The Role of Coping Strategies,Impulsivity and Hypersexuality on the Fear of Offending Among Minor Attracted Persons (MAPs)

Abstract

Despite generally low rates of sexual offenses among Minor attracted persons (MAPs) and their high desire not to engage in such acts, concerns about the possibility of offending remain significant for some individuals within this population. Consequently, how MAPs deal with this fear is an important question that needs to be addressed. In this study, 299 male MAPs were recruited online to examine how the reliance on different coping strategies impacts their fear of engaging in sexual behaviors with minors. In study 1, binary logistic regression analyses revealed that waiting for the fear to pass on its own, substance use, and masturbation to sexual fantasies involving children are associated with the fear of offending. Impulsivity also played a role in heightening the fear of offending. In study 2, latent class analysis of the intensity of sexual fantasies identified three groups. In each of these three groups, the association between hypersexuality and participants’ fear of engaging in sexual behaviors with minors was analyzed. Results indicated that MAPs with the highest intensity and diversity of sexual fantasies were the most susceptible to not only fear of engaging in sexual behaviors with minors but also, to rely on inappropriate coping strategies. These findings highlight the necessity of understanding sexual attraction toward minors within a broader context of polymorphic sexual interests.

Keywords

minor attracted persons (MAPs)coping strategies hypersexuality sexual fantasies pedophilia impulsivity latent class analysis (LCA)

Introduction

Sexual attraction to minors has long been considered a risk factor for the perpetration of sexual offenses. While this affirmation generally holds true in studies with individuals who have committed such offenses (Hanson & Morton-Bourgon, 2019; Phenix et al., 2017), recent research involving Minor Attracted Persons (MAPs) challenges this perspective. These studies highlight not only the generally low prevalence of sexual offenses among MAPs (Garant & Proulx, 2024), but also the significant efforts MAPs make to avoid engaging in sexual contact with minors (Grady et al., 2019; Walker, 2021). Nevertheless, for some MAPs, the fear of engaging in sexual behavior with a minor is considerable. Hossack et al. (2004) explored the reasons individuals sexually attracted to children living in the community use telephone helplines. Several participants voiced their inability to access suitable assistance and described a fear of losing control regarding their sexual attraction towards children. In Walker’s (2021) study conducted with 42 MAPs, the fear of becoming a “sexual offender” was prevalent among interviewees, leading to anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation. In Garant and Proulx’s (2024) study involving 364 male MAPs and 39 female MAPs, 71.7% of the males and 84.4% of the females reported feeling worried and/or vulnerable about the possibility of engaging in sexual behavior with a child. Finally, Lievesley et al.’s study (2020) of 183 self-identified MAPs reported that actively avoiding children was indicative of an increased self-perceived risk of engaging in inappropriate sexual behavior with a child.

While many studies have examined MAPs’ coping strategies to avoid committing sexual offenses against minors (Grady et al., 2019; Houtepen et al., 2016; Jones et al., 2020; Levenson & Grady, 2019; Lievesley et al., 2020; Stevens & Wood, 2019), their generally low incidence of self-reported sexual contacts with minors contrasts with their high level of concern about potentially offending (Bailey et al., 2016; Garant & Proulx, 2024). Therefore, it would be important to assess the strategies MAPs use to cope with their fears about offending. Moreover, while identifying these strategies is important, it is perhaps even more important to assess whether their use is effective. It is within this context that our research takes place.

This research is divided into two studies. In study1, we assessed the role of various coping mechanisms and psycho-behavioral characteristics, such as self-control measured through impulsivity, on participants’ fear of engaging in sexual behaviors with a child. In study 2, we classified participants into groups based on their hypersexuality levels, as indicated by the intensity and variety of their sexual fantasies. We also investigated how group membership is associated with fear of engaging in sexual behavior with children, and the coping strategies used. Since some MAPs experience intrusive sexual ideation which is often linked to hypersexuality (Bonagura et al., 2022; Bruce et al., 2018; Klein et al., 2015; Lampalzer et al., 2021; Sorrentino & Abramowitz, 2021), addressing these issues is essential.

Coping Strategies Used by MAPs

Several studies have focused on the strategies employed by MAPs to prevent committing sexual offenses. These research stem from the observation that if sexual attraction towards minors does not automatically lead to the perpetration of a sexual offense, MAPs must have a way to regulate it. Stevens and Wood’s (2019) study is grounded in this approach, as it aimed to identify the strategies employed by adults sexually attracted to minors without having committed sexual offenses. Through a thematic analysis of over 5,000 user posts from the Virtuous Pedophiles online forum—a platform for MAPs committed to refraining from sexual offending—the researchers identified four main themes. The first theme, which constitutes 20% of the posts, is summarized by the authors as management of the risk and level of sexual attraction towards children. To achieve this, users reported employing avoidance strategies such as staying away from children and/or any sexual material that may portray children, practicing sexual abstinence to avoid reinforcing their sexual desire towards children, and/or limiting their interactions to individuals they know to be prosocial. The second theme identified by the authors, which makes up 20% of the posts, is mood management. Forum users regard mental-health issues as a potential trigger for committing a sexual offense. Thus, to prevent such actions, they employ strategies like participating in mindfulness sessions, acknowledging their sexual attraction, discussing their attraction prosocially with friends, consulting specialists, and/or taking medication for mental-health problems. The third theme, the most prevalent at 39% of the posts, is described by the authors as the prosocial management of sexual attraction. Coping strategies in this category include taking specific medication for sexual attraction to children (e.g., chemical castration), masturbating to nonsexual images or fantasies that include children, and using distractions such as hobbies. The final theme, comprising 21% of the posts, is social peer support, which involves engaging in discussions with friends, online forum members, or family members, or seeking the help of religious figures. Similar results were reported by Jones et al. (2020), who used the same analytical approach, albeit over a different time frame, to investigate the strategies of users of the same online platform.

Although the coping strategies reported by MAPs in Stevens and Wood’s (2019) study to avoid committing sexual offenses are varied, they may not all be effective. Indeed, many forum posts concerned health issues such as anxiety, depression, self-harm, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts. Additionally, some posts mentioned addictive behaviors (e.g., gambling, pornography, alcohol, drugs) as a means of escaping reality (e.g., negative emotional state). This observation mirrors the findings of Houtepen et al. (2016), who also investigated the coping strategies used by MAPs to avoid committing a sexual offense. They observed that 7 out of their 15 participants had experienced mental-health problems related to their attraction towards children. The participants exhibited a wide range of coping strategies to avoid engaging in sexual offenses, such as: discussing their attraction with individuals not attracted to children, confiding in other individuals with a similar sexual interest, accepting or suppressing their sexual desires, seeking professional guidance, turning to adult pornography, engaging in sexual activity with consenting adults, masturbating to sexual fantasies involving children, and resorting to intimate interactions with child-like sex dolls. Yet, the efficacy of the coping strategies revealed by Houtepen et al. (2016) to prevent sexual offenses is questionable: 11 participants acknowledged having viewed material depicting sexual exploitation of minors, while 5 admitted having engaged in sexual activities with minors.

