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Updated: Aug 19, 2026

Using a Comparative Species Approach to Investigate the Neurobiology of Paternal Responses
Published on: September 19, 2011
Biological fathers and stepfathers who molest their daughters: psychological, phallometric, and criminal features
David M Greenberg1, Philip Firestone, Kevin L Nunes
1Department of Psychiatry, University of New South Whales and Western Australia, Australia.
Abstract:
A sample (N=143) of men who sexually abused their biological daughters or their step/adopted daughters were examined on a comprehensive array of demographic and historical information, offense characteristics, psychological and phallometric measures, and recidivism. Biological fathers were significantly less sexually aroused by children than were the stepfathers. On all the remaining variables, however, no statistically significant differences were found. Overall, biological and stepfathers in the present study appear to be much more similar than different from one another.
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