Explored whether pedophilia is caused by sexual abuse in childhood by examining retrospective self-reports of 344 nonpsychotic male subjects. Subjects included heterosexual and homosexual pedophiles (PDPs), child molesters, gynephilic offenders and controls, and androphilic clients. Differential diagnosis of an erotic preference for minors vs physically mature partners was made with a phallometric test validated by K. Freund and R. Blanchard (1989). The proportion of PDPs who reported being sexually abused in childhood was larger than that of subjects not accused of a sex offense against a child.
(PA 78:15569)