Individuals attracted to children face substantial public stigma, potentially resulting in mental health difficulties. According to the minority stress model, identifying with a stigmatized attribute may worsen these difficulties. This study investigated whether a stronger preferential attraction to children, a greater same gender/sex attraction to children, and an earlier age of first awareness of attraction to children were associated with stronger minority identity in individuals attracted to children. Understanding these associations may help identify individuals at risk of mental health difficulties. Participants ( n = 434, M age = 35; 91% male; 82% White; 57% North American) were recruited from online forums for people attracted to children to complete an anonymous online survey on their experiences of stigma and mental health difficulties. Three variables assessed minority identity: number of social roles identified with (fewer roles signifying stronger minority identity), importance of sexual attraction to children to identity, and strength of affiliation to the broader community of people attracted to children. Regression analyses partially supported the preferentiality hypothesis: Stronger preferentiality was associated with higher ratings of the importance of sexual attraction to children to identity and strength of group affiliation. Earlier age of awareness and greater same/gender sex attraction did not, however, relate to minority identity. Because a strong minority identity may be related to mental health difficulties in stigmatized groups, researchers should examine potential mental health differences between individuals with a preferential versus non-preferential attraction to children.
Pagacz et al. (Wed,) studied this question.