Factors Associated With Contact Sexual Offending Among a Non-Forensic Sample of Women With Sexual Interest in Children - Results From an Anonymous Online Survey

This study aimed at assessing the extent to which factors associated with male child sexual offending may also be applicable to women with a self-identified sexual interest in children. Participants (n = 42) took part in an anonymous online survey covering questions about general characteristics, general sexuality, sexual interest in children, and previously-perpetrated contact child sexual abuse. Group comparisons between women who reported committing contact child sexual abuse compared to those who had not were conducted in terms of sample characteristics. Furthermore, the two groups were compared regarding the factors of high sexual activity, use of child abuse material, indication of ICD-11 pedophilic disorder diagnosis, exclusivity of sexual interest in children, emotional congruence with children, and childhood maltreatment. Our results revealed that high sexual activity, indication of ICD-11 pedophilic disorder diagnosis, exclusivity of sexual interest in children, and emotional congruence with children were associated with previous contact child sexual abuse perpetration. We recommend further research on potential risk factors relating to child sexual abuse on the part of women.

Comparing female- to male-perpetrated child sexual abuse as presumed by survivors - A qualitative content analysis

BACKGROUND

Female-perpetrated child sexual abuse (CSA) is taboo topic in society and an under-recognized issue in research and mental health care.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the present study was to examine perspectives of individuals surviving female-perpetrated CSA (in parts in addition with male-perpetrated CSA) on the question whether female-perpetrated CSA and its sequelae were considered different compared to male-perpetrated CSA.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

The perspectives of 212 survivors of female-perpetrated CSA were captured in a cross-sectional online study.

METHODS

Answers to the questions "How does female-perpetrated CSA differ from male-perpetrated CSA?" and "How do consequences of female-perpetrated CSA differ from those of male-perpetrated CSA?" were analyzed using qualitative content analysis.

RESULTS

The analyses reveal ten categories of differences, such as a more subtle approach, different levels of violence, and more psychological manipulation. Further, the analyses suggest ten categories of different personal consequences, such as less belief and support, more psychological sequelae, and disturbed relationships with women.

CONCLUSIONS

Approaches to raise awareness about gender stereotypes in the context of CSA are needed and special needs of survivors of female-perpetrated CSA in psychotherapeutic treatment can be derived from the results of this study.

Compulsive sexual behavior and paraphilic interests in adults with chronic tic disorders and Tourette syndrome: a survey-based study

Early research suggested that compulsive sexual behavior (CSB) and paraphilic interests (PI) are more prevalent in adults with primary tic disorders compared to the general population. However, recent data on this topic remain scarce. We conducted an anonymous online survey capturing data on CSB and PI in adult patients with primary tic disorders. We also explored the role of antipsychotic tic medication and the impact of neuropsychiatric comorbidities like attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and depression. In total, 62 participants (26 females/36 males) completed the survey. The prevalence of CSB and PI were 12.9% and 19.4%, respectively. There was no association with antipsychotic medication nor with symptoms of depression. However, the presence of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder was associated with a higher prevalence of both CSB and PI. The current results contrast with earlier reports and show that in adults with primary tic disorders, the prevalence of CSB and PI is not overly prominent.

What do women with sexual interest in children tell us about the assumed cause of their sexual interest in children, (non-)disclosure, and professional help?-Results of a qualitative content analysis

Research on women with sexual interest in children is still rare, especially regarding women's own theories about the cause of their sexual interest in children, their experiences with (non-)disclosure, and professional help. In the context of a broader online study, we provided 50 women with a sexual interest in children under the age of 14 years (mean age: 33.6, SD = 11.1) with open questions regarding their own theories about what causes their sexual interest in children, experiences with disclosure and non-disclosure, and experiences with and opinions about professional help. Analyses were conducted using an inductive qualitative content analysis method that aimed at ordering and structuring manifest and latent content by categorizing qualitative data. Results revealed that participants mainly think that past experiences caused their sexual interest in children (Σ = 16), e.g., abusive or non-abusive sexual experiences during childhood. Some participants think that their sexual interest in children is a disposition they were born with (Σ = 8). Disclose of sexual interest in children to another person was reported by 56.0% of the present sample and led to rather positive consequences (Σ = 24, e.g., acceptance or support). Those who did not disclose (44.0%) mainly did so due to fear of rejection and/or stigmatization (Σ = 24). A total of 30.0% already sought help due to their sexual interest in children and frequently reported negative experiences (Σ = 15). A frequent statement participants made on how to reach women with sexual interest in children in order to offer professional help was the destigmatization of sexual interest in children (Σ = 14). We recommend that women with sexual interest in children should be taken more seriously among research and in prevention measures.

