Previous judicial detection and paedophilic sexual interest partially predict psychological distress in a non-forensic sample of help-seeking men feeling inclined to sexually offend against children

Little is known about overall psychological distress in paedophiles who are not formally involved with the criminal justice system. Since knowledge in this context could help to optimise intervention efforts, this study aimed to examine the association between distress as measured with the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) and preference- and offence-related variables in a sample of N?=?455 men self-reporting sexual interest in children, of whom 402 were diagnosed as paedophiles. Results showed that 59% reported clinically relevant levels of distress, with paedophiles being significantly more distressed than teleiophiles. A regression analysis revealed that a paedophilic preference and prior detection were relevant predictors for distress. However, past offending behaviour had no impact and the major part of variance could not be explained. The results suggest that paedophilia is associated with distress, but other factors influence whether a paedophilic man is distressed on a clinically significant level.     

Relationship Between Self‐Injurious Behaviors and Levels of Aggression in Children and Adolescents Who Were Subject to Medicolegal Examination,

Aggression, which is defined as a behavior causing harm or pain, is a behavioral pattern typically expected in children and adolescents who are involved in criminal activities. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between aggression and self‐injurious behavior (SIB) in children and adolescents. The study was performed in 295 cases which were sent for medicolegal examination. The mean age of the subjects was 14.27 ± 1.05 years (age range 10–18 years). The aggression levels of the subjects were determined using the Aggression Questionnaire (AQ), which is an updated form of the Buss‐Durkee Hostility Inventory. The mean total AQ score of the subjects with and without SIB was 78.04 ± 21.0 and 62.75 ± 18.05, respectively (p < 0.01). There were significant statistical differences between the two groups with respect to their subscale scores (p < 0.01). It was concluded that the levels of aggression increased in children and adolescents who were involved in criminal activities when the SIBs increased.     

Personality correlates of men who batter and nonviolent men: Some continuities and discontinuities

The present study investigated personality and family-of-origin differences among three groups of domestically violent men and a nonviolent comparison group, matched for age and education. The domestic violence groups consisted of male batterers referred for treatment (agency identified batterers) who were alcoholic (n=38) or nonalcoholic (n=61), and a third group who were identified through community sampling as maritally violent (n=28 community batterers). Multivariate analyses of variance of the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI) showed that, compared to nonviolent controls, alcoholic and nonalcoholic batterers showed higher levels of borderline characteristics. Furthermore, alcoholic batterers showed the highest MCMI elevations, followed by nonalcoholic batterers. Community-identified batterers showed no predicted significant differences from the nonviolent controls. On measures of family-of-origin pathology and disruption, only alcoholic batterers differed significantly from nonbatterers on report of both experienced and witnessed abuse victimization.Based on a paper presented in: A. Holtzworth-Monroe (Chair)Research on Marital Violence: What We Know, How We Can Apply It. Symposium presented at the meeting of the Association for the Advancement of Behavior Therapy, New York, November 19, 1988.     

Gender differences in mediation of severe occupational stress among correctional officers

This study explored gender differences in how correctional officers react to severe occupational stress and addressed differences in coping processes and social support utilization. The subjects were 244 correctional officers (167 men and 77 women) employed in Kentucky medium security institutions for male offenders. The study employed a survey administered to the volunteering participants. The Ways of Coping Questionnaire was used to assess coping processes used to deal with a stressful work event, and the Maslach Burnout Inventory was used to assess severe occupational stress. Statistical analyses revealed that correctional officers experience high levels of occupational stress but did not indicate gender differences in emotional exhaustion or depersonalization. The results indicated that female officers more frequently than male officers processed stress by seeking social support, while male officers more frequently than female officers processed stress by “planful problem solving.” No differences were found in correctional officers’ relationships with oppositesex peers. The results suggested that male and female correctional officers follow traditional sex roles in coping with occupational stress, but they revealed no differences in how they are affected by occupational stress in terms of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment.     

Characteristics of court-involved men and non-court-involved men who abuse their wives

The characteristics of court involved (CI) (n=86) and non-court-involved (NCI) men (n=42) who abused their wives and attended a treatment program were investigated. The groups experienced similar childhoods concerning family violence. The NCI men had more years of education, were more likely to be employed full-time, and tended to earn more money than the CI men. The NCI men also had more social support and scored higher on interpersonal problems than the CI men. The CI men were more likely to be separated, more reported drinking during their most recent assaultive occasion. Compared to the norms on the Basic Personality Inventory, both groups scored significantly higher on depression, anxiety, feelings of alienation, hypochondriasis, and impulse expression. CI men had higher denial and social introversion scores and NCI men had higher interpersonal problem scores than the norm. These findings have some implications for the planning of treatment programs.     