Other studies exploring the coping mechanisms employed by MAPs have shifted their emphasis. Rather than focusing solely on strategies to prevent sexual offenses, these studies have examined ways to manage social stigma and address the reluctance to seek professional support. For instance, research by Grady et al. (2019), Levenson and Grady (2019), Lievesley et al. (2020), and Walker (2021) aims, among other objectives, to understand how the societal stigma associated with attraction to minors heightens the challenges MAPs face in their daily lives and influences their coping strategies to minimize potential negative impacts. While these studies indicate a greater tendency to seek professional help, the effectiveness of this approach varies: although beneficial for some, for others, it was unhelpful and even counterproductive, since some felt worse after than before the consultation. Nevertheless, this shift in perspective from preventing sexual abuse to dealing with stigma and daily difficulties unveils the emergence of new coping strategies such as addressing feelings of shame, dismantling stigma, and cultivating a healthy identity (Levenson & Grady, 2019; Walker, 2021). But ultimately, we observe a recurrence of similar coping strategies among the participants in the aforementioned studies, including engagement in online forums, confiding into friends, attempts at distractions, reliance on sexuality (such as fantasizing, masturbating, and watching pornographic material), and substance abuse.

Another recurrent finding among these studies was the participants’ reliance on self-control to avoid offending and, sometimes, a fear that their self-control might not be sufficient. For instance, Lievesley et al.’s (2020) research demonstrated that self-control affects both the types of coping strategies participants use (i.e., problem-focused vs. active emotional vs. avoidant emotional) and how MAPs manage the challenges related to their sexual attraction to children (e.g., lower levels of hope about the future, high levels of both shame and guilt, actively avoiding children). Therefore, if self-control is a decisive factor in choosing a coping strategy, it also plays a direct role in the participants’ confidence in their ability to avoid committing a sexual offense. But ultimately, what distinguishes a good coping strategy from a bad coping strategy, and what influences the decision-making process to go for one or the other?

Coping, Self-Control, and Hypersexuality

Coping generally refers to “constantly changing cognitive and behavioral efforts to manage specific and/or internal demands that are appraised as taxing or exceeding the resources of the person” (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984, p. 141). Usually, when confronted with a stressful and/or uncomfortable situation, an individual will take measures to alleviate that unpleasant feeling; the action they choose is termed a coping strategy. A coping strategy can be deemed effective—and thus, adequate—if it diminishes or alleviates the adverse effects of stress, or ineffective—and thus, inadequate—if it merely postpones the problem and its negative consequences either for the individual or for others (Dijkstra & Homan, 2016; Stephenson & DeLongis, 2020). Evaluating the appropriateness of a coping strategy not only depends on contextual factors such as the nature, intensity, and frequency of the stressor, but also on individual factors like personality traits, beliefs, and the alignment of these with the chosen coping approach (Zeidner & Saklofske, 1996). Many studies (Britt et al., 2016; Koeske et al., 1993; Marcks & Woods, 2007) have demonstrated that adopting an active coping strategy tends to be more effective than avoidance coping strategies in mitigating the enduring effects of stress. For instance, problem-focused approaches such as discussing the issue with others, setting clear boundaries on what is acceptable, or even opting to leave certain situations due to unmanageable stress levels tend to be more effective, as they provide a sense of control over the stressors and lead to improvements in the management of the stressful situation over time (Zeidner & Saklofske, 1996). Conversely, although passive strategies like waiting for time to pass and hoping for the best without acting, or engaging in addictive behaviours (e.g., alcohol, drugs, gambling, sex) might offer immediate comfort, they do not solve the stressful situation or reduce stress levels over time (Holahan et al., 1996; Wills & Hirky, 1996).

To select a coping strategy that effectively reduces long-term stress, individuals must first be in control of their emotions. This is why the concept of self-control is intricately linked with coping strategies (Vohs & Baumeister, 2004). Although self-control is not always a conscious effort, as an individual may develop automatic responses to certain situations, it can be understood as the process of thinking before acting rather than reacting impulsively (Fitzsimons & Bargh, 2004). Thus, someone with high self-control should be better equipped to evaluate the consequences of their actions and adopt healthier behaviors with positive long-term effects on their mental health than a person with low self-control, who is more likely to experience mental-health challenges due to poor decision-making (Boals et al., 2011). The studies mentioned above involving MAP samples appear to confirm this assertion: not only was a low self-control central to participants’ concern about committing a sexual offense (Grady et al., 2019; Hossack et al., 2004), it was also associated with the types of coping strategies participants relied on (Lievesley et al., 2020). Furthermore, recent research offers deeper insights into how low self-control, particularly impulsivity, is expressed, and its strong associations with hypersexuality. Specifically, these studies suggest that individuals with lower self-control may be more prone to engage in hypersexual behaviors as a way of coping with their impulsivity and immediate desires (Du & Knight, 2024; Knight & Du, 2021).

Hypersexuality is not a universally agreed-upon concept. The International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11; World Health Organization, 2021) recognizes hypersexuality as a compulsive sexual behavior disorder, characterized by a pattern of failure to control intense, repetitive sexual urges leading to negative consequences in personal functioning. While considered for inclusion in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), hypersexuality was not adopted due to insufficient research and concerns about misuse in legal contexts (Kafka, 2014). Proposed DSM criteria for hypersexuality included, among other things, the presence of recurrent, intense sexual fantasies (not necessarily paraphilic) and an inability to distance oneself from them (e.g., in response to dysphoric mood states or stressful life events) (Walton et al., 2017). Several researchers support the central role of sexual fantasies in the concept of hypersexuality as it should not be limited to behavioral components (Du & Knight, 2024; Kafka, 2014; Knight & Du, 2021), while others argue that hypersexuality should not necessarily be diagnosed, as it may be a symptom of underlying psychological conditions, such as anxiety, depression, or addiction, that require clinical treatment (Walton et al., 2017; Winters, 2010). Thus, research on hypersexuality faces challenges due to its unclear definition, lack of clinical agreement, and inconsistent measurement methods (Halpern, 2011; Marshall & Briken, 2010; Walton et al., 2017).

Although these aspects have not been directly examined in MAPs, they may have resonance in this population, which frequently relies on sexuality as a coping strategy to manage negative emotions, as highlighted in the studies presented above (e.g., Grady et al., 2019; Houtepen et al., 2016; Stevens & Wood, 2019). Based on these findings, a compelling question arises: is there a connection between low self-control, hypersexuality, the adoption of various (adequate and/or inadequate) coping strategies, on the one hand, and the mental well-being of MAPs, on the other?

Aim of the Study

Although studies typically indicate that Minor-Attracted Persons (MAPs) exhibit a low incidence of sexual offending and high desire not to engage in such acts, some MAPs nevertheless have significant fears of engaging in sexual behaviors with children. Moreover, the strategies employed to navigate their attraction to minors do not always appear to be without consequences: while some have ended up acting upon their attraction, others experience challenges that affect their mental well-being (e.g., anxiety, depression, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, and attempts). How then does recent research linking coping strategies, impulsivity, and hypersexuality apply to MAPs? Could these factors be damaging not only in terms of their actions and their ability to cope with the stigma related to their sexual attraction to children, but also in terms of their fear of engaging in sexual behavior with children?

The present research, conducted with the same sample, is divided into two distinct studies designed to address different objectives through different types of analyses. Study 1 seeks to analyze the effectiveness of adequate and inadequate coping strategies on participants’ fear of engaging in sexual behavior with children. Given that the effectiveness of various coping strategies often depends on emotional self-regulation skills, the role of impulsivity in fear of engaging in sexual behavior with children will also be examined. Study 2 aims to determine whether different groups of MAPs can be identified based on levels of hypersexuality, using the intensity of their sexual fantasies as a proxy for hypersexuality among our participants. It will also analyze how hypersexuality may affect participants’ fear regarding sexual behavior with children and their reliance on specific coping strategies.

