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Validity in Phallometric Testing for Sexual Interests in Children: A Meta-Analytic Review.

Ian V McPhail¹, Chantal A Hermann², Stephanie Fernane²

¹1 University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.

|April 30, 2017

Summary

Phallometric testing accurately identifies sexual interest in children (pedohebephilic interests). This method is a valid predictor of sexual reoffending, supporting its use in forensic clinical practice.

Keywords:

hebephilia meta-analysis pedophilia plethysmography sexual abuse validity

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Area of Science:

Forensic Psychology
Clinical Psychology
Sexology

Background:

Accurate assessment of pedohebephilic interests is crucial in forensic clinical settings.
Phallometric testing measures physiological sexual arousal in response to stimuli.
This technique is commonly employed in clinical and research contexts to detect pedohebephilic interests.

Purpose of the Study:

To conduct a meta-analysis of studies on phallometric testing for pedohebephilic interests.
To evaluate the validity of phallometric tests in identifying sexual interest in children.
To examine the predictive relationship between phallometric scores and sexual reoffending.

Main Methods:

Meta-analysis of 37 samples (N=6,785) comparing sexual offenders with controls using phallometric tests.
Meta-analysis of 16 samples (N=2,709) examining the correlation between phallometric scores and sexual recidivism.
Analysis of methodological features influencing phallometric test validity.

Main Results:

Phallometric testing procedures demonstrated validity in identifying pedohebephilic interests.
Specific methods, including slide/audio-plus-slide stimuli and z-score indices, enhanced test validity.
Phallometric scores for pedohebephilic, pedophilic, and hebephilic interests predicted sexual reoffending.

Conclusions:

Phallometric testing is a valid indicator of sexual interest in children.
The findings support the interpretation of phallometric test scores in forensic assessments.
The predictive validity for reoffending further substantiates the utility of phallometric testing.