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Ephebophilia - Ephebophilia Symptom, Cause, Treatment
The word Ephebophilia comes from the Greek term ?f?ß?? means ephebos variously defined as "one arrived at puberty". It can be defined as sexual attraction felt by an adult toward an adolescent. It is used in contrast with pedophilia , which is an attraction to pre- pubescent individuals. It may be directed toward children of the same sex or children of the other sex. Some pedophiles are attracted to both boys and girls. Some are attracted only to children, while others are attracted to adults as well as to children. The sexual behaviors involved in pedophilia cover a range of activities and may or may not involve the use of force. Some pedophiles limit their behaviors to exposing themselves or masturbating in front of the child, or fondling or undressing the child, but without genital contact. Others, however, compel the child to participate in oral sex or full genital intercourse.
Symptoms of Ephebophilia
Ephebophilia is not considered a disorder or perversion. Often paedophilia and ephebophilia are confused. Ephebophilia also known as hebephilia is the sexual attraction of an adult to adolescents. The reason for this is that definitions of the legal age and the biological age of a child conflict. According to some catholics, the child abuse cases in the American church often have nothing to do with paedophilia, but instead are instances of ephebophilia. It is natural for adult men to have a sexual attraction to especially young girls. However, the people attracted to may be below the age of consent, also depending on the jurisdiction.
Causes of Ephebophilia
Causes of Ephebophilia attribute along with the other mental diseaseto biology. One of the male sex hormones, predisposes men to develop deviant sexual behaviors. As far as genetic factors are concerned, as Ephebophilia of 2002 no researchers have claimed to have discovered or mapped a gene for . Some of causes of this condition are listed below -
- Some adolescents are unable to understand the physical, emotional, and social consequences of sexual activity;
- Adult sexual relations with adolescents can be an abuse of power, using psychological coercion ;
- Sexual relations with adolescent girls can lead to pregnancy and parenthood, for which adolescents may not be prepared emotionally or financially
Treatment of Ephebophilia
A number of psychological techniques have been used but currently cognitive behavioral methods, including relapse prevention strategies, appear the most effective.
- Psychotherapy - Long-term individual or group psychotherapy is usually necessary and may be especially helpful when it is part of multimodal treatment that includes social skills training, treatment of comorbid physical and psychiatric disorders (eg, seizure disorders, attention deficit disorder, depression), and hormonal treatment.
- Antiandrogen Drugs - In the USA, IM medroxyprogesterone acetate is the treatment of choice; cyproterone acetate is used in Europe. Typically, a male with a moderate to severe paraphilia is given medroxyprogesterone. Treatment is usually long-term, because deviant sexual arousal patterns usually reoccur shortly after testosterone levels return to normal.
- SSRIs ( selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) - eg, fluoxetine or fluvoxamine may be useful.
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