Method

Participants and Procedure

This project has been evaluated and approved by an ethics committee. Data was gathered through a questionnaire hosted on the SoSci Survey online platform (https://www.soscisurvey.de/) over a period of three months in the summer of 2023. Given the sensitive nature of our questionnaire, we selected this online platform because its servers are in Germany, a country with stringent online privacy laws. Additionally, SoSci Survey is also accessible via encrypted web browsers. Seven MAP communities agreed to collaborate with us by promoting our online questionnaire during its hosting period, resulting in a sample of 403 participants (364 males and 39 females). For further details on the entire database, see Garant and Proulx (2024).

In this study, a subsample of 299 male participants was drawn from the larger dataset of Garant and Proulx’s (2024) research. Participants were selected based on the completeness of their responses to the sections of the questionnaire related to sexuality, coping strategies, and impulsivity, with inclusion requiring less than 5% missing data. With a missing value rate of <5%, no multiple imputation was performed (Schafer, 1999). The participants had a mean age of 34.87 years (SD = 12.53, range = 18–82). In terms of sexual orientation, 53.5% reported being attracted to females, 26.8% to males, 10% to both genders and 9.7% to transgender individuals. Finally, in terms of participants’ origins, the majority came from North America (65.8%), followed by Europe (25.9%), Oceania (4.1%), Asia (2.6%), and Africa (0.9%).

Measurement

The Joyal Sexual Fantasy Questionnaire (JSFQ)

The Joyal Sexual Fantasy Questionnaire (JSFQ) is an updated version of the Wilson Sexual Fantasy Questionnaire (WSFQ; Wilson, 1978), developed by Joyal et al. (2015) to measure the intensity of participants’ sexual interest in 55 different sexual fantasies. For each question (i.e., sexual fantasy), participants indicated the intensity of their sexual interest by using a Likert scale ranging from 0 (not at all) to 7 (very strong). The JSFQ has been validated in both general-population samples (Dyer & Olver, 2016; Joyal & Carpentier, 2017) and MAP populations (Garant & Proulx, 2024). In the version of the JSFQ used in this study, two questions were added related to male genital characteristics: “I have fantasized about having sex with a man with a very small penis” and “I have fantasized about having sex with a man with a very large penis”. For more details on the version of the questionnaire used, the list of items, and the intensity and structure of MAPs’ sexual fantasies, see Garant and Proulx (2024).

The Immediate Responses to Vulnerability Scale (IRVS)

To develop a coping-strategy scale for managing fear of engaging in sexual behavior with children, we drew on the results of the empirical studies on coping strategies employed by MAPs presented above (Grady et al., 2019; Houtepen et al., 2016; Jones et al., 2020; Levenson & Grady, 2019; Lievesley et al., 2020; Stevens & Wood, 2019; Walker, 2021). However, as we aimed to evaluate participants’ immediate reactions to stressful situations, our questionnaire only included immediate reactive coping strategies, excluding multi-step approaches (e.g., “1-I begin to isolate myself, 2-I clear my mind, 3- I reach out to a close friend while planning to consult a specialist soon”).

The fear of engaging in sexual behavior with a minor was assessed using a dichotomous question: “Do you ever worry and/or feel fragile about any aspect of your feelings or behaviors toward children?” All participants, regardless of how they answered this question, were subsequently invited to answer the items of the Immediate Responses to Vulnerability Scale (IRVS). This approach aimed to ensure the inclusion of participants who may have been reluctant to answer the question regarding fear of engaging in sexual behavior with children, due to concerns about potential legal or social repercussions. To foster a sense of safety and build trust, several questions were strategically placed between the question on fear of offending and the items making up the IRVS, helping participants feel more comfortable before responding to the coping strategy-focused items.

Comprising 11 questions, the IRVS encompasses both adequate and inadequate coping strategy responses (see Annex 1). For each of the statements, participants had to respond according to a Likert scale varying from 1 (never) to 4 (almost always). For the analysis, we dichotomized participants’ responses by assigning a value of 0 to “Never” (indicating that the participant does not use this strategy when fearing the commission of a sexual offense) and combining the values 2 = Sometimes, 3 = Often, and 4 = Almost Always into the value 1 (indicating that the participant uses this strategy when fearing the commission of a sexual offense). The IRVS exhibited excellent internal consistency, as evidenced by a Cronbach’s alpha (α) coefficient of .937.

Barratt Impulsiveness Scale Short Form (BIS-15)

Given that impulsivity is a core component of self-control, we measured participants’ impulsivity levels using the abbreviated version of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-15). This shortened version, which includes 15 items instead of the original 30, has been validated across general population samples in multiple countries and has demonstrated comparable effectiveness to the full version (Meule et al., 2011, 2015; Spinella, 2007).

Each item on the BIS-15 is rated on a 4-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (rarely/never) to 4 (almost always). As with the original scale, several items require reverse scoring. Specifically, the following items were reverse-coded: “I plan for job security,” “I plan for the future,” “I save regularly,” “I plan tasks carefully,” “I am a careful thinker,” and “I concentrate easily” (Spinella, 2007). After recoding, the scores for all 15 items were summed to produce a total impulsivity score variable, which was used in all analyses involving impulsivity. The internal consistency of the BIS-15 in our sample was acceptable, with a Cronbach’s alpha of .766.

Perpetration of Sexual Offense Against a Minor

In the present study, participants were asked (1) whether they had ever been sanctioned for committing a contact sexual offense involving a minor, and (2) whether they had ever been sanctioned for committing a non-contact sexual offense involving a minor, including online sexual offenses. Participants’ responses to these two questions were combined to create a new dichotomous variable indicating whether they had ever been sanctioned for any type of sexual offense involving a minor (0 = No, 1 = Yes).

Analytical Strategy

In study 1, we performed binary logistic regressions to investigate how the coping strategies included in the IRVS are related to participants’ fear of engaging in sexual behavior with a child. Due to the categorical nature of our dependent variable, binary logistic regression was the most suitable method for determining whether reliance on a coping strategy is related to participants’ fear of engaging in sexual behaviors with minors (yes/no) (Tranmer & Elliot, 2008). The Hosmer and Lemeshow goodness of fit test was applied throughout these steps. This test indicates a well-fitting model when the p-value exceeds .05. This result suggests that the test fails to reject the null hypothesis (i.e., there is no significant difference between the observed and model-predicted values), implying that the model’s estimates adequately fit the data (Hosmer et al., 2013). All IRVS items were entered simultaneously into a logistic regression model to examine their contributions to the outcome. The reported odds ratios therefore represent adjusted effects, reflecting the association of each item with the outcome while controlling for all other predictors included in the model. Based on Chen et al. (2010), odds ratios of 1.68, 3.47, and 6.71 correspond to small (d = 0.2), medium (d = 0.5), and large (d = 0.8) effect sizes, respectively, according to Cohen’s benchmarks. In addition, Mann et al. (2010) suggest that in the field of forensic psychology, even smaller effects can be considered meaningful, with a Cohen’s d of ±0.15—equivalent to an odds ratio of approximately 1.313 or 0.762—being sufficiently large to warrant attention.

Following these analyses, we assessed whether impulsivity, as measured by the BIS-15, was statistically associated with fear of engaging in sexual behavior with a child, using the same analytical strategy. Since coping strategies and impulsivity represent complementary but different constructs, these analyses were conducted separately.

