamic risk factors, responsivity features, and treatment progress during an individualized treatment based on the principles of risk, need, and responsivity. We found neither differences in the rates in the DSM-5 diagnosis of pedophilic disorder, nor in risk and responsivity associated scores at the beginning of treatment. In both groups, a low to moderate risk for sexual re-offending was estimated. Both groups improved their functioning on dynamic risk and responsivity factors under treatment, while age at the beginning of therapy also had a positive effect on all outcomes. Non-forensic clients had a higher amount of responsivity associated resources than forensic clients during treatment. The limitations of these results and their implications for further research and prevention approaches are discussed.
PubMed: 34658952
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.708210 -
Sexual Medicine Oct 2021Studies on characteristics of self-referred men with sexual interest in minors (SIM) and treatment approaches in this group of patients are still relatively rare.
INTRODUCTION
Studies on characteristics of self-referred men with sexual interest in minors (SIM) and treatment approaches in this group of patients are still relatively rare.
AIM
The aim of this exploratory pilot study was to investigate hypersexuality and impulsivity as 2 dynamic risk factors that could possibly change during treatment in self-referred men with SIM.
METHODS
Data were collected at the "Kein Täter Werden (means: not become an offender)" network site in Hamburg. Using self-report questionnaires, the extent of hypersexuality and impulsivity was analyzed with the samples' pretreatment data via descriptive statistics and compared with nonclinical samples of other studies. The relation between hypersexuality and impulsivity was analyzed via Spearman's correlation coefficient with pretreatment data (N = 77). Intragroup analysis compared hypersexuality and impulsivity from pre- and posttreatment (n = 29).
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Hypersexual Behavior Inventory and Barratt Impulsiveness Scale Version 11.
RESULTS
The degree of generalized impulsivity in the SIM group was comparable to that in nonclinical samples while the degree of hypersexuality was considerably higher than in nonclinical samples. Sixty-four percent of the participants were in the range of clinically relevant hypersexuality. Impulsivity and hypersexuality were weakly positively correlated with each other. During treatment hypersexuality significantly decreased while impulsivity did not differ significantly between before beginning treatment and after (partial) completion.
CONCLUSION
Hypersexuality, but not impulsivity, was pronounced in the group of self-referred men with SIM and should be targeted in treatment. In order to improve treatment outcome regarding risk reduction in self-referred men with SIM, a focus on treatment approaches that were developed to treat hypersexuality can be expected to be effective while focusing on generalized impulsivity may be less relevant. Lampalzer U, Tozdan S, von Franqué F, et al. Hypersexuality and Impulsivity in Self-Referred Men With Sexual Interest in Minors: Are They Related? Do They Change During Treatment? An Exploratory Pilot Study. Sex Med 2021;9:100429.
PubMed: 34509753
DOI: 10.1016/j.esxm.2021.100429