Adolescent Sex Offenders: A Study of the Relationship Between Self-Concept and Sexual Behavior in Adolescent Males

• NCJ Number: 128767
• Journal: American Journal of Forensic Psychology Volume: 8 Issue: 3 Dated: (1990) Pages: 61-73
• Author(s): S Porter
• Date Published: 1990
• Length: 13 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: This paper was presented at the American College of Forensic Psychology's Sixth Annual Symposium in Forensic Psychology, held March 13-16, 1990 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Annotation

This paper describes a study of the psychodynamics of ten male adolescent sex offenders on the basis of psychosocial skills, personality characteristics, gender identity, and self concept. A comparison is made with a group of juvenile offenders of nonsexual crimes and a group of adolescent non-offenders.

Abstract

Participants were measured by a self-report questionnaire and standardized instruments such as the Thematic Apperception Test, Offer Self Image Questionnaire for Adolescents, Kirkendall Sexual Concerns Checklist, and a sexual behavior survey. The results demonstrated significant differences among the three groups. The adolescent male sex offenders demonstrated perceptual distortion of their environment through use of denial as a defense mechanism, conflict perception of interpersonal relationships, excessive fantasy of social and sexual situations, and constricted emotional repertoire in contrast to the other two groups. Personality characteristics differed in areas of internalized values and attitudes, external expression, and inflated self-esteem. Results indicate that the adolescent sexual offender is a unique individual characterized by stunted developmental process. 8 references