Next, in study 2, we performed latent class analysis (LCA) on the same sample as in study 1, based on the items from the JSFQ, using Mplus V8.4 software (Muthén & Muthén, 2017). LCA is “a statistical method used to identify a set of discrete, mutually exclusive latent classes of individuals based on their responses to a set of observed categorical variables” (Lanza et al., 2007, p. 671). Thus, this analysis estimates the probability of each participant belonging to a class, based on their responses to the items that form that class (Lanza et al., 2007). To determine the optimum solution with the right number of classes, five fit indices were considered (Nylund-Gibson & Choi, 2018): the bootstrapped likelihood ratio test (BLRT); the Lo Mendel-Rubin adjusted likelihood ratio test (LMRT; Lo et al., 2001); the Bayesian information criterion (BIC; Schwartz, 1978); the Aikake information criterion (AIC; Akaike, 1974); and entropy. The optimal solution of the latent class model should have the lowest values for BLRT, LMRT, BIC, and AIC and the highest value for entropy (Weller et al., 2020). After completing the LCA, we conducted descriptive analyses on the average scores of all sexual fantasies reported by participants within each identified group. This enabled us to identify participants’ preferred fantasies as well as those they appreciate the least within each group, providing a comprehensive understanding of their sexual likes and dislikes, thereby favoring accurate labeling of our groups.

Finally, based on the results obtained from the LCA, we conducted group comparisons with chi-square tests and binary logistic regression analyses to determine if fear of engaging in sexual behaviors with children and sexual coping strategies were associated with group membership based on the intensity of sexual fantasies.

Results

Study 1

Binary Logistic Regressions

We started by testing the relations between the 11 coping strategies comprising the IRVS and fear of engaging in sexual behaviors with children across our entire sample (N = 299). To do so, we conducted binary logistic regressions. Results obtained from the Hosmer-Lemeshow Goodness-of-Fit test (χ² = 10.33, p = .243) demonstrate a good fit for our logistic regression model.

Of the 11 coping strategies we tested in our regression model, only 3 showed statistically significant results: deciding to wait until not being worried anymore, consuming drugs and/or alcohol to forget the worriedness, and masturbating to sexual scenarios involving children (Table 1).

Table 1.

Binary Logistic Regressions, Coping Strategies on Feelings of Vulnerability (N = 299)

Variables	B	S.E.	Wald	df	Sig.	Exp (B)	95.0% C.I. for EXP (B)
Variables	B	S.E.	Wald	df	Sig.	Exp (B)	Lower	Upper
Wait	1.236	.429	8.297	1	.004	3.444	1.485	7.987
TV/Video games/Books	.720	.462	2.429	1	.119	2.054	.831	5.080
Casino/Online gambling	18.430	17,254.538	.000	1	.999	1,009	.000	-
Drug/Alcohol consumption	2.096	.716	8.562	1	.003	8.137	1.998	33.134
Talking to someone	.480	.3.87	1.539	1	.215	1.617	.757	3.454
Sports/Social activities	−.645	.449	2.064	1	.151	.525	.218	1.265
Work	.748	4.30	3.030	1	.082	2.112	.910	4.903
Masturbation to scenarios involving children	1.056	.449	4.487	1	.034	2.876	1.082	7.644
Watching adult porn	.563	.401	1.971	1	.160	1.756	.800	3.853
Sex with a prostitute or visits to erotic bars	−.677	.993	.465	1	.495	.508	.073	3.556
Sex with an adult	−1.82	.451	.163	1	.686	.833	.345	2.016
Constant	−25.841	17,254.538	.000	1	.999	.000	-	-

Our analyses demonstrated a statistically significant positive association (B = 1.236, SE = 0.429, Wald = 8.297, p = .004) between the coping strategy “When I worry and/or feel more fragile about my attraction to children, I do nothing and wait for it to pass”, and feeling worried about engaging in sexual behavior with children. There was also a statistically significant positive association (B = 2.096, SE = 0.716, Wald = 8.562, p = .003) between drug and/or alcohol consumption as a coping strategy and fear of engaging in sexual behaviors with children. Finally, the reliance on masturbating to sexual scenarios involving children also showed a statistically significant positive association (B = 1.056, SE = 0.499, Wald = 4.487, p = .034) with the fear of engaging in sexual behavior with children. All statistically significant associations found were positive, indicating that an increase on the reliance on these coping strategies is associated with an increase in participants’ fears regarding engagement in sexual behaviors with children.

Next, impulsivity (BIS 15 total mean score) on feelings of fear was tested via binary logistic regression. Results obtained from the Hosmer-Lemeshow Goodness-of-Fit Test (χ² = 9.403, p = .225) demonstrated a good fit for this logistic regression model. As with the three coping strategies, impulsivity had a statistically significant positive association (B = 0.078, SE = 0.024, Wald = 11.100, p < .001) with feelings of fear of engaging in sexual behavior with a child.

Study 2

Latent Class Analysis

Latent class analysis was performed based on the intensity of the sexual fantasies that make up our version of the Joyal Sexual Fantasy Questionnaire (JSFQ). We tested a two-, three- and four-class solution. Although the indices for our 4-class model provided better fit indices (see Table 2), in addition to failing to identify heterogeneity between our groups (i.e., two groups showed too many similarities to allow for interpretation), the distribution of participants across the groups was problematic (i.e., one group had less than 20% of all participants, while the other three groups each contained nearly a quarter of the participants). Moreover, the Adjusted Likelihood Ratio Test for the 4-class model showed a non-significant result (p = 0.117), suggesting that the 4-class model is less well-fitting than the 3-class model. For these reasons, we opted for a 3-class model.

Table 2.

Latent Class Analysis Fit Indices

Number of classes	BLRT	BIC	AIC	LMRT	Entropy
2	−36484.641***	70,814.161	70,199.333	3,092.268***	0.965
3	−34933.667***	70,099.599	69,277.359	1,030.747*	0.971
4	−34416.679***	69,465.966	68,436.315	950.070	0.975

The descriptive statistics and distinguishing characteristics of the participants in each of the three groups can be found in Table 3.

Table 3.

Participant Characteristics and Statistical Differences Across Groups

Variables	Total sample (N = 299)
Variables	Child oriented fantasy group (N = 129)	Female oriented fantasy group (N = 78)	Male oriented and hypersexual fantasy group (N = 92)
Age	M = 36.46	M = 35.07	M = 32.41
	SD = 14.54	SD = 11.10	SD = 10.04
	R = 19-82	R = 18-72	R = 18-76
Sexual attraction
Female	48.8%	84.6%	33.7%
Male	41.9%	5.1%	23.9%
Fluid	3.9%	5.1%	22.8%
Other	5.4%	5.1%	18.5%
Age of recognition of attraction towards children	M = 14.09	M = 15.32	M = 14.84
	SD = 5.10	SD = 5.00	SD = 6.47
	R = 0-41	R = 5-30	R = 0-36
How sexually attracted are you to children?
A bit	3.3%	4%	4.4%
A lot	21.7%	37.3%	45.6%
Primarily attracted to children	50.8%	53.3%	41.1%
Only attracted to children	24.2%	5.3%	8.9%
Intensity of sexual interest towards all sexual fantasies composing the JSFQ	M = 179***	M = 242.36***	M = 296.27***
	SD = 34.54	SD = 32.31	SD = 53.28
	R = 71-246	R = 119-319	R = 24-384
BIS 15 score	M = 31.84^a	M = 34.14^b	M = 34.86^b
	SD = 6.37	SD = 6.32	SD = 5.99
	R = 20-48	R = 19-49	R = 19-52
Have you ever had sexual intercourse?
Yes	57.4%^b	78.2%^a	75.8%^a
No	42.6%	21.8%	24.2%
Do you ever worry and/or feel fragile about any aspect of your feelings or behavior to children?
Yes	63.5%	77%	79.3%
No	36.5%	23%	20.7%
Have you ever been convicted of a sexual offense towards a child?
Yes	10.8%	9.5%	10.1%
No	89.2%	90.5%	89.9%
Overall, I consider my sex life in general to be satisfying.
Agree	35.7%	39.7%	45.6%
Disagree	64.3%	60.3%	54.4%

Results of chi-square and one-way ANOVA: *p < .05 **p < .005 ***p < .001.