Changing or stopping testosterone-lowering medication in men convicted of sexual offenses: clinical evaluation of the COSTLow-R Scale

BACKGROUND

Individuals convicted of a sexual offense (ICSO) can be treated with testosterone-lowering medication (TLM) in order to support the control of paraphilic sexual fantasies and to decrease the risk of sexual recidivism. However, due to partly severe side effects, TLM should not be a lifelong treatment.

AIM

The aim of the current study was to further evaluate the Change or Stop Testosterone-Lowering Medication (COSTLow)-R Scale in forensic outpatient aftercare practice. The scale was developed to assist forensic professionals in deciding on whether to change or stop TLM treatment in ICSO.

METHODS

The COSTLow-R Scale was applied retrospectively in a forensic-psychiatric outpatient institution in Hesse, Germany, on 60 ICSO. TLM was terminated in 24 patients (40%). Moreover, 10 forensic professionals of the institution as well as an experienced working group within the institution focusing on the treatment of ICSO, qualitatively evaluated the COSTLow-R Scale by participating in an open designed survey.

OUTCOMES

The COSTLow-R Scale ratings as assessed by forensic professionals were collected. In addition, a survey was performed among these professionals about the usefulness of the scale and their practical experiences with it.

RESULTS

A binary logistic regression analysis was conducted to ascertain the predictive power of the scale regarding the stopping of TLM. Three items of the COSTLow-R Scale significantly predicted stopping decisions: the possibility of psychotherapy before TLM treatment, psychopathic traits, and a substantial decrease of paraphilic severity. Thus, a decision towards stopping TLM was more likely for patients who showed greater treatment readiness before starting TLM, lower psychopathy scores, and a higher decrease of paraphilic severity. The forensic professionals described the scale as a good and structured tool that displays which aspects are important to consider during TLM treatment decisions.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

The COSTLow-R Scale provides structure to the decision of whether to change or stop TLM and should thus be implemented in the forensic treatment process of patients with TLM more frequently.

STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS

Although the small sample size limits generalizability of the findings, the present study was conducted directly in a forensic outpatient practice and, therefore, has high external validity and a strong impact on the life and health of patients treated with TLM.

CONCLUSION

The results indicate that the COSTLow-R Scale can be a useful instrument facilitating the TLM decision-making process by providing a structured compendium of criteria. Further research is still needed to evaluate the scale and to provide additional evidence for the results of the current study.

Women with Sexual Interest in Children - Results from an Online Survey Among a Non-Forensic Female Sample

Little research has examined adult women's sexual interest in children, particularly in non-forensic samples. We aimed to describe characteristics of women with sexual interest in children by recruiting 52 women (mean age: 33.2 years) who have a self-identified sexual interest in children under the age of 14 years into an anonymous online self-report study. Measures of interest referred to general characteristics (e.g., age, education level), general sexuality (e.g., sexual orientation, masturbation), and sexual interest in children (e.g., exclusivity, motivation to change). Results showed that women with sexual interest in children are similar to non-forensic samples of men with sexual interest in children in previous studies and rather differ from women from the general population regarding the investigated characteristics in this study. Our results clearly indicate that women with sexual interest in children need to be taken into account in future research and clinical practice. Treatment programs preventing sexual offenses against children or the consumption of abuse material need to explicitly address females as well.

