Pedophilia

==Causes==
Although what causes pedophilia is not yet known, researchers began reporting a series of findings [[association (statistics)|linking]] pedophilia with brain structure and function, beginning in 2002. Testing individuals from a variety of referral sources inside and outside the criminal justice system as well as [[control group|controls]], these studies found associations between pedophilia and lower [[Intelligence quotient|IQs]],<ref name=Blanchard2007>{{cite journal | author1 = Blanchard R. | author2 = Kolla N. J. | author3 = Cantor J. M. | author4 = Klassen P. E. | author5 = Dickey R. | author6 = Kuban M. E. | author7 = Blak T. | year = 2007 | title = IQ, handedness, and pedophilia in adult male patients stratified by referral source | journal = Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment | volume = 19 | issue = 3 | pages = 285–309 | doi = 10.1177/107906320701900307 | pmid = 17634757 | s2cid = 220359453 }}</ref><ref name = Cantor2004>{{cite journal | vauthors = Cantor JM, Blanchard R, Christensen BK, Dickey R, Klassen PE, Beckstead AL, Blak T, Kuban ME | title = Intelligence, memory, and handedness in pedophilia | journal = Neuropsychology | volume = 18 | issue = 1 | pages = 3–14 | year = 2004 | pmid = 14744183 | doi = 10.1037/0894-4105.18.1.3 }}</ref><ref name = Cantor2005>{{cite journal | vauthors = Cantor JM, Blanchard R, Robichaud LK, Christensen BK | title = Quantitative reanalysis of aggregate data on IQ in sexual offenders | url = https://archive.org/details/sim_psychological-bulletin_2005-07_131_4/page/555 | journal = Psychological Bulletin | volume = 131 | issue = 4 | pages = 555–568 | year = 2005 | pmid = 16060802 | doi = 10.1037/0033-2909.131.4.555 | citeseerx = 10.1.1.557.6376 }}</ref> poorer scores on memory tests,<ref name = Cantor2004/> greater rates of non-right-handedness,<ref name = Blanchard2007/><ref name = Cantor2004/><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Cantor JM, Klassen PE, Dickey R, Christensen BK, Kuban ME, Blak T, Williams NS, Blanchard R | title = Handedness in pedophilia and hebephilia | url = https://archive.org/details/sim_archives-of-sexual-behavior_2005-08_34_4/page/447 | journal = Archives of Sexual Behavior | volume = 34 | issue = 4 | pages = 447–459 | year = 2005 | pmid = 16010467 | doi = 10.1007/s10508-005-4344-7 | s2cid = 6427342 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | author = Bogaert AF | title = Handedness, criminality, and sexual offending | url = https://archive.org/details/sim_neuropsychologia_2001_39_5/page/465 | journal = Neuropsychologia | volume = 39 | issue = 5 | pages = 465–469 | year = 2001 | pmid = 11254928 | doi = 10.1016/S0028-3932(00)00134-2 | s2cid = 28513717 }}</ref> greater rates of school grade failure over and above the IQ differences,<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Cantor JM, Kuban ME, Blak T, Klassen PE, Dickey R, Blanchard R | title = Grade failure and special education placement in sexual offenders' educational histories | url = https://archive.org/details/sim_archives-of-sexual-behavior_2006-12_35_6/page/743 | journal = Archives of Sexual Behavior | volume = 35 | issue = 6 | pages = 743–751 | year = 2006 | pmid = 16708284 | doi = 10.1007/s10508-006-9018-6 | s2cid = 24164499 }}</ref> being below average height,<ref name="pmid17952597">{{cite journal | vauthors = Cantor JM, Kuban ME, Blak T, Klassen PE, Dickey R, Blanchard R | title = Physical height in pedophilic and hebephilic sexual offenders | journal = Sex Abuse | volume = 19 | issue = 4 | pages = 395–407 | year = 2007 | pmid = 17952597 | doi = 10.1007/s11194-007-9060-5 | s2cid = 322977 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal | last1 = McPhail | first1 = Ian V. | last2 = Cantor | first2 = James M. | date = 2015-04-03 | title = Pedophilia, Height, and the Magnitude of the Association: A Research Note | journal = Deviant Behavior | volume = 36 | issue = 4 | pages = 288–292 | doi = 10.1080/01639625.2014.935644 | s2cid = 144724465 | issn = 0163-9625}}</ref> greater probability of having had childhood head injuries resulting in unconsciousness,<ref name = Blanchard2002/><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Blanchard R, Kuban ME, Klassen P, Dickey R, Christensen BK, Cantor JM, Blak T | title = Self-reported injuries before and after age 13 in pedophilic and non-pedophilic men referred for clinical assessment | url = https://archive.org/details/sim_archives-of-sexual-behavior_2003-12_32_6/page/573 | journal = Archives of Sexual Behavior | volume = 32 | issue = 6 | pages = 573–581 | year = 2003 | pmid = 14574100 | doi = 10.1023/A:1026093612434 | s2cid = 37671245 }}</ref> and several differences in [[MRI]]-detected brain structures.<ref name = Cantor2008>{{cite journal | vauthors = Cantor JM, Kabani N, Christensen BK, Zipursky RB, Barbaree HE, Dickey R, Klassen PE, Mikulis DJ, Kuban ME, Blak T, Richards BA, Hanratty MK, Blanchard R | title = Cerebral white matter deficiencies in pedophilic men | journal = Journal of Psychiatric Research | volume = 42 | issue = 3 | pages = 167–183 | year = 2008 | pmid = 18039544 | doi = 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2007.10.013 }}</ref><ref name="pmid16876824">{{cite journal | vauthors = Schiffer B, Peschel T, Paul T, Gizewski E, Forsting M, Leygraf N, Schedlowski M, Krueger TH | title = Structural brain abnormalities in the frontostriatal system and cerebellum in pedophilia | url = https://archive.org/details/sim_journal-of-psychiatric-research_2007-11_41_9/page/753 | journal = J Psychiatr Res | volume = 41 | issue = 9 | pages = 753–62 | year = 2007 | pmid = 16876824 | doi = 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2006.06.003 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Schiltz K, Witzel J, Northoff G, Zierhut K, Gubka U, Fellmann H, Kaufmann J, Tempelmann C, Wiebking C, Bogerts B | title = Brain pathology in pedophilic offenders: Evidence of volume reduction in the right amygdala and related diencephalic structures | journal = Archives of General Psychiatry | volume = 64 | issue = 6 | pages = 737–746 | year = 2007 | pmid = 17548755 | doi = 10.1001/archpsyc.64.6.737 | doi-access = free }}</ref>

