Incarcerated Child Molesters' Perceptions of Themselves and Others

Abstract

A study was conducted to replicate and to expand some of our earlier findings concerning child molesters' perceptions of themselves, children, and adults. Sixty-eight men incarcerated in the Ontario correctional system for sexual offenses against children and 70 men with "person-related" but nonsexual offenses participated in the research. In accord with previous results, differences between molesters and nonmolesters in terms of their actual and ideal self-descriptions on the semantic differential were found. Molesters described themselves in less positive sexual terms than did nonmolesters. Women were seen by molesters more negatively with respect to sexual and physical characteristics than by nonmolesters, although, somewhat paradoxically, molesters described women as more trusting and mature than nonmolesters did. Molesters also reported a more positive view of women on the Attitudes Toward Women Scale than comparison participants. Molesters and nonmolesters also differed in terms of their responses to the Criminal Sentiments Scale, with child molesters reporting a more favorable view of the police, courts, and legal process than comparison participants. A similar finding was revealed in ratings of authority figures: Child molesters described authorities as kinder and less repulsive, deceitful, and unpleasant than comparison participants. All scales employed revealed a moderate to high temporal consistency. Some clinical implications and applications of the work are discussed briefly.