Acceptance of Sexual Interest in Minors in Self-Referred Individuals Under Treatment - An Exploratory Pilot Study

Some therapists/scientists argue that “acceptance” of sexual interest in minors (SIM), i.e., the integration of the sexual preference into the individual self-concept, is a prerequisite for dealing with SIM in a responsible way. However, if one assumes that – even in some persons – SIM might change over time, “acceptance” could also run counter to therapeutic targets because the motivation to change as well as the specific self-efficacy for modifying SIM might be reduced. This exploratory pilot study analyzes the relationship between acceptance of SIM and (1) dynamic risk for contact sexual reoffending, (2) SIM and frequency of the use of child/adolescent (sexual abuse) imagery, (3) frequency of sexual desire/behavior toward children/adolescents, and (4) the change of the level of acceptance of SIM during the course of treatment. The majority of the participants (N = 79) was not exclusively interested in children (85%) and used child pornography but did not commit child sexual abuse (54%). Acceptance of SIM, frequency of the use of child/adolescent (sexual abuse) imagery and frequency of sexual desire/behavior toward children/adolescents are assessed via self-report questionnaires, dynamic risk for contact sexual reoffending is measured by STABLE-2007. Pretreatment data are analyzed via Spearman’s correlation (N = 79). Intragroup analysis compares acceptance of SIM from pre- and posttreatment (n = 35). There was no correlation between acceptance of SIM and dynamic risk for contact sexual reoffending. However, there was a medium, positive correlation between acceptance of SIM and the frequency of the use of legal imagery of children, a positive correlation between the item “My inclination is an integral part of my personality” and the frequency of the use of legal imagery of children, and a positive correlation between acceptance of SIM and the frequency of sexual activities with minors. Acceptance of SIM did not change during the course of treatment. The results suggest that “acceptance” of SIM has to be discussed in a differentiated way, i.e., as possibly being associated with positive and negative outcomes as well.

[Lifetime prevalences of nonconsensual sexual intercourse and touch and associations with health-related factors : Results from the German Health and Sexuality Survey (GeSiD)]

Hintergrund

Die negativen Auswirkungen von sexueller Gewalt auf die Gesundheit sind im vergangenen Jahrzehnt weltweit erneut stark in den gesundheitspolitischen Fokus gerückt. Bislang fehlen für Deutschland bevölkerungsrepräsentative Daten, auf deren Basis die Lebenszeitprävalenz für unterschiedliche Altersgruppen sowie spezifische Zusammenhänge zu gesundheitsbezogenen Faktoren dargestellt werden können.

Ziel der Arbeit

Die Studie untersucht 1) die Lebenszeitprävalenz für Sex sowie sexuelle Berührung gegen den eigenen Willen im Kindesalter und über die Lebensspanne sowie 2) die Zusammenhänge mit gesundheitsbezogenen Faktoren.

Material und Methoden

4955 Personen im Alter von 18 bis 75 Jahren wurden in einer zweistufig geschichteten, randomisierten Einwohnermeldeamtsstichprobe im Rahmen des bundesweiten wissenschaftlichen Survey „Gesundheit und Sexualität in Deutschland“ (GeSiD) befragt. Die Zusammenhänge mit soziodemografischen und gesundheitsbezogenen Faktoren wurden (altersadjustiert und stratifiziert für Geschlecht) mittels logistischer Regression berechnet.

Ergebnisse

Für Frauen lag die Lebenszeitprävalenz für (versuchten/vollzogenen) Sex bei 14,9 % und für (versuchte/vollzogene) sexuelle Berührung gegen den Willen bei 40,8 %, für Männer bei 3,1 % respektive 13,2 %. Für erzwungenen Sex vor dem 14. Lebensjahr lag die Prävalenz bei 2,1 %, für sexuelle Berührung bei 7,5 %. Es zeigten sich höhere Prävalenzen bei Personen mit beeinträchtigter Lebensqualität, schlechtem Gesundheitszustand, chronischer Erkrankung oder Behinderung, einer Behandlung aufgrund von Depression oder einer anderen psychischen Störung im letzten Jahr.

Diskussion

Die Studie verdeutlicht Zusammenhänge von sexueller Gewalt mit psychischer und somatischer Gesundheit. Sie unterstreicht die Dringlichkeit, nach solchen Erfahrungen regelhaft in der ärztlichen Anamnese zu fragen.

