Citation

Galli V, McElroy SL, Soutullo CA, Kizer D, Raute N, Keck PE, McConville BJ. Compr. Psychiatry 1999; 40(2): 85-88.

Affiliation

Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and the Biological Psychiatry Program, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, OH 45267-0559, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1999, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

10080253

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of specific psychiatric disorders in adolescents who have sexually molested other children. Twenty-two adolescent males (aged 13 to 17 years) who sexually molested a child at least once were evaluated with structured clinical interviews for DSM-III-R axis I disorders. All subjects met lifetime DSM-III-R criteria for pedophilia (with the exception of the age requirement), 21 (95%) for two or more paraphilias, 18 (82%) for a mood disorder (12 [55%] for a bipolar disorder), 12 (55%) for an anxiety disorder, 11 (50%) for a substance use disorder, and 12 (55%) for an impulse-control disorder. Also, 12 (71%) of 17 subjects were diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and 16 (94%) with conduct disorder. We conclude that some adolescent child molesters may have pedophilia or other paraphilias. Other axis I disorders with impulsive features, especially conduct, attention-deficit/hyperactivity, bipolar, and substance use disorders, may also be found in these adolescents.

Language: en