Minor Physical Anomalies as a Window into the Prenatal Origins of Pedophilia

Abstract

Evidence is steadily accumulating to support a neurodevelopmental basis for pedophilia. This includes increased incidence of non-right-handedness, which is a result primarily of prenatal neural development and solidified very early in life. Minor physical anomalies (MPAs; superficial deviations from typical morphological development, such as un-detached earlobes) also develop only prenatally, suggesting them as another potential marker of atypical physiological development during the prenatal period among pedophiles. This study administered the Waldrop Physical Anomaly Scale to assess the prevalence of MPAs in a clinical sample of men referred for assessment following a sexual assault, or another illegal or clinically significant sexual behavior. Significant associations emerged between MPA indices and indicators of pedophilia, including penile responses to depictions of children, number of child victims, and possession of child pornography. Moreover, greater sexual attraction to children was associated with an elevated craniofacial-to-peripheral anomalies ratio. The overall sample demonstrated a greater number of MPAs relative to prior samples of individuals with schizophrenia as well as to healthy controls.

Are There Any Biomarkers for Pedophilia and Sexual Child Abuse? A Review

“…Research supports the hypothesis of an association between MPAs and several neuropsychiatric disorders, such as autism and schizophrenia (31,32). Pedophilic individuals seem to exhibit a greater number of MPAs relative to samples of individuals with schizophrenia as well as healthy controls: Dyshniku and colleagues found that MPA indices were positively associated with multiple indicators of pedophilia, including phallometric responses to sexual stimuli, number of child but not adult victims, and possession of child sexual exploitation material (30). There is also a relationship between adult men's height and pre-and perinatal factors, such as genetic predisposition or conditions in utero (33).…”

“…They are supposed to develop during the first and/or early second trimester of gestation (27)(28)(29). Even though the exact mechanism remains elusive, there are some indications that besides genetic factors, also environmental perturbations (e.g., hypoxic events) during early embryonic period may determine the extent and nature of malformations (27,30). Research supports the hypothesis of an association between MPAs and several neuropsychiatric disorders, such as autism and schizophrenia (31,32).…”

Sensitivity and Specificity of the Phallometric Test for Hebephilia

“…The phallometric Pedophilia Index was more accurate in distinguishing pedophiles from teleiophiles than the Hebephilia Index was in distinguishing hebephiles from teleiophiles. Such a pattern would be expectable: Empirically, features and correlates of hebephilia frequently fall midway between those of pedophilia and teleiophilia [28], including in terms of IQ [29], handedness [18,[29][30][31], physical height [32], "minor physical anomalies" [33], and histories of school-grade failure or special education placement [34]. Moreover, because prepubescent children are more distinct from adults than are pubescent children, pedophilia would be expected to be more distinct from teleiophilia than is hebephilia, and therefore, easier to distinguish from teleiophilia.…”

A neurodevelopmental perspective on male violence

“…More recently, MPAs have been found to be higher in schizophrenics who murder compared to both schizophrenics who do not murder as well as to normal controls (Tenyi et al., ). Within offenders, MPAs have been associated with more signs of pedophilic tendencies (Dyshniku, Murray, Fazio, Lykins, & Cantor, ). Taken together, these studies have suggested that there are early neurodevelopmental processes under way in those who later in life manifest violence.…”