Neuroanatomical and Neurocognitive Differences Between the Executive Functions in Child Sexual Offenders: A Systematic Review
Background/Objectives: Studies on executive functions in child sex offenders relate their findings to the presence of pedophilia, but they are not able to distinguish between paraphilia and abuse. It is therefore this lack of a distinction that leads us to complement the existing information. Thus,...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | Brain Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/15/1/38 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832588932760469504 |
|---|---|
| author | Yaiza Ara-García Manuel Martí-Vilar Laura Badenes-Ribera Francisco González-Sala |
| author_facet | Yaiza Ara-García Manuel Martí-Vilar Laura Badenes-Ribera Francisco González-Sala |
| author_sort | Yaiza Ara-García |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background/Objectives: Studies on executive functions in child sex offenders relate their findings to the presence of pedophilia, but they are not able to distinguish between paraphilia and abuse. It is therefore this lack of a distinction that leads us to complement the existing information. Thus, the purpose of this review is to find all available evidence on the neurocognitive and neuroanatomical differences in executive functions among pedophilic and non-pedophilic child sex offenders, and non-offender pedophiles. Methods: The present review, in accordance with the PRISMA statement, ran a systematic search of three databases (Web of Science, Scopus and ProQuest). This search identified 5697 potential articles, but only 16 studies met all the inclusion criteria. Most of the studies were conducted in Europe, using a cross-sectional design with a convenience sample. Results: The results showed alterations in frontal, temporal and parietal structures related to executive functions (e.g., response inhibition) in child sexual offenders, regardless of the presence of pedophilia. Conclusions: In summary, there are differences in brain structure underlying executive functions related to child sexual abuse, but not to pedophilia as such. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c6eb28b571aa43f2be24605cf33ffa75 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2076-3425 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Brain Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-c6eb28b571aa43f2be24605cf33ffa752025-01-24T13:25:46ZengMDPI AGBrain Sciences2076-34252025-01-011513810.3390/brainsci15010038Neuroanatomical and Neurocognitive Differences Between the Executive Functions in Child Sexual Offenders: A Systematic ReviewYaiza Ara-García0Manuel Martí-Vilar1Laura Badenes-Ribera2Francisco González-Sala3Department of Basic Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Speech Therapy, Universitat de València, 46010 Valencia, SpainDepartment of Basic Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Speech Therapy, Universitat de València, 46010 Valencia, SpainDepartment of Behavioral Science Methodology, Faculty of Psychology and Speech Therapy, Universitat de València, 46010 Valencia, SpainDepartment of Developmental and Educational Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Speech Therapy, Universitat de València, 46010 Valencia, SpainBackground/Objectives: Studies on executive functions in child sex offenders relate their findings to the presence of pedophilia, but they are not able to distinguish between paraphilia and abuse. It is therefore this lack of a distinction that leads us to complement the existing information. Thus, the purpose of this review is to find all available evidence on the neurocognitive and neuroanatomical differences in executive functions among pedophilic and non-pedophilic child sex offenders, and non-offender pedophiles. Methods: The present review, in accordance with the PRISMA statement, ran a systematic search of three databases (Web of Science, Scopus and ProQuest). This search identified 5697 potential articles, but only 16 studies met all the inclusion criteria. Most of the studies were conducted in Europe, using a cross-sectional design with a convenience sample. Results: The results showed alterations in frontal, temporal and parietal structures related to executive functions (e.g., response inhibition) in child sexual offenders, regardless of the presence of pedophilia. Conclusions: In summary, there are differences in brain structure underlying executive functions related to child sexual abuse, but not to pedophilia as such.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/15/1/38pedophiliachild sexual abuseneurocognitionneuroanatomyexecutive functions |
| spellingShingle | Yaiza Ara-García Manuel Martí-Vilar Laura Badenes-Ribera Francisco González-Sala Neuroanatomical and Neurocognitive Differences Between the Executive Functions in Child Sexual Offenders: A Systematic Review Brain Sciences pedophilia child sexual abuse neurocognition neuroanatomy executive functions |
| title | Neuroanatomical and Neurocognitive Differences Between the Executive Functions in Child Sexual Offenders: A Systematic Review |
| title_full | Neuroanatomical and Neurocognitive Differences Between the Executive Functions in Child Sexual Offenders: A Systematic Review |
| title_fullStr | Neuroanatomical and Neurocognitive Differences Between the Executive Functions in Child Sexual Offenders: A Systematic Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Neuroanatomical and Neurocognitive Differences Between the Executive Functions in Child Sexual Offenders: A Systematic Review |
| title_short | Neuroanatomical and Neurocognitive Differences Between the Executive Functions in Child Sexual Offenders: A Systematic Review |
| title_sort | neuroanatomical and neurocognitive differences between the executive functions in child sexual offenders a systematic review |
| topic | pedophilia child sexual abuse neurocognition neuroanatomy executive functions |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/15/1/38 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yaizaaragarcia neuroanatomicalandneurocognitivedifferencesbetweentheexecutivefunctionsinchildsexualoffendersasystematicreview AT manuelmartivilar neuroanatomicalandneurocognitivedifferencesbetweentheexecutivefunctionsinchildsexualoffendersasystematicreview AT laurabadenesribera neuroanatomicalandneurocognitivedifferencesbetweentheexecutivefunctionsinchildsexualoffendersasystematicreview AT franciscogonzalezsala neuroanatomicalandneurocognitivedifferencesbetweentheexecutivefunctionsinchildsexualoffendersasystematicreview |