Characteristics of men and women completing cognitive/behavioral spouse abuse treatment

Although abuse in relationships is widespread and often escalates without intervention, the scant extant data indicate that people in abusive relationships often fail to complete treatment programs. We compared demographic characteristics, Male-Female Relations Inventory scores (MFRI), and selected MilIon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory I (MCMI-I) scale scores of men and women who did and did not complete an 8-session 4-week cognitive/behavioral group treatment program. The 16 completer men had lower scores on MCMI-I scales related to drug abuse as compared with the 18 noncompleter men. Court-referred men completed more often than other men. The 23 completer women also had lower scores on MCMI-I scales related to drug abuse than the 17 noncompleter women. Fewer of the completer women were employed and fewer had children than the noncompleter women. Scores on the MFRI were not different for completer or noncompleter men or women. Implications for interventions are discussed.     

Cross-cultural Validation of the Child Abuse Potential Inventory in Belgium (Flanders): Relations with Demographic Characteristics and Parenting Problems

This study examined the reliability and the validity of the Dutch CAP Inventory, a screening instrument that measures parents’ potential for child physical abuse (Milner, The Child Abuse Potential Inventory: Manual (2nd ed.), Psytec, Webster, NC, 1986). The CAP Inventory and measures on parenting stress and parents’ emotions and attributions with regard to childrearing were administered in a nonclinical sample of randomly selected mothers (N = 362) with a 4-to-11-year-old child. The CAP Inventory Abuse scale showed high internal consistency and split-half reliability. Twenty-four CAP Inventories (6.6%) were invalid, because mothers tended to present themselves either as too good or too bad. Sixteen valid CAP Inventories (4.4%) were indicative of high potential for abuse. Scores on the Abuse scale were significantly predicted by an external locus of control with regard to childrearing and by high levels of parenting stress. Results supported the cross-cultural generalizability of the CAP Inventory Abuse scale.     

Child Abuse Potential: A Comparison of Subtypes of Maritally Violent Men and Nonviolent Men

Researchers have demonstrated an overlap between husband-to-wife violence and child abuse, but we know little about which maritally violent men are at greatest risk for engaging in child abuse. This study examined child abuse potential across 4 subtypes of maritally violent men (i.e., family only, low level antisocial, borderline/dysphoric, and generally violent/antisocial; Holtzworth-Munroe et al., and 2 comparison groups of nonviolent men (i.e., maritally distressed or not), using the Child Abuse Potential Inventory (CAP; J. S. Milner [1986])). The results revealed that the borderline/dysphoric batterer subtype had significantly higher child abuse potential scores than all of the other violent subtypes and the nonviolent comparison groups. Theoretical and clinical implications are briefly discussed.     

A Comparison of Female and Male Probationers

Abstract

A majority of women convicted of crimes are sentenced to probation. Although proportionately more women than men receive probation, little is known about female probationers. The current study is one of the few to compare the backgrounds and case outcomes of women probationers with those of men. Statewide probation discharge data were used to examine differences between male and female probationers on their individual characteristics, offense and sentencing variables, and case outcomes and to explore the effect of gender on case outcomes. A number of gender differences were identified across the probationer, sentencing and case outcome variables examined. In addition, gender had a statistically significant influence on both new arrests and technical violations, after controlling for other variables such as age, race, income, prior involvement in the criminal justice system, conviction offense and sentence length.     

Police stress and personality factors: A conceptual model

Despite the sizeable volume of literature on police stress, little empirical research has been done on the problem, and no studies have accounted for individual differences in response to job stress. This study proposes a model which explains differential response to police stressors according to personality variables of police officers. Specific job stressors are measured by means of a Police Stress Inventory. Through canonical correlation analysis a number of personality traits are identified which correlate significantly with police stress. The personality-stress response model accounted for a sizeable proportion of responses to job stressors given by police subjects.     

The criminal career of men convicted of rape: evidence from a Norwegian national cohort

The extent to which sexual offenders are a group separate from other types of offenders has been debated for many years and investigated from different perspectives. The present study investigated similarities and differences regarding socio-economic background, criminal history and recidivism involving new crimes between rape offenders and three other groups: other sexual offenders, non-sexual violent offenders and other offenders. Data came from Norwegian population registers containing information on all crimes investigated from 1992 to 2012. The sample consisted of all persons convicted in 2002 and 2003 (N = 36,951). Background characteristics and estimated recidivism risk was described using hazard models. Results indicated that men convicted of rape (n = 142) had lower levels of education and that a higher percentage of them were on social benefits compared to the other crime groups. A large majority (79%) of rape-convicted men had previous convictions. Rape offenders were considerably more criminally active and diverse than the other crime groups. Prior criminal record, irrespective of type, increased the risk of recidivism in general. Controlling for other background characteristics did not alter this outcome. Treatment of convicted rapists needs to take into consideration that this offender group has much in common with violent offenders in general.     

