Age Diversity Among Victims of Hebephilic Sexual Offenders

A Test of Three Different Explanations for Low Stimulus Response Discrimination in Phallometric Testing

Phallometric assessment is used to assess men's sexual interest in children and to assist in risk assessment and treatment planning. A common response pattern, especially when the assessment is conducted in a forensic context, is an indiscriminate pattern of penile responses: No sexual stimulus seems to produce a substantially higher response than another. This indiscriminate response profile could be the result of (1) faking good (in particular, reducing the responses to child stimuli); (2) floor or ceiling effects caused by low or high arousability, or (3) non-exclusivity (the individual is similarly sexually interested in both children and adults). In this study of 2,858 adult male patients who underwent volumetric phallometric assessment for sexual interest in children between 1995 and 2011, we tested these three possible explanations. Results showed support for each of the explanations, but the variance accounted for in response discrimination was quite small when considering each explanation (separately or when considered together). We discuss avenues for future research to better discern the causes of indiscriminate responding in phallometric assessment.

Primary Health Professionals' Beliefs, Experiences, and Willingness to Treat Minor-Attracted Persons

There is a desire and need among minor-attracted persons (MAPs) to access support within the community, and this often begins with an approach to healthcare providers working in general medical/mental health settings. However, little is known about the experiences of these non-specialist professionals in relation to their beliefs, knowledge, and decision-making processes when working with patients who disclose sexual attractions to children. Using an online survey, this study explored the knowledge, comfort, competence, and treatment willingness of 220 non-specialist healthcare providers when faced with patients who disclose sexual attractions to children. We investigated how often such disclosures were made, clinician stigma, treatment priorities, and professionals' willingness to report MAPs to external agencies because of their sexual attractions. Some key differences were found when comparing primary medical vs. mental health professionals, including increased likelihood to view MAPs as dangerous, unable to control behaviors and that sexual attractions are an avoidable choice, in the former group. Both groups prioritized mental health treatment targets above controlling attractions and living with stigmatized attractions, although controlling or changing attractions were still relatively high priorities. Results indicated a need for further training, focusing on increasing comfort around working with MAPs, as this was associated with a greater willingness to work with this group. We identify current gaps in service provision for MAPs seeking professional support and discuss recommendations for professional training.

Do psychological features distinguish those who sexually offend against different age groups from those who are stable in victim age?

Aim/Background

Victim age polymorphism occurs when someone offends against victims that span multiple age groups (e.g., child and adult victims). There is a need to better understand the correlates of age polymorphism, as clinicians are often asked about risk of offending against victims who may differ from the index offence victim as part of their risk formulation. The present study examines several potential correlates of age polymorphism: psychopathy, sexual preoccupation, multiple paraphilias, psychosis, and substance use disorders.

Materials/Method

Analyses were conducted using secondary clinical assessment data from a provincial forensic sexual behaviour program. The sample included 387 men with two or more contact sexual offence victims. The assessment data in the archival database included comprehensive information about victim age, as well as standardized assessment measures and diagnostic/clinical impressions.

Results

There were no significant associations between age polymorphism and psychopathy, multiple paraphilias, sexual preoccupation, psychosis, and substance use disorders. The only significant difference that emerged was that men who offended against victims 16 or older had a higher mean score on a measure of drug misuse than those who offended against victims 6 to 11. Most of the analyses produced small effects.

Conclusion

Our findings did not identify significant correlates of age polymorphism when restricting analyses to those men who offended against two or more victims. We consider key methodological differences that may have impacted our findings, as well as the need for rigorously designed research to develop a comprehensive model of age polymorphism.

Preventing Sexual Abuse: Perspectives of Minor-Attracted Persons About Seeking Help

The primary aim of this exploratory research was to gain information from minor-attracted persons (MAPs) about their (a) formal and informal experiences with help-seeking for minor attraction, (b) perceived barriers to seeking help for concerns about minor attraction, and (c) treatment priorities as identified by consumers of these services. A nonrandom, purposive sample of MAPs (n = 293, 154 completed all questions) was recruited via an online survey. Results show that 75% of participants did seek formal help from a professional; however, just less than half of them found the experience to be helpful. Characteristics of helpful therapeutic encounters included nonjudgmental attitudes, knowledge about minor attraction, and viewing clients in a person-centered and holistic way. Barriers to help seeking included uncertainty about confidentiality, fear of negative reaction or judgment, difficulties finding a therapist knowledgeable about MAPs, and financial constraints. Understanding or reducing attraction to minors were common treatment goals, but participants also prioritized addressing general mental health and well-being related to depression, anxiety, loneliness, and low self-esteem. Implications for effective and ethical counseling and preventive interventions for MAPs are discussed.