The psychiatric diagnoses of twenty-two adolescents who have sexually molested other children

The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of specific psychiat ric disorders in adolescents who have sexually molested other children. Twe nty-two adolescent males (aged 13 to 17 years) who sexually molested a chil d at least once were evaluated with structured clinical interviews for DSM- III-R axis I disorders. All subjects met lifetime DSM-III-R criteria for pe dophilia (with the exception of the age requirement), 21 (95%) for two or m ore paraphilias, 18 (82%) for a mood disorder (12 [55%] for a bipolar disor der), 12 (55%) for an anxiety disorder, 11 (50%) for a substance use disord er, and 12 (55%) for an impulse-control disorder. Also, 12 (71%) of 17 subj ects were diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and 16 ( 94%) with conduct disorder. We conclude that some adolescent child molester s may have pedophilia or other paraphilias. Other axis I disorders with imp ulsive features, especially conduct, attention-deficit/hyperactivity, bipol ar, and substance use disorders, may also be found in these adolescents. Co pyright (C) 1999 by W.B. Saunders Company.