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Hebephilia

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Hebephilia refers to the sexual preference for pubescent children; the term was introduced by Glueck (1955). It differs from ephebophilia, which refers to the erotic interest in children in mid- to late adolescence, and from pedophilia, which refers to the erotic interest in prepubescent children. Men with a sexual preference for adults (i.e., teleiophiles) also have some sexual interest in pubescent-aged individuals; the term hebephilia is reserved for those who prefer pubescent-aged individuals over adults.

Etiology

It is not known what causes someone to be sexually interested in pubescent children rather than in adults; nor is it established what mechanisms cause an individual to be attracted to whatever s/he is attracted to.

A team of Canadian sexologists has published a series of research articles comparing biologically relevant characteristics of pedophiles, hebephiles, and teleiophiles (individuals with a sexual preference for adults). Hebephilic men are midway between pedophilic men and teleiophilic men on average IQ, memory test scores, rates of non-right-handedness, rates of school grade failures over and above the IQ differences, rates of having suffered head injuries in childhood, and physical height.

References

  1. Glueck, B. C., Jr. (1955). Final report: Research project for the study and treatment of persons convicted of crimes involving sexual aberrations. June 1962 to June 1955. New York: New York State Department of Mental Hygiene.
  2. Krafft-Ebing, R. von. (1965). Psychopathia sexualis: A medico-forensic study (H. E. Wedeck, Trans.). New York: G. P. Putnam’s Sons. (Original work published 1886.)
  3. ^ Cantor, J. M., Blanchard, R., Christensen, B. K., Dickey, R., Klassen, P. E., Beckstead, A. L., et al. (2004). Intelligence, memory, and handedness in pedophilia. Neuropsychology, 18, 3–14.
  4. Cantor, J. M., Klassen, P. E., Dickey, R., Christensen, B. K., Kuban, M. E., Blak, T., et al. (2005). Handedness in pedophilia and hebephilia. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 34, 447–459.
  5. Cantor, J. M., Kuban, M. E., Blak, T., Klassen, P. E., Dickey, R., & Blanchard, R. (2006). Grade failure and special education placement in sexual offenders’ educational histories. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 35, 743–751.
  6. Blanchard, R., Kuban, M. E., Klassen, P., Dickey, R., Christensen, B. K., Cantor, J. M., & Blak, T. (2003). Self-reported injuries before and after age 13 in pedophilic and non-pedophilic men referred for clinical assessment. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 32, 573–581.
  7. Blanchard, R., Christensen, B. K., Strong, S. M., Cantor, J. M., Kuban, M. E., Klassen, P., Dickey, R., & Blak, T. (2002). Retrospective self-reports of childhood accidents causing unconsciousness in phallometrically diagnosed pedophiles. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 31, 511–526.
  8. Cantor, J. M., Kuban, M. E., Blak, T., Klassen, P. E., Dickey, R., & Blanchard, R. (2007). Physical height in pedophilia and hebephilia. Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment, 19, 395–407.