Cognitive Distortions in Sexual Offenders With Intellectual Deficits (From Handbook of Sex Offender Treatment, P 21-1 - 21-15, 2011, Barbara K. Schwartz, ed. - See NCJ-243091)

• NCJ Number: 243112
• Author(s): David M. Kalal, Ph.D.; Christine M. Nezu, Ph.D.; Arthur M. Nezu, Ph.D.; Patrick W. McGuffin, Ph.D.
• Date Published: 2011
• Length: 15 pages
• Sale Source: Civic Research Institute, Inc
• Publication Format: Book Chapter
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This chapter reviews a study that measured matched groups of intellectually impaired sex offenders (pedophiles) and non-impaired sex offenders (pedophiles) on the Abel Cognitions Scale, in order to determine whether the cognitive distortions of the two groups were qualitatively or quantitatively different.

Abstract

Contrary to the original hypotheses, the offenders with the intellectual deficits condition (IDC) did not endorse a significantly different number or content of cognitive distortions on the scale compared to offenders in the comparison condition (CC). One possible interpretation of this result is that the acquisition and maintenance of cognitive distortions in pedophiles may result from processes other than intellectual level. There was a wide range of differences within each group, which were much greater than the differences between the two groups. This further supports the view that factors other than intellectual level may explain the number and content of cognitive distortions. Twenty-five male pedophiles participated in the study. They were assigned to the IDC (n = 10) or CC (n = 15) groups on the basis of their IQ score. 2 tables, 46 references and appended Cognition Scale