Citation

Strassberg DS, Eastvold A, Wilson Kenney J, Suchy Y. Child Abuse Negl. 2012; 36(4): 379-382.

Affiliation

Department of Psychology, University of Utah, 380 S. 1530 E., Room 502, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.chiabu.2011.09.018

PMID

22571910

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Among men who commit sexual offenses against children, at least 2 distinct groups can be identified on the basis of the age of the primary targets of their sexual interest; pedophiles and nonpedophiles. METHOD: In the present report, across 2 independent samples of both types of child molesters as well as controls, a total of 104 men (53 pedophilic and 51 nonpedophilic) who had sexually offended against a child age 13 or younger were compared to each other (and to 49 non-sex offender controls) on psychopathy as assessed by the Psychopathic Personality Inventory (PPI). RESULTS: In both samples of child molesters, the nonpedophiles scored as significantly more psychopathic than the pedophiles. CONCLUSIONS: These results provide further evidence of the importance of distinguishing between these groups of offenders.

Language: en