Zusatzmaterial online

Zusätzliche Informationen sind in der Online-Version dieses Artikels (10.1007/s00103-021-03434-6) enthalten.

Hypersexuality and Impulsivity in Self-Referred Men With Sexual Interest in Minors: Are They Related? Do They Change During Treatment? An Exploratory Pilot Study

Introduction

Studies on characteristics of self-referred men with sexual interest in minors (SIM) and treatment approaches in this group of patients are still relatively rare.

Aim

The aim of this exploratory pilot study was to investigate hypersexuality and impulsivity as 2 dynamic risk factors that could possibly change during treatment in self-referred men with SIM.

Methods

Data were collected at the “Kein Täter Werden (means: not become an offender)” network site in Hamburg. Using self-report questionnaires, the extent of hypersexuality and impulsivity was analyzed with the samples’ pretreatment data via descriptive statistics and compared with nonclinical samples of other studies. The relation between hypersexuality and impulsivity was analyzed via Spearman's correlation coefficient with pretreatment data (N = 77). Intragroup analysis compared hypersexuality and impulsivity from pre- and posttreatment (n = 29).

Main Outcome Measures

Hypersexual Behavior Inventory and Barratt Impulsiveness Scale Version 11.

Results

The degree of generalized impulsivity in the SIM group was comparable to that in nonclinical samples while the degree of hypersexuality was considerably higher than in nonclinical samples. Sixty-four percent of the participants were in the range of clinically relevant hypersexuality. Impulsivity and hypersexuality were weakly positively correlated with each other. During treatment hypersexuality significantly decreased while impulsivity did not differ significantly between before beginning treatment and after (partial) completion.

Conclusion

Hypersexuality, but not impulsivity, was pronounced in the group of self-referred men with SIM and should be targeted in treatment. In order to improve treatment outcome regarding risk reduction in self-referred men with SIM, a focus on treatment approaches that were developed to treat hypersexuality can be expected to be effective while focusing on generalized impulsivity may be less relevant.

Lampalzer U, Tozdan S, von Franqué F, et al. Hypersexuality and Impulsivity in Self-Referred Men With Sexual Interest in Minors: Are They Related? Do They Change During Treatment? An Exploratory Pilot Study. Sex Med 2021;9:100429.

Sexual aggression against males: Differences between acts by males and females - Results from the German Health and Sexuality Survey (GeSiD)

BACKGROUND

Current research examining sexual aggression against males is rare and representative studies often do not sufficiently differentiate between male and female affected persons, male and female offending person, as well as between different types of sexual aggression.

OBJECTIVE

We investigated the prevalence of sexual aggression against males perpetrated by males and females distinguished by the type of sexual aggression and examined differences between sexual aggression against males committed by males and females in characteristics of the sexual aggression.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

We examined representative self-report data collected in the German Health and Sexuality Survey (GeSiD; n = 4,955). A total of 305 male participants (12.3 % of all male participants) experienced at least one incident of sexual aggression.

METHOD

We investigated differences between characteristics of male- and female-perpetrated sexual aggression against males in cases of (1) sexual aggression against minors by adults, (2) sexual aggression among minors/peers, and (3) sexual aggression among adults. Characteristics of sexual aggression included were frequency, relation of accused person, disclosure, participant's age at first incident, and accused person's age at first incident.

RESULTS

Our results revealed that the proportion of sexual aggression by females against males is rather low in cases of sexual aggression against minors by adults (9 %) compared with sexual aggression among minors/peers (56 %) and among adults (52 %). Although the majority of characteristics of sexual aggression were similar, some differences between male- and female-perpetrated sexual aggression were found.

CONCLUSIONS

Sexual aggression against males appears to be an under-researched phenomenon, especially when it is perpetrated by a female person. More research on sexual aggression against males as well as on the differences between male- and female-perpetrated sexual aggression is therefore considered necessary.

