Understanding the relation between personality characteristics, psychopathology, and sexual offenses can contribute to developing more effective treatment interventions. Previous research with sex offenders has focused on general personality traits or inconsistently classified sex offenders based on psychopathology. It was hypothesized that combining personality and psychopathological traits can assist in understanding sex offenders. The current study evaluated 88 male sex offenders in a court-mandated outpatient treatment program utilizing the NEO-PI-R and the MMPI-2. Three clusters of child molesters were examined for differences in personality characteristics and number of offenses. A second-order principle axis factor (PAF) analysis of personality and psychopathology traits revealed three factors: Psychological Distress, Excitement-Seeking, and Social Desirability. The potential clinical utility of these dimensions in predicting treatment compliance is examined.

Traditionally, juvenile sex offenders have been ignored in the literature. More recently the research has expanded particularly in the area of assessment and treatment. This study focused on the assessment of sexual arousal to deviant stimuli using the penile plethysmography (PPG) since it likely plays a significant role in juvenile sex offending behaviors. The goal of this study assessed its validity and reliability using Becker et al.'s set of PPG scenarios with a population of juvenile sex offenders. Significant differences were found between groups of (a) admitters versus partial admitters and (b) offenders with and without male victims. This study also examined the latent structure of the PPG results and found three dimensions: arousal to male stimuli, arousal to females and paraphilias, and arousal to non-sexual acts. These findings provide important implications for assessment of juvenile sex offenders and add to the clinical utility of PPG assessments.

D.Litt. et Phil. / Forgiveness is generally a controversial phenomenon within the psychological literature. While it is regarded by feminist scholars like Lamb (2005) as part of an oppressive societal discourse that is harmful to victims of sexual violation, researchers on forgiveness provide empirical data that links seeking forgiveness and forgiving to psychological well-being. The psychological benefits of seeking forgiveness are documented in the two studies undertaken by Meek, Albright and McMinn (1995) and Witvliet, Ludwig and Bauer (2002). Studies conducted by Freedman and Enright (1996), Coyle and Enright (1997), Gisi & D'amato (2000), Worthington Jr, Kurusu, Collins, Ripley and Baler (2000) provide evidence of the existence of a positive correlation between forgiving and psychological well-being. In the midst of the forgiveness controversy, offending individuals continue to make pleas for forgiveness. Forgiveness-seeking models presented by Schmidt (1995) and Ashby (2003a, 2003b) show that an offender can engage in a genuine forgiveness-seeking effort. A perpetrator's experience of seeking forgiveness is documented in a forgivenessseeking model developed by Schmidt (1995) and the two presented by Ashby (2003a, 2003b). These three forgiveness-seeking models are problematic because they are not based on any empirical foundations. This exploratory phenomenological study was undertaken to empirically identify the essential features of a child molester's experience of seeking forgiveness. The three pilot study respondents (PC, PI, PW1) and the three respondents (P1 ,P2,P3) who were part of the study's sample were recruited from Childline Durban in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. While the three forgiveness models presented by Schmidt (1995) and Ashby (2003a, 2003b) suggest that offenders can engage in genuine forgiveness-seeking endeavours, perpetrators of child sexual abuse are, however, not generally perceived as the type of offenders that could seek forgiveness authentically. Child molesters are generally mistakenly perceived as psychopathic and sadistic beings, incapable of seeking forgiveness (lvey & Simpson, 1998). This common perception of child molesters necessitated an in-depth exploration of the literature on child sexual abuse and a pilot study. The literature review on child sexual abuse assisted the researcher to identify the psychological constellation of a male child molester for the purpose of determining whether a male child molester's psychological make-up will enable him to consider seeking or seeking forgiveness. The literature review on child sexual abuse indicated that some male child molesters may be able to engage in authentic forgiveness-seeking endeavours. Child molesters who do not have antisocial, psychopathic, narcissistic tendencies and those who are not alexithymic can make genuine attempts to seek forgiveness.