Such studies suggest that there are one or more neurological characteristics present at birth that cause or increase the likelihood of being pedophilic. Some studies have found that pedophiles are less cognitively impaired than non-pedophilic child molesters.<ref>{{cite journal | author1 = Christian C. Joyal | author2 = Jolyane Beaulieu-Plante1 | author3 = Antoine de Chantérac | title = The neuropsychology of sexual offenders: A meta-analysis. | journal = Journal of Sexual Abuse | volume = 26 | issue = 2 | pages = 149–177 | year = 2014 | url = https://www.researchgate.net/publication/236138973 | quote = The distinction between nonpedophilic child molesters and exclusive pedophile child molesters, for instance, could be crucial in neuropsychology because the latter seem to be less cognitively impaired (Eastvold et al., 2011; Schiffer & Vonlaufen, 2011; Suchy et al., 2009). Pedophilic child molesters might perform as well as controls (and better than nonpedophilic child molesters) on a wide variety of neuropsychological measures when mean IQ and other socioeconomic factors are similar (Schiffer & Vonlaufen, 2011). In fact, some pedophiles have higher IQ levels and more years of education compared with the general population (Langevin et al., 2000; Lothstein, 1999; Plante & Aldridge, 2005). | doi = 10.1177/1079063213482842 | pmid = 23567470 | s2cid = 14787096 | access-date = 2018-01-17 | archive-date = 2022-01-25 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220125032115/https://www.researchgate.net/publication/236138973_The_Neuropsychology_of_Sex_Offenders_A_Meta-Analysis | url-status = live }}</ref> A 2011 study reported that pedophilic child molesters had deficits in response inhibition, but no deficits in memory or cognitive flexibility.<ref>{{cite journal | author1 = Schiffer, B. | author2 = Vonlaufen, C. | title = Executive dysfunctions in pedophilic and nonpedophilic child molesters. | journal = Journal of Sexual Medicine | volume = 8 | issue = 7 | pages = 1975–1984 | year = 2011 | doi=10.1111/j.1743-6109.2010.02140.x | pmid = 21210954 }}</ref> Evidence of familial transmittability "suggests, but does not prove that genetic factors are responsible" for the development of pedophilia.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Gaffney GR, Lurie SF, Berlin FS | title = Is there familial transmission of pedophilia? | journal = J. Nerv. Ment. Dis. | volume = 172 | issue = 9 | pages = 546–8 | date = September 1984 | pmid = 6470698 | doi = 10.1097/00005053-198409000-00006 | s2cid = 40552527 }}</ref> A 2015 study indicated that pedophilic offenders have a normal IQ.<ref name="Paraphilia Reseach IQ">{{cite journal | last1 = Azizian | first1 = Allen | title = Cognitional Impairment: Is There a Role for Cognitive Assessment in the Treatment of Individuals Civilly Committed Pursuant to the Sexually Violent Predator Act? | journal = Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment | volume = 28 | date = 2015 | issue = 1–15 | pages = 755–769 | doi = 10.1177/1079063215570757 | pmid = 25698358 | s2cid = 6007407 | url = http://a.pomf.se/hzsgkd.pdf | access-date = 27 April 2016 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150611205726/http://a.pomf.se/hzsgkd.pdf | archive-date = June 11, 2015 }}</ref>

