Category: Subjects Needed

B4U-ACT is supporting a new study from a research team from the Psychology Department at the University of Birmingham. The research project aims to investigate coping strategies and individuals’ perception of their effectiveness in managing mental health.

People who are 18 or older and identify as being attracted to children under 16 are invited to participate by taking a 20 minute survey. Interested potential participants can learn more or complete the survey using the following link:

The researchers have also provided the following message with additional information about the study:

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We need your help!

Are you 18 or over, and emotionally/romantically/sexually attracted to children under the age of 16?

We are a research team from the Psychology Department at the University of Birmingham. We are interested in understanding the coping strategies that people with a sexual attraction to children use and how effective they feel these coping skills are.

This anonymous survey specifically explores three areas: 1) what coping strategies you use, 2) how effective you feel they are in managing your mental health, and keeping yourself and others safe (i.e., not engaging in sexual behaviour with children), and 3) your views about self-control. This online survey should take about 20-30 minutes to complete.

You will have the option not to answer the questions if you feel uncomfortable or if you do not understand the questions. However, I would appreciate it if you could honestly answer as many questions as possible. The study’s results will help me understand your experiences and develop appropriate support for others in similar situations.

To find out more about the research and take part, please follow this link.

Thank you for considering participation. Your contribution will improve our understanding of adults with a sexual attraction to children and lead to better support for others.

If you know someone who might be interested, please feel free to share this link with them.

If you would like more information, please contact us at: psyf2024@contacts.bham.ac.uk

Update, 9/25/2025: Recruitment for this study has ended, thank you to all who participated!

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Original Post, 8/13/2025:

Participants are needed for a new study conducted by researchers at the University of Lancashire in the United Kingdom. The study aims to explore lived experiences of people who are attracted to children who have experienced suicidal thoughts and their interactions with mental health services, to improve and make these services more accessible.

Participation involves completing a 60-minute interview. People who are age 18 or older, who are attracted to children, have experienced suicidal thoughts may be eligible to participate. Participants from the United Kingdom are being sought primarily. Interested potential participants may contact the researcher at rmurphy7@uclan.ac.uk.

The following message was provided by the researcher:

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Hello,

My name is Rachel and I am a practitioner researcher. I work in a mental health service in
the UK and am completing a PhD study to explore how mental health services can become
more receptive and responsive to meet the needs of Minor Attracted Persons (MAPs).

I am currently recruiting participants to take part in research interviews. I am seeking to
interview people aged 18 or over, who are attracted to children and who have experienced
suicidal thoughts. This is aimed at people who are not currently in the criminal justice
system and who have experienced suicidal thoughts without having committed an offence
involving a child. Participants from the UK are being sought primarily, although international
participants are also welcomed.

The interviews will last approximately 60 minutes. They will explore your mental health
experiences, any mental health service interactions that you have had (positive or negative),
and the interplay between your sexual attraction, mental health needs and risk of suicide. If
you have experienced suicidal thoughts but have never accessed mental health services,
you are welcome to participate.

The aim is to capture your perspectives and lived experiences, to understand how the
interface between MAPs and mental health services can be developed, to enable more
effective and accessible support services for MAPs.

Interviews can be conducted via telephone or online. Microsoft Teams is the suggested
online platform, where you can disable your camera and you do not need to register for an
account; you can be sent the link to join so that you can remain anonymous if you wish.

Alternative online platforms can be used, if you prefer. If you wish to remain anonymous,
please set up a non-identifiable email address to use for all correspondence. This will also
allow me to send you the interview link via Teams (or your preferred option) for you to join
without the need to set up an account or provide any identifying information. You are
welcome to use a pseudonym (a different name) throughout your involvement in the study,
and all data will be completely anonymised after collection.

If you would like to take part, have any questions, or would like more information please
email me at rmurphy7@uclan.ac.uk

Thank you for taking the time to read this.
Rachel

Participants are needed for a new study conducted by researchers at the University of Bonn and University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany. The study aims to gain an overview of lawful means of sexual satisfaction among people who are attracted to children, whether specific personality traits influence these decisions, and the impact of changes tightening sexual criminal laws regarding such outlets.

People who are age 18 or older and identify as being attracted to minors are invited to participate by completing a 15-minute survey. The survey is available in both English and German. Interested potential participants can learn more or complete the survey using the following link:

The researchers have provided the following message with additional information about the study and how to participate:

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“Legal pathways and alternatives for Minor Attracted Persons (MAPs): Dealing with sexual needs and the influence of personality”

The study focuses on strategies for dealing with emotional and sexual needs in individuals who are sexually attracted to minors. Its aim is to better understand which legal and illegal methods are used to cope with these needs, and how personality traits, the subjective experience of sexual urges, and legal frameworks influence these decisions.

People who experience a sexual interest in minors also have a need for sexual expression. However, this need can only be expressed to a very limited extent within legal and social boundaries. Legal forms of expression are rarely available or have become increasingly restricted due to legislative changes, such as the introduction of § 184l of the German Criminal Code, which criminalizes the possession and distribution of childlike sex dolls. These legal developments have made it more difficult for affected individuals to live out their sexuality in accordance with the law, without harming real children or adolescents (Desbuleux & Fuss, 2023, 2024; German Bundestag, 2020; Frommel, 2021).

Since it is generally not possible to permanently suppress or ignore one’s sexuality, many people with this sexual preference are limited to inner fantasies and masturbation. This often leads to long-term internal conflict. For this reason, it is important to gain more insight into the legal strategies currently used by affected individuals, and to understand how recent legislative changes—particularly in Germany—have impacted their options and daily lives.

Participation in the study is anonymous, voluntary, and takes approximately 15 minutes. No personal data such as names or IP addresses will be collected. Your responses will be transmitted via encrypted connection, treated confidentially, and analyzed exclusively in aggregated statistical form.

To participate in the English version of the study, please click the following link: 
https://syskrim.limesurvey.net/648689?lang=en

If you have any questions, comments, or feedback, feel free to contact us at:
s82fmath@uni-bonn.de or info@franziska-mathaeus.de

Franziska Mathäus (University of Bonn), Jeanne Desbuleux (University of Duisburg-Essen), Johannes Fuß (University of Duisburg-Essen)