The role of stigmatization in developing post-traumatic symptoms after experiencing child sexual abuse by a female perpetrator

BACKGROUND

The context in which individuals are exposed to child sexual abuse (CSA) and reactions to the disclosure of such abuse experiences play a major role in post-traumatic mental health. Female-perpetrated CSA is an under-recognized issue in society and mental health care, and is therefore supposed to be a breeding ground for stigmatization.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the current study was to examine the mediating role of internalized and anticipated stigma on the effects of so-called victim-blaming experiences and the perception of abuse in the childhood of survivors of female-perpetrated CSA on their post-traumatic symptom severity.

METHOD

A total of 212 individuals who reported experiences of female-perpetrated CSA were assessed in an anonymous online survey. The International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ) served as the primary outcome parameter for detecting differences in post-traumatic symptom severity within mediation analyses, where victim-blaming and abuse awareness served as predictors and anticipated as well as internalized stigma served as mediator variables.

RESULTS

Internalized stigma fully mediated the deteriorating effect of victim-blaming on post-traumatic symptom severity, while abuse awareness and anticipated stigma showed no statistically significant effects as predictor and mediator variables. Yet, victim-blaming had a significant increasing effect on anticipated stigma.

CONCLUSIONS

Efforts to enhance awareness of female-perpetrated CSA in society are needed and mental health care professionals should pay attention to the adverse effects of victim-blaming and internalized stigma on post-traumatic symptoms in individuals affected by female-perpetrated CSA.

Sexual Interest in Children Among Women in Two Nonclinical and Nonrepresentative Online Samples

INTRODUCTION

Regarding women, little research is available about the prevalence of sexual interest in children (SIC), especially in nonclinical samples.

AIM

The present study aimed to investigate the extent to which adult women from 2 nonclinical and nonrepresentative samples indicate sexual interest in prepubescent and/or pubescent children.

METHODS

Participants took part in an online survey either via general websites or via websites directed toward individuals with a SIC.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The self-report survey included questions about the use of online abuse material including children and teenagers as well as about sexual fantasies involving prepubescent and pubescent children. Both measures were included as main outcome measures.

RESULTS

Results showed that few women reported having used online abuse material including children (total sample: n = 7 [0.8%], general websites: n = 3 [0.4%], SIC websites: n = 4 [9.5%]) or teenagers (total sample: n = 44 [5.0%], general websites: n = 37 [4.4%], SIC websites: n = 7 [16.7%]). Results further revealed that some women reported sexual fantasies involving prepubescent (total sample: n = 98 [7.0%], general websites: n = 92 [6.8%], SIC websites: n = 6 [11.1%]) or pubescent children (total sample: n = 136 [9.6%], general websites: n = 129 [9.5%], SIC websites: n = 7 [13.0%]).

CONCLUSIONS

The samples included are nonrepresentative and therefore not generalizable to the female population. Nevertheless, they strongly suggest that SIC is a phenomenon also found in women. We therefore recommend professionals in the field of sexual medicine to increase their attention and engagement for women with SIC. Based on the present results, the development of preventive treatment services specifically tailored to women with a SIC has to be strongly encouraged in the near future. Tozdan S, Dekker A, Neutze J, et al. Sexual Interest in Children Among Women in Two Nonclinical and Nonrepresentative Online Samples. Sex Med 2020;8:251-264.

@myTabu-A Placebo Controlled Randomized Trial of a Guided Web-Based Intervention for Individuals Who Sexually Abused Children and Individuals Who Consumed Child Sexual Exploitation Material: A Clinical Study Protocol