M = Mean; SD = Standard deviation; R = Range.

^aN.B.1 The Child-Oriented Fantasy group (a) differed significantly in BIS-15 scores compared to the other two groups (b).

^bN.B.2 Both the Female-Oriented Fantasy group (a) and the Male-Oriented and Hypersexual Fantasy group (a) on the sexual intercourse item differ significantly from the Child-Oriented Fantasy group (b).

Our first group, labeled the Child-oriented fantasy group, was named as such for three reasons. First, in addition to being the group where participants discovered their sexual interest in children at the youngest average age (M = 14.09), they were also the ones most likely to admit to being primarily or only attracted to children (75%). Second, the preferred sexual fantasies of the participants in this group echoed the most the “Romantical/relational sexual fantasies” factor in Garant and Proulx’s (2024) study conducted on a MAP sample. In their study, the authors argue that the combination of fantasies involving a minor under 12, the desire to take part in cunnilingus/fellatio, the importance of the atmosphere in the fantasies, and an interest for romantic emotion reflects the presence of a preference for children. Although it is true that these items also appear with higher average intensity scores in our two other groups, either these items do not rank as high compared to our first group (first, second, third and fifth place in terms of intensity), or they simply were not in the list of the preferred fantasies (i.e., atmosphere was not part of the list of preferred fantasies of the participants in the second group, and the same applies to the third group, with romantic emotions added). Finally, the least interesting sexual fantasies for this group predominantly revolve around adult sexual partners (including swinging), group sex involving men and/or women, and adult physical attributes such as a partner with large breasts and/or penis (see Table 1 from the Online supplemental material). Based on a one-way ANOVA using the JSFQ items (η² = 0.604; 95% CI: [0.537, 0.655]), participants in this group exhibited a statistically significantly lower mean intensity of sexual fantasies across all JSFQ items compared to both the second and third groups (p < .001), with the lowest total mean score among the three groups (M = 179). Participants also differed significantly from the second group (p = .043) and the third group (p = .003) in terms of average impulsivity scores across all BIS-15 items (η² = 0.045; 95% CI: [0.006, 0.099]), with the lowest total mean score (M = 31.84).

Our second group (N = 78) was labeled the Female-oriented fantasy group. The preferred sexual fantasies of the participants composing this group mostly revolve around a female sexual partner (e.g., fantasizing about women with small breasts, taking part in a cunnilingus and/or fellatio, giving cunnilingus, having sex with two women, and watching two women have sex). The least interesting sexual fantasies for this group mostly revolve around a male sexual partner, including having sex with more than three men, having sex with a man with either a very small or very large penis, having sex with two men, watching two men make love, being ejaculated on, and having homosexual/gay sex (see Table 2 from the Online supplemental material). Additionally, in comparison with the other two groups, our second group is the one with the highest prevalence (84.6%) of sexual attraction to women (see Table 3). One-way ANOVA results showed that participants in this group had a significantly higher mean intensity of sexual fantasies across all JSFQ items compared to the first group and a lower one compared to the third group (p < .001), and the second-highest mean score among the three groups (M = 242.36). This group had the second-highest mean impulsivity score (M = 31.84), but there was no significant difference between this score than that of the third group (p > .05).

Finally, our third group (N = 92) was labeled the Male oriented and hypersexual fantasy group. The preferred sexual fantasies among the participants composing this group mostly revolve around a male sexual partner and their sexual physical characteristics (e.g., taking part in a fellatio and/or cunnilingus, having anal sex, having homosexual/gay sex, giving fellatio, having sex with two men, ejaculating on and being ejaculated on by their sexual partner). However, the most notable observation for this group is the relatively small gap in average intensity between their least and most interesting fantasies, compared to the other two groups (see Table 3 from the Online supplemental material). In addition, one-way ANOVA results show that participants in this group had a significantly higher mean intensity of sexual fantasies across all JSFQ items compared to the first and second groups (p < .001), and the highest mean score among the three groups (M = 296.27), components reflective of the concept of hypersexuality. Nevertheless, a contradiction between sexual fantasies and sexual attraction among the participants in this group seems to emerge. Despite most of their preferred sexual fantasies revolving around men and/or male physical traits, and two fantasies involving women—having sex with a large-breasted woman and engaging in group sex with more than three women—being among their least favored, the majority still acknowledge a sexual attraction towards women. In answer to the question “Which of the following are you sexually attracted to,” participants indicated a predominant sexual attraction to women (33.7%), followed by men (23.9%), both genders (22.8%), and others (18.5%).

Group Assessment of Fear of Offending and Reliance on Coping Strategies

Chi-square analyses were conducted to determine if there was a correlation between group membership and fears about engaging in sexual behavior with a minor. The analysis showed a significant relationship with group membership (χ² = 7.391, df = 2, p = .025). However, the strength of the association, as indicated by Cramer’s V, was small (V = 0.164) (prevalence: Group 1 = 63.5%; Group 2 = 77%; Group 3 = 79.3%; see Table 3).

Following the result of the Chi-square analysis, binary logistic regressions were conducted to explore, based on the content and intensity of their sexual fantasies, which group was most inclined to report fear of engaging in sexual behavior with children. Given that our sample was divided into three groups, dummy variables were created concerning group membership to adequately measure its effect on fear of engaging in sexual behaviors with children.

Participants in the Male oriented and hypersexual fantasy group were significantly more likely to answer “Yes” to fear of engaging in sexual behavior with a child (B = .791, SE = 0.328, Wald = 5.816, p = .016) compared to participants in the Child oriented fantasy group (see Table 4 from the Online supplemental material). No statistically significant results about fear of engaging in sexual behavior with a child were found between participants from the Female oriented fantasy group and the Child oriented fantasy group (p = 0.052). The results obtained from the Hosmer-Lemeshow Goodness-of-Fit Test (χ² = 0.000, p = 1.00) demonstrate a good fit for our logistic regression model.

Group membership, based on participants’ level of hypersexuality, was examined in relation to the use of the 11 IRVS coping strategies using binary logistic regression. Five coping strategies yielded statistically significant results: (1) doing nothing and waiting for it to pass; (2) watching television, playing video games and/or reading a book; (3) consuming drugs and/or alcohol; (4) watching adult pornography; and (5) having sex with an adult (see Table 4). All analyses demonstrated a good fit for our logistic regression model, as evidenced by the Hosmer and Lemeshow goodness of fit test (χ² = 0.000, p = 1.00).

Table 4.

