NCJ Number
187922
Journal
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology Volume: 45 Issue: 2 Dated: April 2001 Pages: 159-170
Date Published
April 2001
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This study sought to determine whether the personality of sexual aggressors was related to the strategies used to cope with negative emotional states and deviant sexual fantasies.
Abstract
The participants were 42 French-speaking men who took part in a cognitive-behavioral treatment program at a maximum security psychiatric hospital, the Philippe Pinel Institute of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Twenty-three participants had committed sex offenses against women; 19 had committed sex offenses against children. The research used the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-I to assess personality and the Coping Strategy Report to assess coping strategies. Results revealed two personality profiles: dramatic and anxious. Participants with an anxious personality profile were less likely than those with a dramatic personality profile to use strategies to cope with conflicts and were less effective in coping with deviant sexual fantasies. In addition, participants with an anxious profile reported that avoidance strategies were the most effective for coping with negative moods. In contrast, participants with a dramatic profile reported that approach strategies were the most effective. Findings indicated that the most effective coping strategies for sexual aggressors were those most similar to the usual coping strategies associated with their personality characteristics. Findings also highlighted the importance before treatment and of adapting the relapse prevention model accordingly. Tables and 31 references (Author abstract modified)