Are mental disorders associated with recidivism in men convicted of sexual offenses?

Abstract

Introduction In offending populations, prevalence rates of mental disorders are much higher than in the general population. Nevertheless, it is unclear whether mental disorders can improve the prediction of recidivism beyond actuarial risk assessment tools. Methods The present prospective‐longitudinal study was conducted between 2001 and 2021 and included 1066 men convicted of sexual offenses in Austria. All participants were evaluated with actuarial risk assessment tools for the prediction of sexual and violent recidivism and the Structured Clinical Interview for Axis I and Axis II disorders. Sexual and violent reconvictions were assessed. Results Exhibitionism and an exclusive pedophilia showed the strongest correlations with sexual recidivism in the total sample. In the child related offense subsample additionally a narcissistic personality disorder was correlated with sexual recidivism. The strongest correlation with violent recidivism was found for an antisocial and borderline personality disorder. None of the mental disorders could improve the prediction of recidivism beyond actuarial risk assessment tools. Conclusion Common current actuarial risk assessment tools revealed good predictive accuracy in men convicted of sexual offenses. With few exceptions mental disorders were only weakly associated with recidivism, suggesting that there is no direct link between mental disorders and violent and sexual reoffending. Mental disorders should nevertheless be considered in treatment issues.

The prevalence of mental disorders among incarcerated adult men convicted of child sexual exploitation material offences

“…11,32 Clinically, these risk factors are expressed in personality disorders or paraphilic disorders, that is, mental disorders that are significantly associated with violent or sexual recidivism. 24 However, the prevalence rates of these disorders are unknown. The present study aims to address this gap by evaluating data from n = 66 men convicted of a CSEM-related offense, who served a prison sentence between 2002 and 2020 and underwent a comprehensive clinical assessment.…”

“…Clinically, the relevant risk factors are characteristics of paraphilic disorders or personality disorders, that is, mental disorders that are significantly associated with violent or sexual recidivism. 24 Therefore, to better understand the risk and possible treatments for these offender groups, knowledge of mental health, specifically the prevalence rates of mental disorders, is needed.…”

The complex link between mental disorders and re‐offending in sexual offenders: Why we need to learn more

“…10 This could be explained by the societal stigma load associated with pedophilia. 9,10 The Biedermann et al findings 8 highlight the challenges associated with identifying single potent risk factors for sexual reoffending. Although no deterministic link has been identified between mental disorders and sexual reoffending, understanding the relationship between mental health and sexual reoffending appears essential for the development of effective treatment and preventive strategies for ICSO.…”