This study compared one group of pedophiles, two groups of incestuous fathers, and two groups of incestuous stepfathers on their individual MMPI scale scores and self-reported demographic data. Past research on sex offenders has shown that patterns of variables are better indicators of offender typology than single variables. A nonrandom sample of male abusers (N=177) was drawn from two separate sources, a clinic that screens offenders for treatment disposition and an unrelated outpatient treatment clinic in the Portland, Oregon area. Scores from the 13 MMPI scales as well as data from 17 demographic variables were drawn from clinic interviews and intake records of the offenders. The demographic data included age of the offender, educational level, age at first marriage, number of marriages, number of juvenile and adult arrests, number of jobs, number of past inpatient treatment periods, outpatient treatment periods, and incarcerations, alcohol consumption level, recreational drug usage, adoption status, and incidence of foster care, physical, and sexual abuse. Of these variables, several are susceptible to error in self-report, especially alcohol consumption level, which may be subject to the usefulness of a particular report to the offender. Hence, one statistical analysis was made eliminating alcohol consumption level as a variable.

In-depth interviews and psychometric tests were conducted with 20 young, South African male, hands-on sex offenders, between the ages of seven and 15 years. These offenders were referred by both the legal system and the welfare and health system. The data was gathered for the purpose of drawing up a descriptive profile of salient psychological and sociological characteristics of this population group, the patterns of offenses, the circumstances under which the offenses occurred and victims selected. Results showed that half the sample had committed prior sex offenses. The majority of young sex offenders had a history of consenting sexual interactions, had committed a non-sexual offense and engaged in a range of other antisocial behaviours. Half the sample reported a history of physical or sexual abuse (under-reporting of such victimization experiences was suspected). Typically, the young sex offender w:~s sexually naive and had not received any suitable sex education. He was usually a scholar although his school attendance was often infrequent and he was likely to have failed one or more standards. His intelligence quotient was most likely to fall in or below the borderline range of functioning. He tended to be either socially isolated and socially anxious or alternatively reported having a number of friends and appeared to have adequate social skills. His home environment was typically characterized by overcrowding, alcohol abuse and domestic violence. A significant male relative of his was likely to have committed a criminal offense. In his community environment, he regularly witnessed violence and sexual activity. The sex offenses were usually carried out with a co-perpetrator in a variety of venues. The victim was usually known and younger (mean age = seven years) than the perpetrator (mean age = 12 years). The overall results suggest that young sex offenders commit an array of sexual offenses that do not represent sexual experimentation, but rather indicate a developing pattern of sexual deviance. Comparisons between the above profile and the literature findings are explored. Finally, recommendations for structural changes, assessment procedures, additional future research pessibilities and guidelines for the development of appropriate - treatment programmes are outlined.

No description available.

Several risk factors have been identified for adolescent sex offenders and non-sex offenders. Such risk factors include physical and/or sexual abuse, and exposure to community and/or domestic violence. Additionally, the presence of disinhibitive factors, such as substance use and exposure to violent or pornographic media are also commonly reported in the backgrounds of both sex and non-sex offenders. Similarly, adolescent offenders have reported traumatic reactions to environmental factors such as abuse and violence. Similarities in exposure to the risk and disinhibitive factors described above between adolescent sex and non-sex offenders do not provide an explanation for why some adolescents commit sex offenses, whereas other adolescent offenders do not. This study investigated the discriminative ability of traumatic reactions as a risk factor between male adolescent sex and non-sex offenders. The inclusion of traumatic reactions increased the accuracy of risk factors distinguishing between sex and non-sex offenders. Thus, not only the presence of risk factors, but also the adolescent's reaction to the risk factors, are important predictors of whether he will commit a sexual offense.

