There have been a lot of attempts to find out characteristics of pedophiles. But they have been not successful. Usually, if an investigation finds some difference between the considered group of pedophiles and "normal people", this shows that the group of pedophiles in this research is not typical for pedophiles.
This effect can be seen in above directions. The classical research was based mostly on incarcerated pedophiles, with the obvious result of making the picture worse. On the other side, there have been investigations of pedophiles who participate in the emanzipation movement. But people who partizipate in such a political movement are also not "typical". The characterization of these people leads obviously to much better results.
It seems most probable that there is simply no significant difference in most human characteristics. There may be some characteristics closely related with pedophilia which are closely related with their sexual orientation. They like to be with children, and they like to be with them "on equal". That's why they usually behave with children in a childish way. This type of behaviour may be easily marked as "childish and immature" (Virkkunen 1981).
Thus, the controls (i.e. the "ordinary" pedophiliac offenders, whose crimes were often victim-precipitated) had obviously experienced even greater, and more frequent difficulties in creating contacts, particularly with the opposite sex. This was also apparent from the fact that controls were happier in the company of minors and more childish for their age, as well as more shy and more timid, than the subjects were. The intelligence level was in both groups rather low, but more clearly so in the controls. (The average IQ was 90 among subjects and 81 among controls.)
from: Virkkunen (1981) p. 126
The IQ difference may be easily explained. The probability of disclosure depends much more on the intellect of the pedophile. Mike
.. pederasts are in all classes, of all races, in all professions, and at all educational and intelligence levels.
Depression, anxiety, paranoia, and suicide plague pederasts, as do alcoholism and other personal/social failures, but these are far more likely the result of the stress of extreme persecution than of some personality flaw revealed by their sexual desire. It is amazing, in light of the history of the past few years, that quite a few pederasts manage to live enjoyable, successful lives. (Reeves,p.60-61)