Another study, using structural [[Magnetic resonance imaging|MRI]], indicated that male pedophiles have a lower volume of [[white matter]] than a [[Scientific control|control group]].<ref name = Cantor2008/> Functional magnetic resonance imaging ([[fMRI]]) has indicated that child molesters diagnosed with pedophilia have reduced activation of the [[hypothalamus]] as compared with non-pedophilic persons when viewing sexually arousing pictures of adults.<ref>{{cite journal | author = Walter | display-authors = etal | year = 2007 | title = Pedophilia Is Linked to Reduced Activation in Hypothalamus and Lateral Prefrontal Cortex During Visual Erotic Stimulation | doi = 10.1016/j.biopsych.2006.10.018 | pmid = 17400196 | journal = Biological Psychiatry | volume = 62 | issue = 6 | pages = 698–701 | s2cid = 6971495}}</ref> A 2008 functional [[neuroimaging]] study notes that central processing of sexual stimuli in heterosexual "paedophile forensic inpatients" may be altered by a disturbance in the prefrontal networks, which "may be associated with stimulus-controlled behaviours, such as sexual compulsive behaviours". The findings may also suggest "a dysfunction at the [[cognitive]] stage of [[sexual arousal]] processing".<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Schiffer B, Paul T, Gizewski E, Forsting M, Leygraf N, Schedlowski M, Kruger TH | title = Functional brain correlates of heterosexual paedophilia | journal = NeuroImage | volume = 41 | issue = 1 | pages = 80–91 | date = May 2008 | pmid = 18358744 | doi = 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2008.02.008 | s2cid = 3350912 }}</ref>

Blanchard, Cantor, and Robichaud (2006) reviewed the research that attempted to identify [[hormone|hormonal]] aspects of pedophiles.<ref name="Blanchard2006">[[Ray Blanchard|Blanchard, R]]., [[James Cantor|Cantor, J. M.]], & Robichaud, L. K. (2006). Biological factors in the development of sexual deviance and aggression in males. In {{cite book | author1 = Howard E. Barbaree | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=tGwKQSrhDq8C&pg=PA77 | title = The Juvenile Sex Offender | author2 = William L. Marshall | date = 19 June 2008 | publisher = Guilford Press | isbn = 978-1-59385-978-7 | page = 77 | access-date = 17 January 2018 | archive-date = 19 August 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200819230237/https://books.google.com/books?id=tGwKQSrhDq8C&pg=PA77 | url-status = live}}</ref> They concluded that there is some evidence that pedophilic men have less [[testosterone]] than controls, but that the research is of poor quality and that it is difficult to draw any firm conclusion from it.

While not causes of pedophilia themselves, [[Child abuse|childhood abuse]] by adults or [[comorbidity|comorbid]] psychiatric illnesses—such as [[personality disorder]]s and [[substance abuse]]—are risk factors for acting on pedophilic urges.<ref name=faganJAMA>{{cite journal | vauthors = Fagan PJ, Wise TN, Schmidt CW, Berlin FS | title = Pedophilia | journal = JAMA | volume = 288 | issue = 19 | pages = 2458–65 | date = November 2002 | pmid = 12435259 | doi = 10.1001/jama.288.19.2458 | url = http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=12435259 | access-date = 2008-09-05 }}{{dead link | date = June 2022 | bot = medic}}{{cbignore | bot = medic}}</ref> Blanchard, Cantor, and Robichaud addressed comorbid psychiatric illnesses that, "The theoretical implications are not so clear. Do particular genes or noxious factors in the prenatal environment predispose a male to develop both affective disorders and pedophilia, or do the frustration, danger, and isolation engendered by unacceptable sexual desires—or their occasional furtive satisfaction—lead to anxiety and despair?"<ref name = Blanchard2006/> They indicated that, because they previously found mothers of pedophiles to be more likely to have undergone psychiatric treatment, the genetic possibility is more likely.<ref name = Blanchard2002>{{cite journal | vauthors = Blanchard R, Christensen BK, Strong SM, Cantor JM, Kuban ME, Klassen P, Dickey R, Blak T | title = Retrospective self-reports of childhood accidents causing unconsciousness in phallometrically diagnosed pedophiles | url = https://archive.org/details/sim_archives-of-sexual-behavior_2002-12_31_6/page/511 | journal = [[Archives of Sexual Behavior]] | volume = 31 | issue = 6 | pages = 511–526 | year = 2002 | pmid = 12462478 | doi = 10.1023/A:1020659331965 | s2cid = 11268132 }}</ref>

A study analyzing the sexual fantasies of 200 heterosexual men by using the Wilson Sex Fantasy Questionnaire exam determined that males with a pronounced degree of [[Paraphilia|paraphilic]] interest (including pedophilia) had a greater number of older brothers, a high 2D:4D [[digit ratio]] (which would indicate low prenatal [[androgen]] exposure), and an elevated probability of being [[Left-handedness|left-handed]], suggesting that disturbed hemispheric [[Lateralization of brain function|brain lateralization]] may play a role in deviant attractions.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Rahman Q, Symeonides DJ | title = Neurodevelopmental Correlates of Paraphilic Sexual Interests in Men | journal = [[Archives of Sexual Behavior]] | volume = 37 | issue = 1 | pages = 166–172 | date = February 2007 | pmid = 18074220 | doi = 10.1007/s10508-007-9255-3 | s2cid = 22274418 }}</ref>