NCJ Number
221302
Journal
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology Volume: 52 Issue: 1 Dated: February 2008 Pages: 21-30
Date Published
February 2008
Length
10 pages
Annotation
The study investigated personality disorders in a sample of paraphilic child molesters in Belgium.
Abstract
Results show that sexual inmate offenders, in general, have more varied personality types than do general population inmates; only the obsessive compulsive personality disorder contributes significantly to the explanation of paraphilic child molestation. Specifically, sex offenders are more schizoid, avoidant, obsessive-compulsive, depressive, dependent, self-defeating, and schizotypal, whereas general population inmates have the more classic criminal personality characteristics of antisocial, narcissistic, and sadistic behaviors. Personality disorders differed strongly between paraphilic and nonparaphilic child molesters and indicated comorbidity of paraphilia with personality disorders. Child molesters with paraphilia had significantly higher rates of four types of personality disorders: borderline, histrionic, obsessive-compulsive, and depressive. Analysis showed that the excessive-compulsive personality disorder was significantly related to the act of paraphilia child molestation act. This result stresses that obsessive tendencies are important underlying influences on the feelings and behavior of paraphilia child molesters. The compulsive behavior seen in sexual paraphilia may be related to those of obsessive-compulsive personality disorder. The findings are relevant for the treatment of paraphilic child molesters. Over the last decade there has been increasing interest in treatment of sexual disorders classified as paraphilia disorders. Currently use treatment modalities fall into two categories: psychotherapy and pharmacology. Despite progress in the cognitive-behavioral treatment of sexual offenders made the past 15 years, a number of individuals on parole in their communities remain dangerous at large. Even if such men are currently undergoing treatment, psychological approaches alone cannot be expected to immediately reduce risk. The pharmacological interventions consist of anti-androgens that either completely reduced testosterone secretion or antagonize the action of testosterone at the level of the receptor and/or psycho tropic drugs, namely, antidepressants. A sample of 70 male adult child molesters was selected from an educational training program at a Belgian prison. Limitations and suggestions for further research are detailed. Tables, note, references