In order to treat individuals with pedophilia¹ who are at risk of committing offenses, disclosure of the attraction must first take place. The aim of this study was to understand processes of initial recognition of pedophilic attraction, disclosure, and help-seeking. We conducted a qualitative content analysis of online posts from self-identified individuals with pedophilia, finding four categories: (1) Awareness and Initial Self-View (with emotions including denial, shame, and fear), (2) Disclosure (typically made to family, friends, or therapists, but also done online in an anonymous way), (3) People’s Reactions to Disclosure (ranging from rejection to support), and (4) Current Self-View (including minimization, distortions, despair, resignation, and non-offending/anti-contact commitment). Our findings highlight the internal process experienced by individuals with pedophilia when first recognizing their attraction to minors, what is involved in disclosure, the importance of others’ reactions after disclosure, and the factors that can reinforce a non-offending commitment. Clinical and social implications are discussed.

中文翻译：

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恋童癖的实现、自我观察和披露：在线帖子的内容分析

为了治疗有犯罪风险的恋童癖^{1个人，必须首先披露吸引力。}本研究的目的是了解对恋童癖吸引、披露和寻求帮助的初步认识过程。我们对自我认同的恋童癖者的在线帖子进行了定性内容分析，发现了四个类别：（1）意识和初始自我看法（包括否认、羞耻和恐惧等情绪），（2）披露（通常是为了家人、朋友或治疗师，但也以匿名方式在线完成），（3）人们对披露的反应（从拒绝到支持），以及（4）当前的自我看法（包括最小化、扭曲、绝望、辞职和不冒犯/反接触的承诺）。我们的研究结果强调了恋童癖者在首次认识到自己对未成年人的吸引力时所经历的内部过程、披露所涉及的内容、披露后他人反应的重要性以及可以加强非冒犯承诺的因素。临床和社会影响进行了讨论。