Do Child Molesters Deliberately Fake Good on Cognitive Distortion Questionnaires?: An Information Processing-Based Investigation

• NCJ Number: 210103
• Journal: Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment Volume: 17 Issue: 2 Dated: April 2005 Pages: 183-200
• Author(s): Theresa A. Gannon; Devon L. L. Polaschek
• Date Published: April 2005
• Length: 18 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

In order to test whether child molesters tend to "fake good" on cognitive distortion questionnaires, this British study drew upon research that has found when respondents "fake good" on a questionnaire they make faster item responses than when answering honestly.

Abstract

Researchers and clinicians have hypothesized that child molesters hold beliefs or cognitive distortions that support their offenses; thus, these distortions require restructuring for successful rehabilitation. Current questionnaire measures of both untreated and treated child molesters' cognitive distortion show, however, that these men typically disagree with cognitive distortions. Such findings, particularly prior to treatment, have often been interpreted to mean that child molesters have been "faking good" on the questionnaires. In order to test this assessment, untreated child molesters (n=22), treated child molesters (n=31), and 2 types of controls (22 nonsexual offenders and 23 nonoffenders) were administered a computerized cognitive-distortion questionnaire; their responses and response times were recorded. The experimental stimuli were 45 sentences, of which 15 were distracters intended to help disguise task aims, and the rest pertained to cognitive distortions, common beliefs, and unusual beliefs. Ten "common beliefs" and 10 "unusual beliefs" unrelated to sex offending were selected for comparison with the cognitive distortions related to sexually offending against children. Consistent with previous research, all groups tended to disagree with the cognitive distortions; however, only the treated child molesters displayed the "fake-good" patterns of responding significantly faster in rejecting cognitive distortions. Untreated child molesters' endorsements of distorted beliefs could not be distinguished statistically from the responses of nonoffenders or nonsexual offenders. The view that the untreated child molesters tested in this study do not "hold yet hide" distorted beliefs is consistent with the authors' previous research that used other novel research designs. 2 tables, 2 figures, and 44 references