Binary Logistic Regressions - Group Membership for Coping Strategy Used When Feeling Vulnerable

Strategy employed	Group	B	S.E.	Wald	df	Sig.	Exp (B)	95.0% C.I. for EXP (B)
Strategy employed	Group	B	S.E.	Wald	df	Sig.	Exp (B)	Lower	Upper
Wait	Group 3	.417	.312	1.789	1	.181	1.518	.824	2.797
	Group 2	.831	.356	5.454	1	.020	2.295	1.143	4.610
	Constant	.590	.195	9.199	1	.002	1.805	-	-
TV/Video game/book	Group 3	.804	.322	6.227	1	.013	2.235	1.188	4.203
	Group 2	.896	.347	6.684	1	.010	2.451	1.242	4.835
	Constant	.456	.191	5.728	1	.017	1.578	-	-
Casino/gambling	Group 3	1.425	1.164	1.499	1	.221	4.157	.425	40.667
	Group 2	.468	1.422	.108	1	.742	1.597	.098	25.937
	Constant	−4.745	1.004	22.320	1	<.001	.009	-	-
Drug/Alcohol	Group 3	.728	.346	4.436	1	.035	2.071	1.052	4.077
	Group 2	.843	.356	5.622	1	.018	2.324	1.157	4.667
	Constant	−1.620	.251	41.621	1	<.001	.198	-	-
Talking	Group 3	−.332	.291	1.297	1	.255	.718	.405	1.270
	Group 2	−.302	.304	.982	1	.322	.740	.407	1.343
	Constant	−.173	.186	.860	1	.354	.841	-	-
Sports	Group 3	.244	.287	.723	1	.395	1.277	.727	2.242
	Group 2	.440	.302	2.114	1	.146	1.552	.858	2.807
	Constant	−.384	.189	4.122	1	.042	.681	-	-
Work	Group 3	.061	.286	.045	1	.832	1.063	.606	1.862
	Group 2	.541	.311	3.022	1	.082	1.718	.933	3.161
	Constant	.173	.186	.860	1	.354	1.189	-	-
Scenario children	Group 3	.742	.390	3.620	1	.057	2.100	.978	4.509
	Group 2	.773	.418	3.423	1	.064	2.167	.955	4.915
	Constant	1.204	.219	30.106	1	<.001	3.333	-	-
Adult porn.	Group 3	1.432	.310	21.266	1	<.001	4.186	2.278	7.692
	Group 2	1.619	.340	22.671	1	<.001	5.047	2.592	9.827
	Constant	−.348	.189	3.414	1	.065	.706	-	-
Prostitute/Erotic bars	Group 3	1.042	.630	2.739	1	.098	2.835	.825	9.742
	Group 2	.722	.688	1.101	1	.294	2.059	.534	7.933
	Constant	−3.332	.509	42.883	1	<.001	.036	-	-
Sex with adults	Group 3	1.191	.351	11.492	1	.001	3.289	1.652	6.548
	Group 2	1.358	.361	14.141	1	<.001	3.889	1.916	7.893
	Constant	−1.833	.269	46.322	1	<.001	.160	-	-

N.B.1 Group 1 is the Child oriented fantasy group (Constant).

N.B.2 Group 2 is the Female oriented fantasy group.

N.B.3 Group 3 is the Male oriented and hypersexual fantasy group.

Concerning the first strategy —doing nothing and waiting for it to pass—, only participants in the Female oriented fantasy group were statistically more likely (B = .831, SE = 0.356, Wald = 5.454, p = .020) to rely on this strategy when feeling scared, compared to the reference group, which is the Child-oriented fantasy group.

The second coping strategy to deal with fear of engaging in sexual behaviors—watching television, playing video games and/or reading a book—was more likely to have been relied on by participants in the Male oriented and hypersexual fantasy group (B = .804, SE = 0.322, Wald = 6.227, p = .013) and the Female oriented fantasy group (B = .896, SE = 0.347, Wald = 6.684, p = .010) than by participants in the Child-oriented fantasy group.

The third coping strategy —consuming drugs and/or alcohol—was more likely to have been relied on by participants in the Male oriented and hypersexual fantasy group (B = .728, SE = 0.346, Wald = 4.436, p = .035) and the Female oriented fantasy group (B = .843, SE = 0.356, Wald = 5.622, p = 0.018) than by participants in the Child-oriented fantasy group.

The fourth coping strategy—consuming pornography featuring adult participants— was more likely to have been relied on by participants in the Male oriented and hypersexual fantasy group (B = 1.432, SE = 0.310, Wald = 21.266, p < .001) and the Female oriented fantasy group (B = 1.619, SE = 0.340, Wald = 22.671, p < .001) than by participants in the Child-oriented fantasy group.

The fifth coping strategy to deal with fear of engaging in sexual behaviors —engaging in sexual intercourse with adults— was more likely to have been relied on by participants in the Male oriented and hypersexual fantasy group (B = 1.191, SE = 0.351, Wald = 11.492, p = .001) and the Female oriented fantasy group (B = 1.358, SE = 0.361, Wald = 14.141, p < .001) than by participants in the Child-oriented fantasy group.

Finally, binary logistic regressions were also performed to see if (1) impulsivity, (2) total intensity and diversity of sexual fantasies (as a proxy to hypersexuality), and (3) fear of engaging in sexual behavior with a child were associated with the perpetration of a sexual offense with or without contact against a child. Although the Hosmer and Lemeshow goodness of fit test demonstrated a good fit for our logistic regression model (χ² = 8.392, p = .396), none of these variables offered statistically significant results (p > .05). Thus, neither impulsivity, the intensity of sexual fantasies nor fear of engaging in sexual behaviors with minors predicted the perpetration of a sexual offense against a child by the participants of our study.

Discussion

The results presented above provide valuable answers to this study’s three research questions: (1) How do various coping strategies and levels of impulsivity relate to participants’ fear of engaging in sexual behavior with children? (2) Is hypersexuality, as measured by the intensity and content of sexual fantasies, useful for distinguishing subgroups of MAPs; and (3) How does hypersexuality relate to participants’ fear regarding sexual behavior with children and to the coping strategies they use?

Coping Strategies Used by MAPs and Their Adequacy: Results from the First Study

Study 1 examined the impact of relying on 11 coping strategies on fear recognized by participants of engaging in sexual behavior with children. Of these strategies, some were adequate (e.g., talking to someone they trusted, taking part in social activities), while others were inadequate (e.g., drug and/or alcohol use, sex as coping, waiting and do nothing, masturbating to imaginary scenarios involving children). Among these 11 strategies, doing nothing and waiting for it to pass, using drugs and/or alcohol, and masturbating to imaginary scenarios involving children were all significantly associated with participants’ fear of engaging in sexual behavior with children. These findings are consistent with the existing literature on inadequate coping strategies.

Although no coping strategy is universally effective or ineffective, much empirical research (Britt et al., 2016; Koeske et al., 1993; Marcks & Woods, 2007) has shown that adopting an active coping strategy rather than an avoidance and/or passive strategy is more effective in reducing the long-term consequences of stress. It is therefore not surprising that the three strategies mentioned above heighten participants’ fear of offending, as they are recognized as providing short-term relief only (Dijkstra & Homan, 2016; Stephenson & DeLongis, 2020). Therefore, while MAPs may be tempted to rely on inaction, substance use, and sexuality to cope with negative affects, our findings indicate they should be discarded. Over time, reliance on these coping strategies may contribute to intensify participants’ fear of engaging in sexual behaviors with minors.

While the analyses conducted in our study allowed us to identify inadequate coping strategies that contribute to increasing our participants’ fear of offending, they did not, however, allow us to identify strategies that, on the contrary, would reduce this fear. Drawing from literature on risk and protective factors, this result only allows us to arrive at the most elementary understanding of a protective factor: in the absence of a risk factor (in this case, doing nothing, consuming alcohol and/or drugs, or masturbating while imagining scenarios involving children), this absence itself acts as a protective factor for the individual (de Vries Robbé et al., 2015; Garant & Ouellet, 2024). In this regard, the results obtained do not guide the recommendation of coping strategies based on their effectiveness, but rather emphasize the need to discard those harmful to our participants.

