Adolescent offenders and stages of change.

Two hundred twenty-five adolescent offenders completed the Stages of Change Scales (SOCS), which were designed to measure 4 stages of psychological and behavioral change. The goals of this research were to obtain norms among adolescent offenders for the SOCS, to examine the factor structure of the SOCS, and to investigate the convergent and discriminant validity of the SOCS by examining associations among these scales and the Paulhus Deception Scales (PDS; D. L. Paulhus, 1994, 1999) and Multidimensional Anger Inventory (MAI; J. M. Siegel, 1986). Means and alpha coefficients for the SOCS were similar to those reported in a previous normative clinical sample of adult patients. However, relatively large intercorrelations among the 4 scales of the SOCS, and results from factor analyses of SOCS items, suggested that fewer than 4 factors represented the SOCS items among the sample of adolescent offenders. Patterns of correlations with the PDS and with the MAI provided convergent and discriminant validity for the SOCS. Implications of the findings for research and clinical practice are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Risk assessment of sex offenders.

What is needed to carry out a thorough risk assessment of an ex-offender? This article describes four major components: (a) a functional analysis of the offense process in order to determine how the offenders' problems contributed to their offending and to identify the modus operandi used in their offense(s); (b) the application of a suitable actuarial risk predictor to assess the offender's global level of risk; (c) identification of stable dynamic risk factors that make potential treatment targets; and (d) monitoring of acute dynamic factors that indicate offending is imminent. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychotherapy of paraphilic sex offenders

The author provides a brief review of the current state of therapy for sex offenders in different countries and emphasizes psychotherapeutical models of treatment. He describes the course, complications and objectives of this therapy. The Czech model of specialized comprehensive treatments of paraphilic sex offenders is described. After twenty years of specialized approach in the therapy of sex offenders in the Czech Republic, the re-offense rate of 953 treated patients was 17.1%.     

Manifest content of dreams of convicted sex offenders.

The dreams of convicted institutionalized sex offenders were analyzed to see if they contained high sexual content and "uncamouflaged unlawful sex activity." Dreams of sex criminals and non-sex-crime-offenders in therapy supported the hypothesis. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Individual, family, and peer characteristics of adolescent sex offenders and assaultive offenders.

This study examined the individual functioning, family relations, and peer relations of 60 male adolescents who were divided into 4 demographically matched groups (sex offenders, assaultive offenders, nonviolent offenders, and nondelinquent controls). Mothers and adolescents completed self-report inventories and a video-taped interaction task, and teachers completed a rating measure. Results showed that assaultive offenders' family relations were characterized by rigidity and low cohesion and that their peer relations evidenced high levels of aggression. Nevertheless, assaultive offenders and their mothers reported little anxiety or interpersonal discomfort. In contrast, sex offenders and their mothers reported high rates of neurotic symptoms, and the peer relations of sex offenders showed relatively low levels of emotional bonding. Implications for research and emerging theories of delinquency are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

MMPI discrimination of defensive and nondefensive felony sex offenders.

90 indicted sex offenders (aged 21+ yrs) were divided into no-, part-, and full-denial groups and were administered the MMPI to examine the utility of MMPI validity indicators in successfully identifying Ss known to have engaged in defensive denial in real-life situations involving serious personal consequences. Part- and full-denial Ss were similar enough to be combined into a single-denial group. Group membership was predicted with 83% accuracy by a discriminant function involving the validity scales alone. (3 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Frequency of MMPI two-point code types among sex offenders.

Two-point Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) codes were calculated for 403 convicted sex offenders, yielding 43 code types. The relative frequencies of codes were compared among rapists, child molesters, incest offenders, first offenders, and recidivists. Code frequencies were also compared with frequencies in previously reported studies of psychiatric patients and criminals. Sex offenders showed more 4–5 and 4–8 profiles than other prisoner groups. Rapists showed more profiles that are usually associated with assaultiveness. There were significant differences in code frequencies between incestuous biological fathers and stepfathers and between first offenders and recidivists. The heterogeneity of MMPI profiles precludes stereotypic generalizations about sex-offender characteristics. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The role of psychologists in state legislation governing sex offenders.

Reports that 27 states have legislation controlling the disposition of accused or adjudicated sex offenders. All allow for or mandate the evaluation, examination, and treatment of the sex offender by psychologists and/or psychiatrists. Although the states vary in their recognition and use of psychologists compared to psychiatrists, it is concluded that psychologists are discriminated against under these laws. (1 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The treatment of sex offenders: Risk management and good lives.

How would a good lives model of sex offender treatment differ from a risk-need model? In the good lives model, risk factors are viewed as obstacles that erode individuals' capacities to live more fulfilling lives. The therapeutic focus is thus on implementing offenders' good lives plans rather than simply managing risk. To develop our argument, we first outline the risk-need approach and briefly comment on its core assumptions. We then present the good lives model and discuss the clinical utility of an integrated approach by way of a case example. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychologists and sex offenders: A hopeful update to Brunette and Sales.

Brunette and Sales (see record 1981-11085-001) have done an extensive survey of state statutes in the preparation of their article. Although I have no doubt as to the accuracy of their view of these statutes, I would like to point out that the article is somewhat misleading as to the actual role psychologists play in the disposition of sex offenders. In fact (at least in New Jersey where I live and work), the role of psychologists is much greater than Brunette and Sales indicate. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sensitivity and specificity of the phallometric test for pedophilia in nonadmitting sex offenders.

