Hypersexual disorder and recidivism risk in individuals convicted of sexual offenses

Abstract

ABSTRACT Hypersexual disorder (HD) is characterized by an excessively increased frequency and intensity of sexual fantasies, urges, or behaviors and is a recidivsm risk factor for sexual offenses. The present study examined the relevance of HD in predicting sexual recidivism using previously proposed diagnostic criteria for DSM-5. First, we investigated the prevalence of HD in a sample of 418 adult men incarcerated for sexual offenses. Second, by using a follow-up period of M = 11.07 years (SD = 1.86), the accuracy of the HD criteria in predicting general sexual, contact sexual and violent recidivism was examined. Finally, the incremental predictive validity of HD beyond the Static-99 and the Stable-2007 was calculated. The proposed DSM-5 criteria were fulfilled by 6.6% of the sample. HD and two of its five diagnostic criteria exhibited significant correlations with sexual recidivism. A small significant predictive accuracy for contact sexual recidivism (AUC = .614) was found, which increased when a sum score of the five diagnostic criteria was used (AUC = .652). Finally, the HD sum score showed incremental predictive validity beyond the joint Static-99 and Stable-2007. Therefore, a more specific understanding of hypersexuality can contribute to risk management in the context of sexual (re-)offending.