Acknowledgements: This project was partially funded by grants from the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the Eastern Regional Health Authority. Thanks to all colleagues in the prison services, the community employment scheme, the wholesale company and the TCD research panel for their co-operation and assistance. Results. A secure adult attachment style was four times less common in the child sex offender group than in any of the other three groups. 93% of sex offenders had an insecure adult attachment style and the majority (59%) had a fearful-insecure attachment style. Compared with community controls, the child sex offender group reported significantly lower levels of maternal and paternal care and significantly higher levels of maternal and paternal overprotection during their childhood. Compared with all three comparison groups, the child sexual offenders reported significantly more emotional loneliness and a more external locus of control.With respect to anger management, the child sexual offenders' profile more closely approximated those of non-violent offenders and community controls than that of violent offenders. Conclusions.Insecure attachment was a vulnerability factor uniquely associated with child sex offending in this study. Compared with violent and non-violent offenders and community controls, the child sexual offenders evaluated in this study were also characterized by poorer psychosocial adjustment and an anger management profile closer to the normal range than that of violent offenders.Attachment Styles 4