Personality Profiles of Women in Multiple Abusive Relationships

Personality profiles of women with multiple abusive relationship histories (N = 42) were compared to either abused women with 1 abusive relationship (N = 33) or a control group (N = 52) on the Coolidge Axis II Inventory (Coolidge & Merwin, 1992, J. Pers. Assess. 59: 223–238), a self-report measure based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV; American Psychiatric Association, 1994). Women with multiple abusive relationships had higher rates and greater levels of dependent, paranoid, and self-defeating personality disorders than women in the other 2 groups. Women in multiple abusive relationships had significantly more depression, and women in this group with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) had significantly more personality disorders than women with single abusive relationships with PTSD. Women in single abusive relationships did not exhibit more psychopathology than women in the control group with matched marital status. Theoretical and methodological issues, and treatment recommendations are discussed.     

Validation of the Propensity for Abusiveness Scale in Diverse Male Populations

The Propensity for Abusiveness Scale (PAS; Dutton, 1995) was designed as a self-report perpetrator profile for intimate abusiveness. It was empirically validated through reports of abuse by intimate partners. The original PAS (Dutton, 1995) was given to 144 men in treatment for partner abuse and 44 demographically matched controls. It correlated significantly with partner reports of abusiveness and correctly classified men 82.2% of the time, as one standard deviation above or below the mean partners' report score for abusiveness. In the present study, the PAS was given to clinical outpatients, gay males, male college students, and a group of spousal assaulters. A criterion measure for abusiveness (the Psychological Maltreatment of Women Inventory; Tolman 1989, or the Psychological Maltreatment Inventory; Kasian & Painter, 1992) was collected from intimate partners. In all groups, the PAS correlated significantly with partners' reports of both physical and psychological abusiveness on subscales of the criterion measures: Dominance/Isolation and Emotional Abuse. For the college students and wife-assault groups, a new criterion measure was used: the Severity of Violence Against Women Scale. The PAS correlated significantly with partners' reports of threats and violence measured by this scale. The PAS appears to provide a nonreactive assessment instrument that is a strong predictor of intimate abusiveness across a variety of populations.     

The big 5 dimensional personality approach to understanding sex offenders

Abstract

Although previous research has reported that the incarceration of sex offenders does not significantly reduce re-offending, there is no adequate theory guiding remedial programs for this population. The aim of the present study was to examine whether normal personality variation provides useful theoretical insight into the nature of sex offences against children. The Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO PI-R), a measure of the five-factor model (FFM) of personality, was administered to 64 males incarcerated for child sex offences. Sex offenders were categorised into different offender groups comprising incest within the immediate family, incest within step-family and extra familial offence. A comparison group of 33 non-offender males also completed the NEO PI-R. Results indicated that the sex offender groups were significantly higher in Neuroticism and significantly lower in Extraversion and Conscientiousness compared to the non-offender group. Significant differences between the sex offender groups and comparison groups for NEO PI-R facets were also found. The implications of these findings in terms of early identification and treatment are discussed.     

Police stress, state-trait anxiety, and stressors among U.S. Marshals

Unlike previous studies on stress in local police officers, this study was unique in that it used Deputy U.S. Marshals as the population pool. This study replicated the study conducted by Storch and Panzarella (1996) who determined stress levels and stressors of police officers. A standardized inventory of stress was combined with a questionnaire about job stressors, individual job and career variables, and personal variables. One hundred Deputy U.S. Marshals from offices across the country responded to an anonymous survey. Generally, deputies scored low on the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (Spielberger, Gorsuch, Lushene, Vagg, & Jacobs, 1983). The main stressors identified by the respondents were related to organizational variables, i.e., problems with management, bad bosses, and work environment. More stress was experienced by deputies who were inclined to think about job-related illnesses or being injured while on duty, those who were facing retirement, and those who disliked their current assignments.     

Effects of Trait Anger and Negative Attitudes Towards Women on Physical Assault in Dating Relationships

The present study investigated the combined effect of trait anger and negative attitudes towards women (i.e., hostility towards women, calloused sexual beliefs) on frequency of physical aggression in premarital relationships. A total of 263 college-aged men who reported that they were either currently involved in a romantic relationship or had been involved in at least one romantic relationship during the past 12 months were recruited. Participants completed a battery of questionnaires, including the Conflict Tactics Scale-2, Trait Anger Scale, Hostility Towards Women Scale, and Hypermasculinity Inventory. Correlational analyses indicated that trait anger, hostility towards women, and calloused sexual beliefs were positively associated with frequency of physical assault. Further, hierarchical regression analyses indicated that both hostility towards women and calloused sexual beliefs moderated the relationship between trait anger and frequency of physical assault, such that in men who possess more negative attitudes towards women, higher levels of trait anger lead to increased physical assault. Results provide initial support for the role of trait anger in dating violence and suggest the existence of a subgroup among premaritally violent males who possess negative attitudes toward women and also possess a strong tendency to experience intense levels of anger.     

