Personality and deviant sexual fantasies: An examination of the MMPIs of sex offenders

Abstract

A sample of 228 sex offenders and nonsex offender controls were divided into two groups, based on the presence or absence of deviant sexual fantasies, as determined by their replies to the Clarke Sex History Questionnaire Fantasy Scales. The sex offenders were divided into six groups based on sexual preferences and criminal history. There were 14 heterosexual pedophiles, 23 homosexual pedophiles, 51 exhibitionists, 17 incest offenders, 24 sexual aggressives, and 57 multiple/miscellaneous offenders as well as 42 nonviolent nonsex offender controls. A 2 (fantasy group) x 7 (sex offender group) multivariate analysis with age and education as covariates was used to compare the MMPI validity scales (L, F, and K) and the 10 clinical scales as dependent variables. Deviant fantasizers had more clinically significantly scores on the F, Psychopathic Deviate, Masculinity-Femininity, Paranoia, and Schizophrenia Scales compared to nondeviant fantasizers, regardless of group membership. Results suggest that deviant fantasizers may be more socially alienated and less emotionally stable than nondeviant fantasizers, although few were diagnosed as psychotic. The sex offender and control groups showed considerable overlap on mean MMPI Scales. The groups tended to differ in level of depression and extent of persecutory ideas, but the multivariate sex offender group effect was not statistically significant when problems of inhomogeneity of variance were corrected. There was no interaction of fantasy groups and sex offender groups, indicating that the two factors can be considered independently.

Differences in personality and risk characteristics in sex, violent and general offenders

“…This is also consistent with Chantry and Craig (1994). In our study, sexual offenders were characterized by high lie scale scores and introversion, which is in general accord with Curnoe and Langevin (2002), and Chantry and Craig (1994). The violent offenders displayed more hostile, impulsive, aggressive and psychopathicdeviate characteristics than did sexual offenders and more were considered to pose the greatest risk of reoffending.…”

“…Langevin et al (1988), however, found that, although sex offenders showed more personality pathology compared with other offender groups, there were few differences within sex offender groups. Curnoe and Langevin (2002) divided 228 sex and non-sex offender controls into two groups, based on the presence or absence of deviant sexual fantasies. Using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) Butcher et al (1989) found deviant fantasizers had more clinically significant scores on the F, Psychopathic Deviate, MasculinityFemininity, Paranoia, and Schizophrenia scales compared with non-deviant fantasizers.…”

Relationship Between Sexual Violence and Positive and Negative Cognitions of Sexual Dominance

“…Derivation of pleasure from dominance fantasies may contribute to subsequent use of sexual coercion, at least by sex offenders (Curnoe & Langevin, 2002;Looman, 1995). Although dominance fantasies have also been shown to be associated with coercive sexual behavior among non-criminal men (Gold & Clegg, 1990;Greendlinger & Byrne, 1987), it is unclear whether, for those men, coercive sexual behavior is associated with experiencing cognitions of sexual dominance as positive only, as negative only, or both.…”

Understanding the sexual fantasies of sex offenders and their correlates

“…Within the few studies that have been conducted, three areas have been of particular focus. These include how certain personality characteristics relate to: (1) the differences between deviant fantasizers and nondeviant fantasizers (Curnoe & Langevin, 2002); (2) the link between deviant fantasies and behavior (Williams et al, 2009); and (3) the adaptive coping strategies used to deal with deviant fantasies (Lussier, Proulx, & McKibben, 2001). …”