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Development and Preliminary Validation of a Paraphilic Sexual Fantasy Questionnaire

NCJ Number
168658
Journal
Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment Volume: 9 Issue: 3 Dated: July 1997 Pages: 167-178
Author(s)
W O'Donohue; E J Letourneau; H Dowling
Date Published
1997
Length
12 pages
Annotation
A sexual fantasy questionnaire (SFQ) measuring paraphilic and nonparaphilic fantasies was developed, and aspects of SFQ reliability were assessed using a sample of convicted male child molesters (27 inmates and 15 outpatients) and a comparison group of 87 male undergraduates.
Abstract
All child molesters in the study had been arrested and convicted of sexual offenses against children. These individuals and comparison subjects were administered the SFQ, validity scales, and a demographic questionnaire in group settings. For 128 subjects who completed the SFQ on two occasions, results indicated adequate test-retest reliability, acceptable percentage agreement on repeated items, and adequate internal consistency. The SFQ's convergent validity was supported by the finding that child molesters reported significantly more deviant fantasies involving children than comparison subjects. Consistent with previous research, child molesters reported a similar number of normal sexual fantasies. Study limitations are noted, and the usefulness of the SFQ in measuring paraphilic sexual fantasies is discussed. 31 references and 3 tables