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European Archives of Psychiatry and... Sep 2023The hypothalamus regulates sexual behavior and is simultaneously associated with aggression and violence. Consequently, this brain region is relevant in research of...
The hypothalamus regulates sexual behavior and is simultaneously associated with aggression and violence. Consequently, this brain region is relevant in research of pedophilia and child sexual offenses (CSO). The distinction between these two phenomena is of great importance and was the object of consideration of this study. We analyzed exclusively men, including 73 pedophilic offenders who committed CSO, an equal number of people with pedophilia but without such offenses, and 133 non-pedophilic, non-offending subjects who formed the control group. All data were collected in a multicenter in vivo study and analyzed using a semi-automated segmentation algorithm for 3-Tesla magnetic resonance images. Men with pedophilia who committed CSO on average had a 47 mm smaller hypothalamus per side than people without committed CSO. This effect was driven by both the group of non-offending people with pedophilia and the control group. By contrast, the exploratory comparison of pedophilic persons without CSO with the control group showed no significant difference. The present study demonstrates a deviant hypothalamic structure as a neurobiological correlate of CSO in pedophiles, but not in people with pedophilia who have not committed CSO. Thus, it strengthens the argument to distinguish between sexual offending and paraphilic sexual preferences.
Topics: Male; Humans; Child; Pedophilia; Sex Offenses; Sexual Behavior; Brain; Hypothalamus
PubMed: 36370175
DOI: 10.1007/s00406-022-01501-w -
Psychiatria Polska Oct 2016The concept of cognitive distortion was created by A. T. Beck and it is one of the key-concepts of cognitive psychotherapy. In the 80s of the twentieth century,... (Review)
Review
The concept of cognitive distortion was created by A. T. Beck and it is one of the key-concepts of cognitive psychotherapy. In the 80s of the twentieth century, researchers began to use it in studies of sexual offending, but with reference to the social learning theory rather than to the theory of cognitive psychotherapy. Subsequent authors continued the use of this term in the determinants of child molestation and defined them as products emerging from specific implicit theory of the offender, the judgements resulting from his beliefs, values and actions, dysfunctional cognitive schemas, deviant cognitive practices undertaken in the interaction of internal and external components of perpetrator's cognitive system and his social practices. The primary theoretical background in the description of the concept of cognitive distortions of child molesters was the social cognition theory, but it was complemented with the assumptions of the theory of cognitive psychotherapy, extended theory of mind and discursive psychology perspective. Particular concepts describe the cognitive distortions relating them to different classes of cognitive phenomena: products, processes and structures, and the only thing they have in common is their incompatibility of their content to the social norms. Giving this concept a normative nature leads to internal contradictions within the conceptions that concern it. Moreover, using it to explain the various processes oversimplifies the picture of this phenomenon and leads to contradictions between theories. It is, therefore, necessary to consider replacing the term cognitive distortions with alternative and more precise concepts.
Topics: Adult; Child; Child Abuse, Sexual; Cognition Disorders; Humans; Mental Processes; Perceptual Distortion; Social Perception
PubMed: 27992896
DOI: 10.12740/PP/37470 -
International Journal of Environmental... Aug 2020The fierce stigma associated with pedophilia may interfere with attempts to prevent sexual offending. Prior research on the effects of media reports about pedophilia...
The fierce stigma associated with pedophilia may interfere with attempts to prevent sexual offending. Prior research on the effects of media reports about pedophilia mostly focused on their role in perpetuating stigma in the general population. In order to better understand potential benefits and risks of the media coverage on people with pedophilia and specialized prevention and treatment efforts, we conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with 11 healthcare practitioners of the German Prevention Network "Don't offend". Healthcare practitioners described positive (e.g., raising awareness for prevention offers) as well as negative (e.g., perpetuating the existing public stigma) effects of the media coverage and estimated that only about one-third of media coverage portrays pedophilia realistically. To destigmatize pedophilia and benefit the prevention of child sexual abuse, a fact box for journalists was developed based on practitioners' expert knowledge.
Topics: Attitude of Health Personnel; Child; Child Abuse, Sexual; Humans; Mass Media; Pedophilia; Risk Assessment; Sexual Behavior; Social Stigma
PubMed: 32784429
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17165739 -
Current Biology : CB Sep 2014Human sexual instincts can become fixated on a wide variety of targets, resulting in behaviours ranging from harmless fetishism to child abuse. The recent flood of...
Human sexual instincts can become fixated on a wide variety of targets, resulting in behaviours ranging from harmless fetishism to child abuse. The recent flood of investigations into historic cases in the UK has brought child protection issues to the top of the news agenda and shown that society is still far from addressing these problems in a rational, evidence-based way maximising harm reduction.
