NCJ Number
212820
Journal
Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment Volume: 17 Issue: 4 Dated: October 2005 Pages: 441-456
Date Published
October 2005
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This study compared the rates of decline in the strength of sexual arousal as a function of age in three groups of males: those most sexually attracted to children (pedophiles), those most attracted to teens (hebephiles), and those most attracted to physically mature persons (teleiophiles).
Abstract
Study findings indicated that for all three groups of men, sexual arousal reached its peak in the period shortly after puberty (period of biological/physical change related to reproductive ability) and then declined with age similarly for all groups. These findings suggest that any differences in patterns of problematic sexual interactions with preferred age groups that involve offenders of the same age are due to factors other than degree of sexual arousal. Study participants were 2,028 patients referred to Toronto's (Canada) Center for Addiction and Mental Health from 1995 to 2004 for evaluation of criminal or problematic sexual behavior, but not for erectile or ejaculatory problems. All underwent measurements of penile blood volume when exposed to audiovisual narratives of sexual interactions with young girls, teen girls, adult women, young boys, teen boys, and adult men. Arousal from these sexual stimuli were compared with arousal when exposed to narratives of nonsexual activities. The ages of the patients ranged from 13 to 79, with a mean age for the sample of 37.5 years. The analysis matched sexual arousal measurements to age for those identified as pedophiles, hebephiles, and teleiophiles. 5 figures and 32 references