Three methods of developing MMPI taxonomies of sexual offenders

Differentiating offenders by index offense and personality inventories: the characteristics of adult probationers in Israel

The current study examines the differences between four groups of offenders (N = 230) according to the type of crime they committed: domestic violence, sex offenses, traffic violations, and nonspecific violence offenses. The study was conducted on the offenders undergoing treatment in the Israeli Adult Probation Service. A comparison between the groups included an examination of the differences in aggression levels, anxiety levels, and two Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) scales-the Psychopathic Deviate (PD-4) and the Antisocial Practices (ASP) scales. The findings provide a glimpse of the features that characterize each group, in relation to each other and in relation to the body of literature. The domestic violence group differed from the other groups in most of the research variables. They were found to have low anxiety levels and high aggression levels. Together with other findings that pointed to antisocial practices and attitudes, this group constitutes a population that is violent and aggressive to a far greater extent compared with the other groups. Sex offenders were found to be a unique group that does not fit in the "classic offenders" category. They were found to have low aggression levels and high anxiety levels and their scores on PD-4 and ASP scales were low compared with the other groups. The traffic group was characterized with typically low levels of anxiety and high levels of physical aggression. This group also obtained high scores on ASP scale and the measure that examined confrontation with authority figures. Finally, study findings did not indicate characteristics that typify the nonspecific violence offenses.

Development of a psychometric typology of child molesters: implications for treatment

Cluster analysis of psychometric data measuring offense-specific and socioadequacy problems from a sample of 437 untreated child molesters was carried out. This analysis identified three clusters: Cluster 1 contained men who reported low levels of self-esteem and intimacy and an inability to deal with negative emotions, Cluster 2 contained men who demonstrated a poor understanding of the harm caused to their victims, and Cluster 3 contained offenders who had global offense-specific and socioaffective problems. However, there were no significant differences among the three groups of child molesters in their offense characteristics or their risk levels to support the clustering. It is suggested that these psychological clusters have implications for differing treatment interventions with these three groups.

Personality disorders in a sample of paraphilic and nonparaphilic child molesters: a comparative study

This article renders the results of research that investigated personality disorders in a sample of paraphilic and nonparaphilic child molesters. The sample contained 36 paraphilic child molesters and a matched comparison group of 34 nonparaphilic child molesters. The analyses of the research results show that four personality disorders discriminate between both groups. Only the obsessive-compulsive personality disorder contributes significantly to the explanation of paraphilic child molestation. This result also contributes to the development and differentiation of the treatment of paraphilia-related disorders. For several child molesters, psychological approaches to the treatment of sexual offending (e.g., cognitive-behavioral treatment, psychotherapy in general) are limited and cannot be expected to immediately reduce risk. Interest has been expressed in medical approaches to reduce recidivism, in combination with psychotherapy.

Use of the MMPI-A to assess personality of juvenile male delinquents who are sex offenders and nonsex offenders

The present study investigated the relationship between offender type and personality in 21 juvenile males adjudicated for crimes of a sexual nature and 30 juvenile males adjudicated for nonsexual offenses including Possession of Narcotics, Burglary, Criminal Mischief, Assault, and other crimes involving property. Subjects who were aged 13 to 17 years (mean age 15) and committed to the State of Connecticut, Long Lane School, were administered the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Adolescent (MMPI-A). Scores on Psychopathic Deviate and Schizophrenia scales contributed most to the juveniles being classified as sex offenders, whereas scores on Hysteria and Psychasthenia contributed primarily to subjects being classified as nonsex offenders. A single discriminant function attained statistical significance, thereby correctly classifying 77% of the nonsex offenders and 71% of the sex offenders. Results indicate that sex offenders may be distinguished from nonsex offenders according to clinical scales of the MMPI-A.

Psychological screening of sexually violent offenders with the MCMI

The MCMI was administered to 603 recently convicted violent offenders, grouped according to nature of the offense into child molesters (n = 201), rapists (n = 195), and non-sexually aggressive felons (n = 205). Both groups of sexual offenders were more passive-aggressive, but child molesters were more dependent, anxious, and depressed than the other two groups, whose personality style was more narcissistic and independent with little psychic distress. Results confirm earlier findings based on MMPI test results, which show that the personality styles of rapists are more similar to those of non-sexually aggressive felons than to those of child molesters. Test variance can no longer be the basis for these replicated findings.