Attraction Versus Action in Pedophilic Desire: The Role of Personality Traits and Childhood Experience.

Objective: Comparison of pedophilic individuals who do and do not refrain from sexually engaging with children may offer critically important information regarding the differential contributors to pedophilic attraction versus behavior. This study compared 5 traits that are potentially contributory to pedophilic attraction or behavior in both minor-attracted persons (MAPs) who refrain from sexually engaging with minors (nonacting MAPs) and those who have acted on pedophilic attractions and subsequently entered the criminal justice system (forensic MAPs).

Methods: Subjects included 195 nonacting MAPs, 50 forensic MAPs, and 60 healthy controls.

Comparison of Self-Identified Minor-Attracted Persons Who Have and Have Not Successfully Refrained From Sexual Activity With Children.

The present study compares community-based minor-attracted persons (MAPs) with and without histories of sexual activity with children. MAP actors (N = 342) were significantly older than non-actors (N = 223), with longer duration of pedophilic attraction, more antisocial traits, greater attraction to boys, greater difficulty controlling their attraction, and more positive attitudes toward adult-child sexual activity. Additionally, more MAP actors reported prior mental health treatment, nonsexual offenses, and childhood sexual and nonsexual abuse.