Title: Psychopathology and Personality Traits of Pedophiles
Headings: Psychopathology and Personality Traits of Pedophiles
Psychopathology and Personality Traits of Pedophiles
Diagnosis
References:

Content: Male and female pedophiles
Most sexual offenders against children are male, although female offenders may account for 0.4% to 4% of convicted sexual offenders. 6,7 On the basis of a range of published reports, McConaghy 8 estimates a 10 to 1 ratio of male-to-female child molesters. However, most researchers assume available estimates underrepresent the true number of female pedophiles. 9 Several reasons for this have been proposed, including a societal tendency to dismiss the negative impact of sexual relationships between young boys and adult women as well as women’s greater access to very young children who cannot report their abuse.9 Because of the low number of females in pedophile samples, most of the studies discussed below will be drawn from exclusively male samples. Pedophilia subgroups
The most important diagnostic issue for clinicians who encounter a possible pedophile is the danger the patient may pose to children, although DSM-IV does not directly address this issue. Several subgroups are listed under the DSM-IV diagnosis of pedophilia: • Individuals who are sexually attracted to males, females, or both sexes
• Those whose behavior is limited to incest
• Persons who are attracted only to children-exclusive versus nonexclusive
Although not listed in DSM-IV, the distinction between true and opportunistic pedophiles is possibly of greater diagnostic importance. 10,11 Related terms include fixated versus regressed pedophiles or preferential versus situational pedophiles. 8,11
True pedophiles are those who show persistent and focused sexual attraction to prepubescent children. They show specific arousal to pedophilic stimuli on physiological measures of sexual arousal and have repeated sexual encounters with or recurrent sexual urges toward children.