Additionally, out of the 11 coping strategies included in the IRVS, only 2 were observed to reduce fear of engaging in sexual behavior with minors, though in neither case was the reduction statistically significant. The first strategy involved playing sports and participating in social activities, which aligns with Hirschi’s (1969) findings that associating with prosocial peers can increase life satisfaction and reduce the desire to engage in antisocial behaviors. Regarding the second strategy, while it would be preferable for these sexual interactions to take place within a personal and relational context rather than a transactional one, engaging with sex workers and visiting strip clubs may indicate that, for some MAPs, such encounters with adults could reaffirm a sexual interest in adults they have and subsequently, reduce their anxiety about engaging in sexual activities with children. However, it is important to reiterate that while these strategies showed potential in reducing fear of offending, they did not yield statistically significant results, indicating a need for further research.

Some findings were also counterintuitive. Specifically, “talking to someone trusted” appeared to be associated with increased—rather than decreased—fear, although this association was not statistically significant. This pattern may reflect short-term effects such as greater rumination or fear of negative judgment, depending on whom participants confide in and what is discussed. Further research is needed to determine under what circumstances seeking support helps or hinders individuals in managing fears related to their sexual interests.

It is crucial to contextualize the results of study 1 by acknowledging that while it did not clearly identify effective coping strategies within our sample, MAPs undeniably employ mechanisms that enable them to cope with the negative consequences they may face associated with their sexual attraction. Indeed, research by Levenson and Grady (2019) and Walker (2021) highlights that recognizing one’s sexual attraction, rather than seeking to repress it, as well as working to identify and clarify personal values, can improve the management of the negative impacts often associated with attraction towards children. These studies demonstrate that adopting active and accepting coping styles, rather than passive or avoidance-oriented approaches, is effective in this regard. Research investigating the effectiveness of consultations with specialists also indicates promising avenues. While some participants in Piché et al.’s (2018) and Levenson et al.’s (2017) studies mentioned that their consultations had adverse effects on their mental health, others reported that ongoing support had been beneficial in managing their mental health issues and that they were willing to seek further care if needed. With recent research shedding light on the daily challenges faced by MAPs and the distinction between pedophilic sexual attraction and child sexual abuse, it would be valuable to conduct long-term studies to determine whether therapeutic effectiveness improves over time, as the understanding of sexual attraction towards minors continues to evolve.

Some research also suggests that seeking support from peers who share a sexual attraction towards children has some degree of effectiveness. This finding was highlighted by Roche et al. (2022) in their study of MAPs who participated in online support forums. Participants acknowledged that connecting with others facing similar challenges helped them more effectively manage the consequences related to their sexual attraction. More quantitative research should explore this avenue.

However, it is important to emphasize that the sample in the present study—and thus the basis for our findings— was comprised of MAPs recruited from online platforms dedicated to those committed to refraining from sexual offending. Consequently, generalizing our results to the broader population of individuals sexually attracted to minors is challenging, especially to those who may engage in non-prosocial and high-risk online communities. Additionally, it is important to acknowledge that the fear of committing a sexual offense against minors is not a static characteristic but rather a dynamic and evolving experience that can fluctuate over time depending on various personal and contextual factors.

The Role of Hypersexuality on Fear of Offending: Results from the Second Study

Research has shown that hypersexuality negatively impacts mental health, contributes to the use of stress-related sexual coping strategies, and is linked to impulsivity (Du & Knight, 2024; Knight & Du, 2021). Building on these findings, we sought to explore whether hypersexuality could differentiate participants and influence their fear of engaging in sexual behavior with children. Our approach was also informed by studies examining the correlates between sexual attraction to children, obsessive-compulsive disorder, hypersexuality, and intrusive sexual thoughts (APA, 2022; Bonagura et al., 2022; Bruce et al., 2018; Lampalzer et al., 2021; Sorrentino & Abramowitz, 2021). To investigate this, we employed latent class analysis (LCA) using the 55 questions from our revision of the Joyal Sexual Fantasy Questionnaire (JSFQ; Garant & Proulx, 2024). To accurately identify our groups, we considered both the overall intensity of participants’ sexual fantasies and the specific content of these fantasies, including what was most and least sexually arousing. Three groups were identified: Child-oriented fantasy, Female-oriented fantasy and Male-oriented and hypersexual fantasy.

Participants in the Child-oriented fantasy group were characterized by the lowest average impulsivity score on the Barratt impulsivity scale, a lack of interest in sexual activities involving adult partners, and a preference for sexual fantasies that make up the romantic/relational factor in Garant and Proulx’s (2024) study, which is characterized, among other things, by an interest in sexual relations with a child under 12 years old and a romantic atmosphere and connection. Participants in the Female-oriented fantasy group not only had the highest prevalence of sexual attraction towards women (84.6%), but were the most aroused by sexual fantasies involving adult females and least aroused by fantasies involving adult males. Finally, participants in the Male-oriented and hypersexual fantasy group were notable not only for their sexual interest in activities involving male partners, but also for their high intensity of interest across all the surveyed sexual fantasies. Additionally, there was minimal disparity between their preferred and least arousing sexual fantasies compared to the two other groups, and they had the highest average impulsivity score on the Barratt impulsivity scale.

Our group-comparison analyses (chi-square and logistic regressions) revealed two statistically significant differences between our three groups. First, participants in the Male-oriented and hypersexual fantasy group were statistically more likely to fear about engaging in sexual behavior with children than were participants in the Child-oriented fantasy group. These findings align with our descriptive analyses, which show that 79.3% of participants in the Male-oriented and hypersexual fantasy group report such feelings compared to 63.5% of participants in the Child-oriented fantasy group. No statistically significant difference was found between the Female-oriented fantasy group and the Child-oriented fantasy group regarding fear of offending, despite 77% of participants in the Female-oriented fantasy group reporting such feelings. Taking into account the findings of Levenson and Grady (2019) and Walker (2021), we could hypothesize that participants in the Child-oriented fantasy group, characterized by a more prevalent interest in children within their sexual fantasies, may have better accepted this attraction, leading to a reduced sense of fear compared to the Male-oriented and hypersexual fantasy group, which is overwhelmed by intense, more atypical, and highly diverse sexual fantasies. Nonetheless, the results of our study indicate that regardless of whether participants accept their attraction to children, hypersexuality tendencies remains a crucial factor when considering MAPs’ fear of engaging in sexual behavior with minors. In fact, as our analyses show, the greater the intensity and diversity of sexual fantasies, the more intense this fear becomes.

Second, both participants from the Male-oriented and hypersexual fantasy group and the Female-oriented fantasy group were statistically more likely to resort to avoidant coping strategies compared to those in the Child-oriented fantasy group. Specifically, participants in the two first groups—who were more hypersexual than those in the Child-oriented fantasies group, as indicated by their higher mean score on the JSFQ—were more likely to attempt to cope with fear by doing nothing and waiting for time to pass, distracting themselves by reading books, watching TV or playing video games, using alcohol and/or drugs, and resorting to sexuality (watching adult pornography and having sex with adults). These results also suggest that labeling the third group as Male-Oriented and Hypersexual Fantasy suitably reflects the concept of hypersexuality. This group not only exhibited greater diversity and intensity of sexual fantasies but also showed the highest fear of offending, highest impulsivity, and a stronger reliance on avoidance-based coping strategies. Together, these characteristics capture both the behavioral and psychological aspects of hypersexuality discussed above. It is important to highlight that our analyses in study 1 also revealed a statistically significant, albeit very small, association between impulsivity and participants’ fear of engaging in sexual behavior with children.

