Psychological aspects of sexual functioning among cleric and noncleric alleged sex offenders

Haywood, Thomas W.; Kravitz, Howard M.; Grossman, Linda S.; Wasyliw, Orest E.; Hardy, Daniel W.

doi:10.1016/0145-2134(96)00034-8

Cited by 70 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…Although rather limited, current available research and clinical practice suggests that defensive coping, as well as cognitive dysfunction may play a significant role among Catholic clergy who sexually abuse minors (e.g., Blanchard, 1991;Haywood, 1994;Haywood, Kravitz, Grossman, & Wasyliw, 1996;Plante et al, 1996;Robinson, 1994). Overcontrolled hostility, repression, and cognitive impairment have been commonly found among sex offenders in general, and may prove to be common among the clergy sex offending population as well.…”

mentioning

confidence: 98%

Psychological Patterns Among Roman Catholic Clergy Accused of Sexual Misconduct

Plante

Aldridge

2005

Pastoral Psychol

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A remarkable amount of international attention has focused on the sexual misconduct by Roman Catholic clergy in recent years. While the demographics and risk factor profiles of clergy sex offenders is now fairly well established, the psychological and personality profiles of these men are not. Very few empirical research studies have been published on the psychological and personality functioning of clergy who engage in sexual misconduct in the Catholic Church. The purpose of this study was to investigate the psychological profiles of 21 Roman Catholic clergy who have confronted credible accusations of sexual misconduct. Relative to national norms, MMPI-2 results suggest that these men tend to have profiles that were defensive, repressive, mistrustful, isolative, and irritable. Precautions and limitations of the current study, as well as implications for future research are offered.

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confidence: 98%

Psychological Patterns Among Roman Catholic Clergy Accused of Sexual Misconduct

Plante

Aldridge

2005

Pastoral Psychol

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“…In the priest population specifically, many clergy offenders were found to have comorbid alcohol or drug problems, are naı¨ve in interpersonal interactions, have authority conflicts, and tend towards depression (Haywood, Kravitz, Grossman, & Wasyliw, 1996;Plante, 1999;Robinson, 1994). Doyle (2003) emphasized the importance of the priest's emotional and psychological status prior to specific abusive behavior.…”

Section: Mild Impairmentmentioning

confidence: 98%

Cognitive mediational deficits and the role of coping styles in pedophile and ephebophile Roman Catholic clergy

2007

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This study was designed to examine hypothesized differences between sex offending and nonoffending Roman Catholic clergy on cognitive mediation abilities as measured by the Rorschach Inkblot Test (H. Rorschach, 1921/1942). This study compared 78 priest pedophiles and 77 priest ephebophiles with 80 nonoffending priest controls on the Inkblot test using J. E. Exner's (2003) Comprehensive System. The three groups were compared on seven variables that constitute Exner's Cognitive Mediation cluster. Additionally, the groups' coping styles were compared to examine the interaction of coping style and cognitive mediational abilities. We found interactions between coping style and offending status across most of the cognitive variables indicating impairment in the mild to pathological ranges. Moreover, significantly higher unusual thinking styles (Xu%) and significantly lower conventional thinking styles (X+%) in offenders compared to nonoffenders. Those with an Extratensive style (n=31) showed significantly higher distorted thinking when compared to the Introversive (n=81), Ambitent (n=73), and Avoidant (n=50) coping styles. This study suggests that offenders display significantly higher distorted thinking styles than do nonoffenders. Possible reasons for these discrepancies and the role of coping styles in abusive behaviors were discussed.

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“…Controlled studies of the personality traits and personal characteristics of clerical child sexual offenders suggest that they may be better adjusted psychologically than their lay counterparts (Haywood, Kravitz, Grossman, Wasyliw, & Hardy, 1996;Haywood, Kravitz, Wasyliw, Goldberg, & Cavanaugh, 1996;Langevin, Curnoe, & Bain, 2000). In a study of 30 clerical child sexual offenders, 39 laymen who had sexually abused children and 38 normal controls, Haywood, Kravitz, Grossman et al (1996) found that clerical abusers had fewer psychological problems than offenders and had committed fewer offenses, had fewer victims, and more of their victims were male adolescents.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In a study of 30 clerical child sexual offenders, 39 laymen who had sexually abused children and 38 normal controls, Haywood, Kravitz, Grossman et al (1996) found that clerical abusers had fewer psychological problems than offenders and had committed fewer offenses, had fewer victims, and more of their victims were male adolescents. In a second study, Haywood's group investigated 24 clerical and 45 non-clerical child sex offenders, 48 non-offending clerical controls, and 40 non-clerical normal controls .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%