title: University males' sexual interest in children: predicting potential indices of "pedophilia" in a nonforensic sample.
abstract: A survey was administered to 193 male undergraduate students regarding their sexual interest in children, as well as their responses to a number of questions theoretically relevant to pedophilia. In total, 21% of subjects reported sexual attraction to some small children, 9% described sexual fantasies involving children, 5% admitted to having masturbated to such fantasies, and 7% indicated some likelihood of having sex with a child if they could avoid detection and punishment. These sexual interests were associated with negative early sexual experiences, masturbation to pornography, self-reported likelihood of raping a woman, frequent sex partners, sexual conflicts, and attitudes supportive of sexual dominance over women. The data did not, however, support clinical theories regarding sexual repression or impulse-control problems among potential pedophiles.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Southern California School of Medicine, Los Angeles 90033.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Briere
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Runtz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010262:Paraphilic Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D010378:Pedophilia / Q000523:psychology*; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011594:Psychometrics; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D014754:Violence