The Development of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in a Sample of Child Witnesses to Mother Assault

This exploratory study examined the relationship between the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and a number of coping variables in child witnesses to mother assault. The sample consisted of 84 children (mean age 11 years) who had been referred from shelters for battered women and child welfare agencies. Comparisons of those who met PTSD criteria (n = 47) and those who did not meet PTSD criteria (n = 37) found significant differences on variables of age, duration, and frequency of witnessing children. Child self-report instruments indicated that the PTSD group differed significantly from the non-PTSD group on the basis of assault anxiety, depression, dissociation, anger, and negative attributions. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicated that factors related to negative attributions and assault variables each contributed significantly to explaining 71% of the variance of PTSD symptoms, after the variables of age and sex were controlled. Discriminant function analysis correctly classified 84.3% of the respondents. The relevance of PTSD to child witnesses is considered, along with study limitations.     

Alcohol use in male spouse abusers and their female partners

Patterns of alcohol use of 181 maritally violent and maritally nonviolent men and their female partners differed on subscales of the Quantity-Frequency Index. Two abuser groups (43 uncounseled and 46 counseled) drank significantly greater amounts and for different psychological reasons than two nonabuser groups (50 satisfactorily married and 42 discordant). However, group frequency rates did not vary. The abuser groups had experienced and observed significantly more violence during childhood than the nonabuser groups; further, they reported significantly more current life stress. The female partners of the abusers did not differ in global alcohol use; however, they drank substantially more than their counterparts. They were especially prone to drink in response to battering. About one fourth of the abusers and one fifth of their wives drank frequently during abusive episodes. Stressors and depressors most likely precipitated both drinking and battering, with strain, hostility, and alcohol myopia (altered perception) serving as intervening variables. Results clarify contradictory reports concerning the role of alcohol in family violence.     

An Exploratory Study of Emotional Intelligence and Domestic Abuse

To date, there is no literature specifically addressing the relationship between spousal battering and emotional intelligence, a concept that captures the success, or lack thereof, of a person's functioning in their immediate environment. Forty-four men convicted of spousal assault and 76 undergraduate students completed the Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-i; R. Bar-On, BarOn Emotional Quotient Inventory: User's Manual, Multi-Health Systems, Inc., Toronto, 1997), the Propensity for Abusiveness Scale (PAS; D. G. Dutton, J. Fam. Violence 10(2): 203–221, 1995), and the Balanced Inventory of Desirable Responding (D. Paulhus, J. Pers. Soc. Psychol. 46: 598–609, 1984; Assessing Self-Deception and Impression Management in Self-Reports: The Balanced Inventory of Desirable Responding, Unpublished manual, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, 1988; In Measures of Personality and Social Psychological Attitudes, Academic Press, San Diego, CA, pp. 17–59, 1991). Results of this exploratory study indicate that batterers score significantly lower than the general population on all components of EQ-i. Additionally EQ-i total and subscale scores for both samples correlate negatively and significantly with scores on PAS, suggesting that deficits in various components of emotional intelligence are related to an increase in the propensity to be abusive. Implications for batterer treatment are discussed.     

A scale for measuring propensity for abusiveness

A brief self-report is described that assesses propensity for male abusiveness of a female partner in intimate relationships. The Propensity for Abusiveness Scale (PAS) items is nonreactive and contains no explicit reference to abusive behavior. The scale has good psychometric properties, with Cronbach's alpha of 0.91 and three distinct factors. Data were provided by 140 men in treatment for wife assault and by 63 of their female partners. In addition, 44 demographically matched men and 33 of their partners were evaluated. The scale was validated against reports of abuse victimization by men's female partners using the Psychological Maltreatment of Women Inventory (Tolman, 1988). The scale correlated 0.51 with women's reports of male Domination/Isolation tactics, and 0.47 with Emotional Abuse scale scores. A discriminant function for high versus low abusiveness indicated that the PAS correctly classified 82.2% of men into high (one standard deviation below) abusiveness. Social desirability corrections do not significantly change the trend of correlations of the PAS with criterion variables. A cross validation of the scale supported the initial results. The scale also correlates significantly with physical abuse.