The specificity of phallometric testing for pedophilia has been calculated using sex offenders against adult women. Does the offender's actual number of prior sexual contacts with women affect such estimates? To answer this, the authors studied 82 male sex offenders against adult women, 172 offenders against unrelated children, and 70 offenders against their own biological children or stepchildren. Phallometric testing included visual and auditory depictions of prepubescent, pubescent, and adult males and females. The results for offenders against women showed that those who had had sexual contact with the greatest number of women (consenting or nonconsenting) had the lowest probability of being diagnosed as pedophilic. Specificity, calculated for those who had sexual contact with the most women and thus the most evidence of attraction to them, was 96%. Sensitivity, calculated analogously for men with the most offenses against children, was 61%. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Family environments of adolescent sex offenders and other juvenile delinquents

This study compared the family environments of adolescent sex offenders and violent and nonviolent juvenile delinquents with a normative sample of adolescents. Differences between the juvenile delinquents and the normative sample were found on six of the ten subscales of the Family Environment Scale (i.e., cohesion, expressiveness, independence, intellectual-cultural orientation, active-recreational orientation, and control). No differences were found on four variables (i.e., conflict, achievement orientation, moral-religious emphasis, and organization). No differences were found among the three categories of juvenile delinquents. Implications of the findings for clinical intervention and further research are offered.     

Homicidal sex offenders: psychological, phallometric, and diagnostic features

Homicidal sex offenders represent an understudied population in the forensic literature. Forty-eight homicidal sex offenders assessed between 1982 and 1992 were studied in relation to a comparison group of incest offenders. Historical features, commonly used psychological inventories, criminal histories, phallometric assessments, and DSM diagnoses were collected on each group. The homicidal sex offenders, compared with the incest offenders, self-reported that they had more frequently been removed from their homes during childhood and had more violence and forensic psychiatric contact in their histories. On the self-report psychological inventories, the homicidal sex offenders portrayed themselves as functioning significantly better in the areas of sexuality (Derogatis Sexual Functioning Inventory) and aggression/hostility (Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory). However, on the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R), researchers rated the homiciders significantly more psychopathic than the incest offenders on Factor 1 (personality traits) and Factor 2 (antisocial history). Police records revealed the homicidal subjects also had been charged or convicted of more violent and nonviolent nonsexual offenses. The phallometric assessments indicated that the homicidal sex offenders demonstrated higher levels of response to pedophilic stimuli and were significantly more aroused to stimuli depicting assaultive acts to children, relative to the incest offenders. Despite the homiciders' self-reports of fairly good psychological functioning, DSM-III diagnoses reliably discriminated between the groups. A large number of homicidal sex offenders were diagnosed as suffering from psychosis, antisocial personality disorder, paraphilias, sexual sadism, sexual sadism with pedophilia, and substance abuse. Seventy-five percent of the homicidal sex offenders had three or more diagnoses compared with six percent of the incest offenders. The article addresses the role of "hard" versus "soft" measures in the assessment and treatment of violent sex offenders. In addition, the usefulness of phallometric assessments and the PCL-R and its subscales are considered.     

Psychological aspects of sexual functioning among cleric and noncleric alleged sex offenders

Cleric sexual misconduct with minors is a problem receiving increased attention from the media, victims groups, and church authorities. Mental health professionals are increasingly being asked to assist church and civil authorities to help better understand the problem of cleric sexual misconduct with minors. In the current study we compared self-reported sexual functioning among cleric alleged child molesters, noncleric alleged child molesters, and normal control subjects. We hypothesized clerics would differ from nonclerics and normals in reported sexual functioning. Our sample included 30 Roman Catholic clerics and 39 nonclerics who were alleged to have engaged in sexual misconduct with minors, and 38 normal control subjects, all of whom took the Derogatis Sexual Functioning Inventory (DSFI) as part of their forensic psychiatric evaluation. Our results indicated clerics were more likely to report fewer victims, older victims, and victims of male gender than noncleric alleged child molesters. Clerics differed from nonclerics and normal control subjects on several dimensions of self-reported sexual functioning. Lower offense rate histories among clerics suggest that, as a group, clerics may be less seriously psychologically disordered than noncleric child molesters. Low DSFI scores among Roman Catholic clerics may be accounted for in part by their unique training and socialization process. Future studies should attempt to study the influence of social desirability on DSFI scores. Normative data from nonoffending celibate clergy are needed.     

The discriminative validity of a phallometric test for pedophilic interests among adolescent sex offenders against children.

The authors examined the responses of adolescent sex offenders against children on a phallometric test of pedophilic interests. Participants were 40 adolescent sex offenders against children, 75 young adult sex offenders against children, and 39 young adult comparison participants. The responses of adolescents with female victims resembled those of comparison participants; adolescents with any male victims had larger relative responses to child stimuli than comparison participants. Young adult offenders, regardless of victim sex, had larger relative responses to child stimuli than comparison participants. Using a cut score of 0 (indicating equal or greater arousal to children than to adults), sensitivity was 42% for adolescents with any male victims, and specificity was 92% for the comparison participants. Results suggest phallometric testing can identify pedophilic interests among these adolescent sex offenders. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Treating adolescent sexual offenders.

A significant number of sexual offenses are committed by adolescents. This article addresses clinical and ethical issues to be considered by the clinician in assessing adolescent sexual offenders. Issues in the treatment of adolescent sex offenders are discussed. A treatment program based on a cognitive behavioral model is described and follow-up data are presented. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Validity of phallometric measures with sex offenders: Comments on the Quinsey, Laws, and Hall debate.

In a recent debate, V. L. Quinsey and D. R. Laws (see record 1991-10127-001) and G. C. Hall (see record 1991-10106-001) discussed several major methodological issues in research on the validity of phallometric tests. This article examines specific points of the debate more closely and uncovers questionnable assumptions underlying some of the Quinsey and Laws criticisms. The implications of unresolved problems for the clinical use of phallometric measures are stressed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)