Topics: Child; Child Abuse; Fetishism, Psychiatric; Humans; Paraphilic Disorders; Pedophilia; Sexual Behavior
PubMed: 25340211
DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2014.07.047 -
Social Cognitive and Affective... Aug 2022Behavioral studies found evidence for superior cognitive empathy (CE) in pedophilic men without a history of child sexual offending (P - CSO) compared to pedophilic men...
Behavioral studies found evidence for superior cognitive empathy (CE) in pedophilic men without a history of child sexual offending (P - CSO) compared to pedophilic men with a history of child sexual offending (P + CSO). Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies also point to differences between P - CSO and P + CSO. Neural processing associated with CE has not yet been investigated. Therefore, the present study aimed to explore the neural correlates of CE in subjects with pedophilia with (P + CSO) and without (P - CSO) child sexual offending. 15 P + CSO, 15 P - CSO and 24 teleiophilic male controls (TC) performed a CE task during fMRI. We observed reduced activation in the left precuneus (Pcu) and increased activation in the left anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in P - CSO compared to P + CSO. P - CSO also showed stronger connectivity between these regions, which might reflect a top-down modulation of the Pcu by the ACC toward an increased self-focused emotional reaction in social situations. There was also evidence for increased right superior temporal gyrus activation in P - CSO that might constitute a potentially compensatory recruitment due to the dampened Pcu activation. These findings provide first evidence for altered neural processing of CE in P - CSO and underline the importance of addressing CE in pedophilia and CSO in order to uncover processes relevant to effective prevention of child sexual abuse.
Topics: Child; Child Abuse, Sexual; Cognition; Empathy; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Pedophilia; Sexual Behavior
PubMed: 34907428
DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsab133 -
Revista Da Escola de Enfermagem Da U S P 2021To apprehend the social representations of adolescents about sexuality on the internet.
OBJECTIVE
To apprehend the social representations of adolescents about sexuality on the internet.
METHOD
Qualitative research, based on the structural approach on the Theory of Social Representations, with adolescents who are users of virtual media and who are students of two state schools. The free word association test was used, whose data were processed by the Evoc® 2005 software and analyzed in the light of the aforementioned theory.
RESULTS
A total of 124 adolescents participated in the research. The terms pornography, sexting and violence made up the central nucleus of the representation, signaling the valuation, image and practice dimensions of the investigated object. The similarity analysis confirmed the centrality of the violence element and added virtual dating and pedophilia.
CONCLUSION
The social representations of adolescents point to the lack of security in the virtual environment regarding the exercise of sexuality, with predominant values and negative dimensions, which distance themselves from what is established as sexual rights, since adolescents have the right to live and express their sexuality freely.
Topics: Adolescent; Exercise; Humans; Internet; Qualitative Research; Sexual Behavior; Sexuality
PubMed: 34423805
DOI: 10.1590/1980-220X-REEUSP-2020-0488 -
Current Psychiatry Reports Sep 2023With the Internet allowing consumers easy access to fantasy and fictional sexual materials (FSM), it is becoming increasingly important to understand the context of... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE OF REVIEW
With the Internet allowing consumers easy access to fantasy and fictional sexual materials (FSM), it is becoming increasingly important to understand the context of their use among specific populations. Of particular, social, clinical, and legal interest is FSM use by people who are attracted to children and whether this may have a risk-enhancing or protective impact on their likelihood of committing a contact or non-contact sexual offence.
RECENT FINDINGS
There is a lack of data currently available in relation to the use of FSM by those with sexual attractions to children. Evidence from allied areas appears to show no meaningful associations between FSM use and sexual aggression. We propose a novel research program and some initial research questions that provide a theoretical framework for more evidence-based inquiry on FSM use by people who experience attractions to children.
Topics: Humans; Child; Fantasy; Sexual Behavior; Sex Offenses; Child Abuse, Sexual; Pedophilia
PubMed: 37523114
DOI: 10.1007/s11920-023-01435-7 -
Acta Medica Portuguesa Oct 2021In obsessive-compulsive disorder, pedophilia-themed obsessions-distressing intrusive thoughts about being sexually attracted to, or sexually abusing, children-are the...
