NCJ Number
210253
Journal
Journal of Child Sexual Abuse Volume: 14 Issue: 1 Dated: 2005 Pages: 57-74
Date Published
2005
Length
18 pages
Annotation
This study examined whether pedophiles have a different gender-identity profile than nonsexual offenders.
Abstract
The study hypothesized that pedophiles, compared to nonpedophiles, would have significantly higher scores on the Mf (masculinity-femininity) scale of the MMPI (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory) and the femininity scale of the BSRI (Beck Sex Role Inventory). Another hypothesis was that pedophiles who abused boys, compared with pedophiles who abused girls, would have significantly higher scores on the Mf scale of the MMPI and on the femininity scale of the BSRI, as well as significantly lower scores on the masculinity scale of the BSRI. The study participants were 27 pedophiles who abused male victims, 26 pedophiles who abused female victims, and 29 nonsexual offenders. Multivariate analysis of covariance found no significant differences among the three groups on Mf-scale scores for the MMPI nor on the femininity and masculinity scores on the BSRI. The study found that a higher proportion of pedophiles who abused boys were victims of physical and sexual abuse during childhood, compared with pedophiles who abused girls. Compared with nonsexual offenders, the difference was significant. Since neither of the study hypotheses were supported by the findings, this suggests that the impact of sexual abuse in childhood does not influence the gender identity of pedophiles, regardless of their gender preference for victims. 2 tables and 58 references