Background: There is a high demand for evidence-based and cost-effective treatment concepts for convicted individuals who sexually abused children (ISAC) and individuals who consumed child sexual exploitation material (ICCSEM) under community supervision (CS). The @myTabu-consortium developed a guided web-based intervention for convicted ISAC and ICCSEM under CS consisting of six online modules targeting psychological meaningful risk factors. The study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of this guided web-based intervention in reducing dynamic risk factors and the risk to re-offend compared to a placebo condition. Furthermore, these dynamic risk factors are measured before and after every module to evaluate their individual effectiveness to reduce the respective risk factor as well as risk to re-offend. This clinical trial protocol describes the planned methods as well as the intervention concept. Methods: The methodological design is a placebo controlled randomized add-on trial (N = 582) with follow-ups at 8 points in time. The placebo condition controls for attention and expectation effects and comprises the same amount of modules with a comparable temporal effort as the experimental intervention. The trial is conducted as an add-on to community supervision as usually done. Primary outcomes are dynamic risk factors assessed by self-report risk assessment tools and officially recorded re-offenses. Discussion: To the best of our knowledge, the study is the first to compare the (cost-) effectiveness of a guided web-based intervention for convicted ISAC and ICCSEM under community supervision against a placebo condition. Methodological limitations (e.g., potential ceiling- or volunteers-effects) are discussed. Clinical Trial Registration: German Clinical Trial Register (DRKS 00021256). Prospectively registered: 24.04.2020.

Uncovering Female Child Sexual Offenders-Needs and Challenges for Practice and Research

This article provides a short literature overview on female child sexual offenders (FCSO) focusing on the discrepancy between prevalence rates from different sources, characteristics of FCSO and their victims, as well as the societal “culture of denial” surrounding these women. FCSO are a powerful social taboo. Even professionals in the healthcare or justice system were shown to respond inappropriately in cases of child sexual abuse committed by women. As a result, offences of FCSO may be underreported and therefore difficult to research. The lack of scientific data on FSCO lowers the quality of child protection and treatment services. We therefore deem it particularly necessary for professionals in health care to break the social taboo that is FCSO and to further stimulate research on the topic of FCSO. We provide some general implications for professionals in health care systems as well as specific recommendations for researchers. We end with an overall conclusion.

Validation of the Change or Stop Testosterone-Lowering Medication (COSTLow) Scale Using the Delphi Method Among Clinical Experts

Guidelines for pharmacological treatment of patients with paraphilic disorders have been developed by a working group of the World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry (Thibaut et al., 2010 ). With an increasing duration of experience and number of treated patients as well as aging patients, change of or withdrawal from testosterone-lowering medications (TLM) has become an important issue. The current study aimed to assess the quality of a structured professional judgment procedure that helps switching or discontinuing TLM in patients with paraphilic disorders. We used the Delphi method to estimate the quality of 10 factors originally proposed by the authors. A total of 30 experts participated in the first stage; 18 experts participated in the second stage. The experts' assessment resulted in an instrument of 15 factors that can be used to structure the process of changing or discontinuing TLM. These factors can be grouped into five broader categories: age and duration of treatment; therapeutic alliance; psychopathology and risk factors; motivation; and compliance and level of control. The developed COSTLow-R Scale provides an instrument that can be used to structure the process of changing or discontinuing TLM in patients with severe paraphilic disorders.

Age of Onset and Its Correlates in Men with Sexual Interest in Children

Introduction

Current discussions in the field of sex research concern the age at which sexual interest in children occurred or awareness emerged.

Aim

To investigate the age of onset (AOO) and its correlates in men with sexual interest in children.

Methods

Using 2 samples (study 1, patients from an outpatient treatment center, n = 26; study 2, an online survey using 3 recruitment paths, n = 94), we assessed self-reported AOO of sexual interest in children, its flexibility, its exclusiveness, and individuals’ motivation to change it. We further examined the interrelation between these variables.

Main Outcome Measure

AOO as the self-reported age at which participants retrospectively felt sexually attracted to children for the first time.

Results

We found broad ranges in AOO (study 1: mean 20.0 ± 10.7; study 2: mean 17.0 ± 8.7), flexibility, and exclusiveness (in studies 1 and 2, 7.7% and 22.3%, respectively, reported that their sexual interest is exclusively in children). The earlier participants felt sexually attracted to children for the first time, the more they were attracted exclusively in children and the less they perceived it to be flexible. Participants who reported rather exclusive sexual interest in children were less likely to perceive it as flexible. The more participants reported on flexibility, the more they were motivated to change it. The earlier participants of study 2 felt sexually attracted to children for the first time, the less they were motivated to change.

Clinical Implications

The variety of our results indicates the contradiction of overall rules for individuals with sexual interest in children.