In obsessive-compulsive disorder, pedophilia-themed obsessions-distressing intrusive thoughts about being sexually attracted to, or sexually abusing, children-are the most distressing for patients and the most misdiagnosed among healthcare professionals. Our aim is to present a case report highlighting the role stigma plays in delaying treatment, the clinical challenges in the diagnosis, and in the treatment of pedophilia-themed obsessive-compulsive disorder, in order to address the lack of literature on the subject. The case concerns a 33-year-old man with suicidal thoughts associated with the unbearable suffering caused by pedophilia-themed obsessions he had been having over the previous decade, without ever asking for help. This situation was highly disabling, leaving him mostly isolated in his bedroom. After the differential diagnosis was made, a treatment plan combining pharmacological and cognitive-behavioural therapy was implemented. After 18 months he showed a degree of remission that made it possible for him to apply for a job.
Topics: Adult; Child; Cognition; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Humans; Male; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder; Pedophilia; Sexual Behavior
PubMed: 33159729
DOI: 10.20344/amp.13296 -
Psychiatrike = Psychiatriki 2017Homosexuality and pedophilia in ancient Greece greatly concerned many researchers who were mainly interested in highlighting the social aspect of this phenomenon in...
Homosexuality and pedophilia in ancient Greece greatly concerned many researchers who were mainly interested in highlighting the social aspect of this phenomenon in ancient Greek society. An important source on the subject was the paintings of a man and his lover in attic black and red figured pottery, up to the end of the 5th century BC. Another main source was the information that derived from the texts of ancient Greek literature, especially poetry. Homosexuality was not only referring to relationships between males, but it was also manifested in lesbian love. It is believed that in the Homeric world homosexuality was not favored. In Greek society of the archaic period, the restriction of women at home, the satisfaction of sexual needs with courtesans, the marriage for the purpose of maintaining and managing the property, put women aside, marginalizing them in terms of social life, impeding the cultivation of emotional relationships between sexes. At the same time, in the society of those times, the aristocratic ideal, the constant communication of men during military training and the war, the male nudity in sports and the promotion of beauty and bravery in athletic contests, as well as the gatherings and the entertainment of men at the symposia, created a suitable substrate in which male homosexuality could develop. In this context, pedophile relationships were developed mainly during the archaic period, as recorded on vase paintings, where a mature man developed a special relationship with a teenager of the same social class. The mature man had the role of mentor for the juvenile, he would look after him and cover his living expenses and education cost. In this relationship, exhibiting predominantly the social dimension of an initiation process and introduction to adult life, the erotic homosexual intercourse could find a place to flourish. The above-mentioned relationship could not last forever, given that this would later transform into an emotional connection of friendship and trust. Besides, the constant homosexual relationships and male prostitution were considered to be reprehensible behaviors. Regarding the lesbian love, the main example was Sappho and her poems that praised love between women. Nevertheless, the relationship with the girls in the poems is considered to be similar to that Socrates had with his students, an intense personal relationship which would not involve sexual love and could probably be a platonic love. Ancient Greek physicians used their methodological tools in order to interpret homosexuality as a mental disease, but ancient medical dogmas such as the theory of humors, stereopathology and their variations could not offer an explanation for homosexuality.
Topics: Female; Greece; History, Ancient; Homosexuality; Humans; Male; Physicians; Sexual Behavior; Sports; Women
PubMed: 28541240
DOI: 10.22365/jpsych.2017.281.60 -
Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences Nov 2021To further investigate the neuroanatomical correlates of child sexual offending and disentangle them from the neural correlates of pedophilia, using a multivariate...
AIM
To further investigate the neuroanatomical correlates of child sexual offending and disentangle them from the neural correlates of pedophilia, using a multivariate analytical approach in order to minimize loss of statistical power.
METHODS
This study presents structural MRI data on gray matter in an incarcerated, male population of 22 pedophilic and 21 non-pedophilic child sexual offenders, and 20 violent non-sexual offender controls, based on a multivariate whole-brain approach using source-based morphometry.
RESULTS
We identify a network of several neuroanatomical regions exhibiting interrelated reduced gray matter in both child sexual offender groups relative to controls, comprising extensive clusters in the bilateral cerebellum and frontal lobe, as well as smaller clusters in the bilateral parietal, temporal, and occipital lobes, the bilateral basal ganglia, the medial cingulate and the hippocampus.
CONCLUSION
Our results speak to the interpretation that there are inter- and possibly connectivity-related brain structural abnormalities in child sexual offenders that are not (only) pertaining to pedophilia per se. Interpretations and limitations of the present data are discussed and recommendations for future works are given.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Criminals; Gray Matter; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Middle Aged; Multivariate Analysis; Pedophilia; Sex Offenses; Young Adult
PubMed: 34346537
DOI: 10.1111/pcn.13292