These results align with the existing literature (Du & Knight, 2024; Knight & Du, 2021) indicating that hypersexuality not only influences the adoption of inadequate coping strategies—particularly the use of sexual behaviors to manage negative affects—but also, that participants with high levels of impulsivity tend to have the greatest intensity and diversity of sexual fantasies. This suggests that for many MAPs, their sexual attraction to minors is intertwined with a broad range of other sexual interests (Bonagura et al., 2022; Bruce et al., 2018; Klein et al., 2015; Lampalzer et al., 2021; Sorrentino & Abramowitz, 2021). Additionally, the presence of egodystonic intrusive sexual thoughts, including concerns related to homosexuality (which are sometimes present among people with pedophilic disorder) might explain why participants in the Male-oriented and hypersexual fantasy group, despite predominantly reporting being attracted to women, showed a keen interest in sexual fantasies involving men and male physical characteristics (APA, 2022). However, these findings lead us to a concerning observation: MAPs who are the most consumed by sexuality not only are the most worried about engaging in sexual behaviors with children, but are also the most likely to resort to ineffective coping strategies, such as using sexuality to manage this fear. Moreover, they are also the ones with the highest impulsivity level. Thus, we may hypothesize that these individuals may be caught in a vicious cycle: their sexual concerns lead them to use sexuality as a coping mechanism, but this strategy proves ineffective and only increases their stress, which drives them to continue to rely on sexuality to alleviate their anxiety, perpetuating the cycle. However, our data do not allow us to confirm this hypothesis, and therefore, further research should be conducted. Nevertheless, studies recommending active coping strategies focused on solutions (Britt et al., 2016; Marcks & Woods, 2007), as well as research identifying potential solutions for MAPs (such as finding a trustworthy specialist or joining pro-social groups with similar issues) (Levenson et al., 2017; Roche et al., 2022), suggest possible ways to break out of this cycle. Furthermore, by recognizing and accepting their sexual attraction instead of repressing it, while concurrently developing a pro-social identity (Levenson & Grady, 2019; Walker, 2021), MAPs might be able to achieve more positive outcomes.

Finally, although sexual concerns and impulsivity have traditionally been considered risk factors for sexual offending in judicial populations (see Hanson & Bussiere, 1998; Hanson & Morton-Bourgon, 2019), and hypersexuality is recognized as important in evaluating sexual recidivism (see Etzler et al., 2020; Gregório et al., 2022), these factors do not seem to interact in the same way in our sample of MAPs. Indeed, neither impulsivity, the intensity of sexual fantasies nor the fear of offending predicted the perpetration of a sexual offense against a child by the participants of our study. While it is true that some MAPs do engage in sexual offenses against minors and more research is needed to prevent such actions, the results of our study demonstrated that impulsivity and sexual concerns are more indicators of hypersexuality in MAPs —a concept that remains vague and imprecise—than risk factors. Moreover, as suggested by Bergner-Köther et al. (2024), it may be that general impulsivity is not the real issue in MAPs, but rather context-specific impulsivity (e.g., sexual impulsivity) that is problematic, particularly in men with hypersexuality. However, further research should be conducted to explore these hypotheses.

Limitations

Several factors may have constrained our research. First, there were no questions assessing satisfaction with the short-, medium-, and long-term effects of the various coping strategies employed by participants. This type of question would not only have enabled us to explore how participants perceive the effectiveness of their coping mechanisms but also, potentially allow participants to recognize that certain strategies are ineffective and ideally, prompt them to consider alternatives. Moreover, although the IRVS demonstrated good internal consistency, its external consistency has not been tested or established, which limits its potential for psychometric generalizability. Second, the absence of questions related to the use of illegal coping strategies as reported in other research, such as consuming child sexual exploitation material or engaging in sexual behavior with children to feel better. The limitations and conditions of our ethics certificate prevented us from asking such questions, and our research was not aimed at eliciting confessions of crimes participants may have committed. Next, the reliance on the intensity of sexual fantasies as a proxy to measure hypersexuality could have influenced the results. However, limiting the measurement of hypersexuality solely to a behavioral dimension or diagnostic criteria would not have contributed to improving the understanding of this concept, which is still poorly defined. Moreover, as discussed in the Discussion section, the characteristics that distinguish participants in the Male-Oriented and Hypersexual Fantasy group—namely, greater diversity and intensity of sexual fantasies, higher fear of offending, higher impulsivity, and a stronger reliance on avoidance-based coping strategies—suggest that this group reflects both the behavioral and psychological aspects and consequences of hypersexuality. Nevertheless, future studies that use this concept should take its complexity into consideration. Finally, there were no questions concerning the adoption of long-term coping strategies, such as taking steps to meet with a professional or even developing a strategic plan to address the situation. In the present research, we sought to explore participants’ immediate reaction to their fear of offending. Also, questions about seeking help from unspecified others, rather than separately examining the influence of friends, family, other MAPs, or specialists, has not been shown to be a judicious decision. Thus, these limitations should be taken under consideration for future research addressing coping strategies among MAPs.

Conclusion

This research had three main objectives: (1) to assess how impulsivity and coping strategies affect participants’ fear of engaging in sexual behavior with children; (2) to investigate whether levels of hypersexuality, as measured by the intensity and content of sexual fantasies, can distinguish subgroups within our sample of MAPs; and (3) to explore the correlations between hypersexuality, MAPs’ fear regarding sexual behavior with children, and the coping strategies they use. Our study revealed that relying on inadequate coping strategies is associated with participants’ fear of engaging in sexual behavior with children. Additionally, hypersexuality, a trait observed among participants with the highest impulsivity scores, heightens the likelihood of using avoidance coping strategies, specifically sexuality. Moreover, the association between impulsivity, total intensity of sexual fantasies, and fear about the perpetration of both contact and non-contact sexual offenses, was not statistically significant.

From a research standpoint, while prior studies have examined hypersexuality in individuals attracted to minors (Bonagura et al., 2022; Bruce et al., 2018; Lampalzer et al., 2021; Sorrentino & Abramowitz, 2021), none have delved into the diversity and intensity of sexual fantasies among MAPs as a distinguishing feature of subgroups. Specifically, our study underscores the role of hypersexuality as a stress factor influencing MAPs’ capability to navigate with the negative consequences related to their sexual attractions towards minors in everyday life and their proficiency in utilizing effective coping strategies to address such challenges.

From a clinical standpoint, sexual attraction towards children may only scratch the surface of the causes of the underlying distress of some MAPs, as hypersexuality might be a bigger concern that requires attention. These observations suggest potential new avenues for professionals working with this population. Addressing sexual attraction towards children within a broader context of sexuality could prove beneficial for patients (Bonagura et al., 2022). Moreover, addressing impulsivity and developing adequate coping strategies that emphasize long-term outcomes rather than immediate gratification could be valuable approaches for specialists to explore with their patients.

Supplemental Material

Supplemental Material - The Role of Coping Strategies, Impulsivity and Hypersexuality on the Fear of Offending Among Minor Attracted Persons (MAPs)

Supplemental Material for The Role of Coping Strategies, Impulsivity and Hypersexuality on the Fear of Offending Among Minor Attracted Persons (MAPs) by Etienne Garant and Jean Proulx in Sexual Abuse

Footnotes

Acknowledgments

The first author would like to thank the Fond de Recherche du Québec- Société et Culture for their financial support in this research.

ORCID iD

Etienne Garant

Ethical Considerations

This project (CERSC-2021-039-D) has been authorized and approved by the Ethical Comitee of reseach- Society and culture section of the Université de Montréal on May 25^th 2021.

Consent to Participate

The data were collected on an anonymous online platform (SoSci Survey), which does not allow for the identification of participants. No nominal information was collected.

Funding

The authors disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: The first author would like to thank the Fond de Recherche du Québec- Société et Culture for their financial support in this research.

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Supplemental Material

Supplemental material for this article is available online.

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