Strength & Limitations

We included individuals with sexual interest in children from different contexts (eg, forensic vs non-forensic). Our results are in line with previous findings. However, both studies included rather small samples, limiting generalizability. There is not yet consent about how to operationalize AOO.

Conclusion

We recommend a differentiated perspective on individuals with sexual interest in children and on different forms of pedophilia in the diagnostic construct.

Tozdan S, Briken P. Age of Onset and Its Correlates in Men with Sexual Interest in Children.Sex Med 2019;7:61–71.

Why Information Matters: Examining the Consequences of Suggesting That Pedophilia Is Immutable

In this study, the impact of suggesting that pedophilia is immutable on a man's specific self-efficacy for modifying his sexual interest in children was examined in 94 men with a sexual interest in children. The participants were selected from differing contexts and included non-forensic patients, forensic patients, and participants from the Internet. Randomly distributed to two conditions, the mutable condition group received the information that experts consider pedophilia to be modifiable, whereas the immutable condition group received the information that experts consider pedophilia to be stable. Afterward, the participants' levels of specific self-efficacy for modifying their sexual interest in children were assessed. Non-forensic participants in the mutable condition reported higher levels of specific self-efficacy than those in the immutable condition. No differences in specific self-efficacy were revealed for the forensic and Internet participants when comparing the mutable and immutable conditions. It would appear appropriate to avoid generalized and absolute statements about the (im)mutability of sexual interest in children, as scientific research on this topic remains insufficient. Furthermore, given the present results, such statements might have serious consequences for an individual's belief in being able to change his sexual interest in children.

Keep Faith in Yourself! A Pilot Study on the Relevance of Specific Self-Efficacy for Modifying Sexual Interest in Children Among Men With a Risk to Sexually Abuse Children

Among 26 pedophilic/hebephilic men, we investigated (1) the relationship between "specific self-efficacy for modifying a sexual interest in children" (SSIC) and actual sexual interest in children and (2) whether changes in SSIC are associated with changes in sexual interest in children. Results showed that the more clients believe they are able to influence their sexual interest in children, the less strong they perceive their sexual interest in children to be. Furthermore, an increase in SSIC is associated with a decrease in sexual interest in children. We suggest avoiding generalized statements about the immutability of sexual interest in children.

[Specific Self-Efficacy for Modifying Sexual Interest in Children (SSIC): Construction and Validation of a Measuring Instrument]

The current study aimed the construction and validation of an instrument for assessing the specific self-efficacy for modifying sexual interest in children (SSIC). The construction process included 2 expert reviews resulting in a 6-item self-report questionnaire (SSIC-Scale). Regarding validation, the SSIC-Scale and additional psychometric instruments were assessed within a sample of 56 men having a sexual interest in children. Results demonstrated a good internal consistency (reliability) of the instrument with Cronbach´s α=0.87. The good construct validity was primarily shown by expected positive correlations of the SSIC-Scale with other aspects of sexuality such as sexual self-efficacy (r=0.54, p<0.01) and by the expected negative correlation with external locus of control (r=-0.25, p<0.10). Correlations with other variables such as general self-efficacy (r=0.15, p=0.29) or depression (r=-0.18, p=0.19) presented the expected direction, but did not reach statistical significance. The results indicate the existence of a construct that may be described as the specific self-efficacy for modifying sexual interest in children. Research implications especially concern the question whether the SSIC is influenceable due to specific interventions.

[Risk and Protective Factors Among Sexual Offenders: Relapse Prediction and Changes During Treatment]

OBJECTIVE

Investigation of two questions: first, whether sexual/forensic therapists are able to make valid assessments for future criminal behavior and second, whether their treatment changes factors relevant for new offences.

METHODS

First, the predictive validity for recidivism of HCR-20 and SAPROF were tested. Second, the dynamic scales of both instruments were analyzed concerning changes during treatment process.

RESULTS

Both instruments showed good predictive validity. The dynamic scales scores of HCR-20 did not change, whereas the I- and M-scale scores of SAPROF increased statistically significant.

CONCLUSION

The therapists were able to identify high-risk clients and seemed to mainly focus their interventions towards factors associated with new offences.