Sexual Attraction and Falling in Love in Persons with Pedohebephilia

Martijn, Frederica M.; Babchishin, Kelly M.; Pullman, Lesleigh E.; Seto, Michael C.

doi:10.1007/s10508-019-01579-9

Cited by 26 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 46 publications

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“…Pedophilic Disorder (PD) is defined as intense and persistent sexual attraction to prepubescent children associated with negative consequences for the individual or others (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Although many individuals with PD do not sexually abuse children (Martijn et al, 2020), PD remains an important risk factor and treatment target in child sexual abuse prevention (Jordan et al, 2011; Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers [ATSA], 2014; Baur et al, 2016) and an estimated 50% of convicted child sexual offenders may meet PD diagnostic criteria (Seto, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Risk Factors for Sexual Offending in Self-Referred Men With Pedophilic Disorder: A Swedish Case-Control Study

et al. 2020

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BackgroundThe risk of child sexual abuse among non-forensic, non-correctional patients with Pedophilic Disorder (PD) is largely unknown.MethodsWe recruited a consecutive sample of 55 help-seeking, non-correctional adult men diagnosed with DSM-5 PD at a university-affiliated sexual medicine outpatient unit in Sweden. PD participants were compared with 57 age-matched, non-clinical control men on four literature-based dynamic risk domains and self-rated child sexual abuse risk.ResultsPD participants scored higher than controls on all tested domains (0–3 points); expectedly so for pedophilic attraction (2.5 vs. 0.0, Cohen’s d = 2.40, 95% confidence interval (CI): [1.91–2.89]), but also for sexual preoccupation (1.6 vs. 1.0, d = 1.11, 95% CI: [0.71–1.51]), impaired self-regulation (1.4 vs. 1.0, d = 0.44, 95% CI: [0.06 to 0.81]), impaired cognitive empathy and antisocial traits (0.9 vs. 0.1, d = 1.18, 95% CI: [0.78–1.59]), and self-rated child sexual abuse risk (1.0 vs. 0.0, d = 1.56, 95% CI: [1.13–1.98]). When summarizing all five domains into a pre-specified composite score (0–15 points), PD subjects scored substantially higher than matched control men (7.5 vs. 2.1, d = 2.12, 95% CI: [1.65–2.59]). Five (9%) PD participants self-reported any previous conviction for a contact child sexual offense and eight (15%) for possession of child sexual abuse material or non-contact sexual offending (adult or child victim). Eighteen subjects (34%) acknowledged past week, child-related sexual behaviors.ConclusionSelf-referred, help-seeking men with PD scored higher (small to very large effect sizes) than non-clinical control men on psychiatric measures of dynamic risk of child sexual abuse suggested in prior research with correctional samples diagnosed with PD. Our findings, including the composite risk measure, might inform clinical practice, but needs validation against actual sexual offending behavior.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Risk Factors for Sexual Offending in Self-Referred Men With Pedophilic Disorder: A Swedish Case-Control Study

et al. 2020

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“…Emerging research suggests that those who identify as sexually attracted to minors experience subjective feelings of falling in love, especially when exclusively attracted to children (Martijn et al, 2020). There is the possibility that strong emotional connections and/or romantic feelings towards minors (alongside sexual attraction) cause such individuals to be more resilient to engaging in problematic sexual behaviours.…”

Section: Emerging Literature On Sexual Attraction To Children and Adomentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Research has suggested that minor-attracted men who are oriented to female children exhibit less exclusivity and higher sexual desire towards adults; conversely, those oriented to male children exhibit more exclusivity and lower sexual desire towards adults (Mitchell et al, 2017). Further, emerging research has suggested that exclusivity may increase experiences of romantic feelings and falling in love with minors among minor-attracted persons (Martijn et al, 2020).…”

Section: Developmental Characteristics and Trajectory Of Sexual Attramentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This includes sexual attraction to infants (i.e., nepiophilia), pre-pubescent children (i.e., pedophilia), or pubescent children and adolescents (i.e., hebephilia). Despite the use of this term, it is important to note that recent research across a breadth of forums has suggested that clinical terminology, such as pedophile, may be the preferred label for many minor-attracted persons (Martijn et al, 2020). The presence of internalized stigma and sensitivity to such labels has yet to be examined among minorattracted persons, but may play a role in such label preferences.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Pedophilia as Age Sexual Orientation: Supporting Seto’s (2012) Conceptualization

Mundy¹

2020

Preprint

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Emerging research has examined the experiences of individuals who are sexually attracted to children and adolescents, also termed minor attraction. Minor-attracted person is a self-referential term, used to describe an individual who is sexually attracted to individuals under the age of consent, which varies by legal system. This study collected both quantitative and qualitative data from minor-attracted persons (n = 116). Several analyses were used to assess whether the sample characteristics support Seto’s (2012) conceptualization of pedophilia as a sexual orientation. The three developmental characteristics of gender-based sexual orientation were explored with respect to data. Expected patterns with relation to age of onset, expressions of both sexual and romantic attractions, and stability of such attraction over time were found. As noted by Seto, there are clear clinical, and potential legal, implications associated with the shift in the conceptualization of sexual attraction to children and adolescents. Such attempts to shift have been met with hostility thus far; despite this hostility, the findings indicate that age sexual orientation closely mirrors the developmental trajectory of gender sexual orientation, as outlined by Seto.

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“…In our use of this term, we encompass a range of chronophilic attraction categories (Seto, 2017). As such, we refer to this population as 'minorattracted persons' (MAPs)in line with recent work suggesting the chronophilic non-exclusivity of sexual attractions to children (Lievesley et al, 2020;Martijn et al, 2020;McPhail et al, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Applying desistance principles to improve wellbeing and prevent child sexual abuse among minor-attracted persons

Lievesley

Harper

2021

Journal of Sexual Aggression

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The prevention of sexual abuse among people with sexual attractions to minors is a field of study that is growing in both size and importance. While there is an increasing amount of research into this topic, particularly in relation to the stigmatisation of minor-attracted persons (MAPs) and the barriers to them seeking help, there is currently no theoretical framework within which to consider this prevention landscape. In this paper, we suggest that an extension of Göbbels, Ward, and Willis' (2012) integrative theory of desistance from sexual offending could fill this gap in the literature. We explore what the aims of 'prevention' initiatives could, or perhaps should, be, before exploring how an extension and adaptation of the desistance framework could provide a framework for working with MAPs in their journey for sound mental health and, ultimately, the prevention of sexual offending.

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Sexual Attraction and Falling in Love in Persons with Pedohebephilia

Cited by 26 publications

References 46 publications

Risk Factors for Sexual Offending in Self-Referred Men With Pedophilic Disorder: A Swedish Case-Control Study

Risk Factors for Sexual Offending in Self-Referred Men With Pedophilic Disorder: A Swedish Case-Control Study

Pedophilia as Age Sexual Orientation: Supporting Seto’s (2012) Conceptualization

Applying desistance principles to improve wellbeing and prevent child sexual abuse among minor-attracted persons

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