D.Litt. et Phil / This study has aimed at exploring the narratives of perpetrators of child sexual abuse within a social constructionist research approach. Tape-recorded conversations were held with twelve participants who were engaged in a treatment programme at Childline Johannesburg and Childline KwaZulu Natal. The conversations with these men served to punctuate the participants' own experiences both in childhood and throughout the course of their adolescent and adult lives in order to elicit meaning and understanding of their offending behaviour. These narratives were compared to the traditional empirical research literature. The narratives highlighted some similarities to the traditional research literature; however, various differences were also noted. The similarities pertain particularly to: their experiences of having had traumatic and disruptive childhoods; an apparent lack of empathy for the victim; the employment of a wide range of rationalisations in order to explain their offences; a lack of self-esteem; a dearth of sex education in their home environment. Differences between narratives and the traditional research literature encompassed: the role of alcohol as a causal factor in offending; the belief in the abused-abuser hypothesis; the notion that most offenders begin their aberrant pattern of offending in adolescence; an absence of the popular stereotype that paedophiles are sexually and/or physically attracted to children. The participants in this study indicated an emotional attraction to their victims.

Thesis (M. Medicine (Psychiatry)) -- University of Limpopo, 2022 / BACKGROUND: The challenge of sexual offence crimes against women and children is notably increasing worldwide with an accompanying impact on the mental and physical well-being of the victims and society, in general. Despite the impact, sexual offenders remain a complex group, not well studied in forensic psychiatry settings globally. Previous studies identify psychosocial factors and mental illness associated with sexual offending. Adequate care, treatment and rehabilitation of sexual offenders are crucial to reduce the impact of sexual offence and re-offending. AIMS: To determine the demographic variations, clinical factors, and observation outcomes in terms of diagnosis, fitness to stand trial, and criminal responsibility among the alleged sexual offenders referred to Thabamoopo Hospital. OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of mental disorders among alleged sexual offenders, to determine the number of offenders fit or unfit to stand trial and who are criminal or not criminally responsible, to determine factors associated with vulnerability to sexual offending behaviour. METHOD: This study is based on a review of clinical records and files and psychiatrists' observation reports of all alleged sexual offenders referred by the courts for forensic psychiatric observation between the period January 2015 to December 2018 at Thabamoopo Hospital. RESULTS: The sample consists of 94 participants, only one female; all were black Africans. The majority were in middle adulthood, unemployed, of a lower level of education and not married. All participants had been charged with rape. A large number of the alleged sexual offenders were diagnosed with mental conditions. The most common diagnoses were Intellectual disability disorders, psychotic disorders and substance-related disorders. More than half of the sample was fit to stand trial and criminally responsible. CONCLUSION: More than half of the participants charged with rape were found fit to stand trial and to be criminally responsible. A significant number were diagnosed with mental illness. The outcomes of being unfit to stand trial and not being criminally responsible were common among mentally ill sexual offenders. The results signify that this group of offenders needs adequate psychiatric care, treatment and rehabilitation in order to reduce sexual offending and re-offending due to the impact of mental illness.

Research on the modus operandi (“method of operation”) of child sexual abuse (CSA) offenders has been useful in informing successful prevention programs (LeClerc, 2009). However, a gap in the literature regarding the strategies offenders use to lure potential CSA victims still remains. The present study seeks to examine the effects of offender-victim relationship and offender age on the use of strategies to lure victims for the purpose of committing CSA. Data for this study is taken from a larger investigation which included 854 identified adolescent and adult CSA offenders from nine different states. A 2 X 2 MANCOVA analysis revealed significant group differences for the each of the subgroups of interest in their use of threats and coercion to lure victims for the purpose of committing CSA. More specifically, it was found that adolescent CSA offenders utilize threats and coercion with a greater frequency than adult CSA offenders and intra-familial CSA offenders utilize threats and coercion with a greater frequency than extra-familial CSA offenders. Follow up analyses at the item level indicated group differences on multiple items (i.e., specific strategies) comprising the subscales used. The implications of these findings for treatment and prevention work in this area are discussed, as are policy impacts. Finally, suggestions for future research are provided.