In general, the assessment and treatment of paraphilic disorders such as pedophilic disorder, may be especially challenging in light of ethical, medical, and social concerns

Describe the technique of penile plethysmography and its associated concerns.

What will be an ideal response?

The penile plethysmograph measures changes in penile tumescence when a man is shown arousing or nonarousing stimuli (photographs). This technique identifies deviant patterns of sexual arousal. It can distinguish between sexual and nonsexual offenders, can predict recidivism among sexual offenders, and can provide information about the efficacy of treatment.
Despite the advances in understanding sexual deviations made possible by plethysmography, there are a number of ethical, social, and medical concerns about its use. Because the assessment uses nude photographs, one concern is the potential exploitation of children. Even when the photos are used solely for purposes of assessment and treatment, transporting them across state lines can result in arrest for trafficking in child pornography. Second, researchers must be concerned about the transmission of HIV/AIDS when the plethysmograph is used. Third, the device is very intrusive because it must be placed on the penis, and sometimes a technician's assistance is required. This raises questions about its use with adolescents, who later could accuse the technician of abuse. Finally, although it is difficult, some men can "beat the machine" and control their physiological response to appear less aroused than they actually are.