Pedophiles More Likely To Have Facial Deformities, Be Left-Handed

First Posted: Jun 10, 2015 08:49 PM EDT
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New findings published in the journal Archives of Sexual Behavior reveal that pedophiles may have developed physical deviations in their face and head during the prenatal period.

In fact, researchers found that pedophiles are more likely to have superficial facial flaws and also to be left-handed, adding to a growing body of evidence suggesting that pedophilia may even develop prenatally.

For the study, researchers examined data from 140 consenting participants, assessing for distressing or illegal sexual behavior; this specifically consisted of a forensic and medical file review, along with a semi-structured interview that spanned offense and sexual history.

The findings revealed that certain facial anomalies appeared to be more prevalent among men, which could also mean that the male brain is more susceptible to disruptive events during early stages of development in the womb.

The aforementioned facial deformities included non-detached earlobes, malformed ears or a high or steepled palate.

"Evidence is steadily accumulating to support a neurodevelopmental basis of pedophilia," researcher Fiona Dyshniku said in a statement. "If we find that pedophilia has a biological basis, with a very early, even prenatal onset, this will influence and hopefully improve methods of treatment for this group."

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