Identifying psychological traits potentially subserving aberrant motivation or inhibitory failure in pedophilic behavior.

BACKGROUND

This paper presents data from a research program investigating personality traits or childhood historical factors that may contribute to the motivation for or failure to inhibit pedophilic behavior.

METHOD

The entire sample included 51 male subjects with pedophilic behavior, 53 opiate addicted subjects (69% males), and 84 healthy controls (77% males). Groups were compared on personality traits related to social anxiety/inhibition, impulsivity, propensity for cognitive distortions and psychopathy along with the incidence of sexual abuse in their own childhoods (CSA).

RESULTS

Results supported an increased prevalence of CSA, psychopathic traits and traits related to a propensity for cognitive distortions in the pedophilic group relative to healthy controls. Compared to opiate addicted subjects, pedophilic subjects had higher rates of childhood sexual abuse, more schizoid traits, and lower impulsivity and behavioral psychopathy scores. While the group with pedophilic behavior scored higher than controls on some measures related to social anxiety, they did not differ from the opiate addicted group.

LIMITATIONS

Measures relied on self-report and demographic variables varied across groups.

CONCLUSION

Subjects with pedophilic behavior may show distinct personality and historical traits related to both inhibitory and motivational factors.