NCJ Number
68549
Date Published
1978
Length
7 pages
Annotation
THE INTERPERSONAL PERCEPTION OF SEXUAL OFFENDERS WAS INVESTIGATED WITH THE REPERTORY GRID TECHNIQUE, WITH PARTICULAR INTEREST IN PEDOPHILES.
Abstract
THE SEXUAL OFFENDER GROUP STUDIED CONSISTED OF 10 PATIENTS, AGE 21-52 YEARS, AT THE ATASCADERO STATE HOSPITAL (CALIFORNIA). ALL SUBJECTS WERE DIAGNOSED AS HAVING ONE SEXUAL DEVIATION--FEMALE PEDOPHILE. ALL PATIENTS WERE RECEIVING GROUP THERAPY. A CONTROL GROUP OF NONSEXUAL OFFENDERS FROM THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS WAS ALSO RECEIVING GROUP THERAPY. THE 10 SUBJECTS OF EACH GROUP COMPLETED TWO FORMS OF THE REPERTORY GRID, A MALE AND A FEMALE FORM,TO INVESTIGATE WHETHER SEX OFFENDERS ARE UNUSUAL IN THEIR CONSTRUCTIONS OF ADULTS IN GENERAL OR JUST OF FEMALES. FOR EACH ROLE DESCRIPTION, THE SUBJECT SELECTED AN ACTUAL PERSON FROM HIS LIFE. THE RESULTS SHOWED PEDOPHILES TO BE MORE LIKELY TO VIEW BOTH MEN AND WOMEN IN TERMS OF DOMINANCE AND SUBMISSION, PERHAPS BECAUSE OF AN INABILITY TO CONTROL THE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT. SUCH A PERSON MIGHT FIND THE COMPANY OF CHILDREN REWARDING, PLACING HIM IN CONTROL, AN INITIATOR RATHER THAN A FOLLOWER. ALSO, THE PEDOPHILE GROUP TENDED TO VIEW WOMEN MORE IN TERMS OF PHYSICAL APPEARANCE AND SEXUAL CONSTRUCTS THAN MEN AND LESS IN TERMS OF ORGANIZING AND PLANNING SKILLS AND OF STATUS. THEREFORE, THERAPY OUGHT TO PROMOTE IDENTIFICATION AND EMPATHY WITH WOMEN SO THAT WOMEN WILL BE SEEN MORE AS PERSONS IN THEIR OWN RIGHT. MOREOVER, RESULTS SHOWED AN INTERESTING TENDENCY FOR THE PEDOPHILE GROUP TO BE PREOCCUPIED WITH A SMALL BODYBUILD AND FOR SEXUAL ATTRACTIVENESS TO BE RELATED TO A SMALL BUILD; FURTHER STUDY SHOULD BE CONDUCTED REGARDING PHYSICAL CONSTRUCTS. FURTHER RESEARCH MIGHT ALSO INVOLVE AGGRESSIVE OFFENDERS, AS THE SAMPLE STUDIED HERE CONSISTED OF NONAGGRESSIVE OFFENDERS. TABLES AND 10 REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED.