We are currently recruiting young adults who are sexually attracted to prepubescent children to participate in an anonymous study with the goal of identifying how to best develop and provide helpful resources to adolescents attracted to young children.
Adolescents who are attracted to young, prepubescent children (ages 12 and younger), but have not offended, have very few resources or mental health assistance available to help them with their attractions. As a result, many of these adolescents become isolated from their families, peers and communities, and often struggle as they acknowledge their attraction and what it means for their future.
Participants must be between 18 and 30 years old, fluent in English and developed their attraction during or prior to their adolescence. Participation is entirely anonymous and voluntary. The study consists of two parts: an anonymous phone or computer-based (i.e., Skype or Google Hangout) interview and a brief (10 minute) anonymous online survey. During the interview, trained interviewers ask questions about how an attraction to children during adolescence has impacted experiences and relationships and what resources could have been beneficial. The post-interview, online survey asks participants more general information such as age, as well as questions about childhood experiences and sexual development.
The Help Wanted study is the first step of an ATSA Collaborative Project, led by Dr. Elizabeth Letourneau, to develop a public health prevention intervention aimed at helping adolescents who have an unwanted sexual interest in young, prepubescent children lead fulfilling lives.
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