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Sexual offenders against children: the influence of personality and obsessionality on cognitive distortions
- Authors:
- EGAN Vincent, KAVANAGH Beth, BLAIR Marie
- Journal article citation:
- Sexual Abuse a Journal of Research and Treatment, 17(3), July 2005, pp.223-240.
- Publisher:
- Sage
Sexual offenders against children are generally inadequate in their social functioning and diverse in their psychopathology. The degree to which this inadequate functioning and psychopathology influences therapeutic interventions brings into question the belief that generic nonclinical programmatic treatment work is always appropriate for such a cohort. The Sex Offenders Assessment Package (SOAP) measures inadequate social functioning and sexual deviance, but has not been linked to broader individual differences and generic psychopathology. This study collected information examining the relationship between the SOAP and standard measures of personality (the NEO-FFI) and obsessive-compulsiveness (MOCI) in a sample of 200 sexual offenders against children seen by the Probation Service. Factor analysis was used to reduce the SOAP to three reliable factors: emotional distress, cognitions supporting sex with children, and concern for others. These factors correlated respectively with higher Neuroticism and lower Extroversion; greater obsessive-compulsiveness on the MOCI, and trait Agreeableness, irrespective of whether or not one corrected for socially desirable responding. When partial correlation controlled for the influence of Neuroticism on the correlation between cognitions supporting sex with children and the MOCI, there was no change in the association between these variables. These results show that negative affect and obsessional tendencies are important underlying influences on the feelings and behavior of sexual offenders, that the obsessionality of the group is not attributable to Neuroticism, and suggest useful additional foci to enhance the treatment of this diverse clinical group.
Genetics: the implications for forensic psychiatry
- Authors:
- JONES Gaynor, OWEN Michael J.
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Forensic Psychiatry and Psychology (The), 15(4), December 2004, pp.696-704.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
In 1953, Crick and Watson described the structure of DNA; the sequence of which holds the blueprint for all proteins involved in cellular structure and function, and which allows the transmission of genetic differences from one generation to the next. Understanding how genetic variation influences susceptibility to disease and individual differences in a variety of traits is now a major goal of genetics research. It is hoped that this will eventually lead to more effective ways to treat and prevent many of the major afflictions of mankind. In some disorders such as Cystic Fibrosis or Huntington's disease, the disease process can be attributed to a single gene mutation. However, most common disorders and traits are more complex and are likely to involve a number of genes, environmental factors and the interplay between them. Indeed this appears to be the case for many psychiatric disorders such as anxiety, alcoholism, substance misuse, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. In recent years many susceptibility loci or genes have been identified for a number of psychiatric disorders often failing to be replicated in subsequent studies. However emerging through the copious databases and publications, some susceptibility loci are showing some consistency in replication studies. Genes are also seemingly important in a number of behavioural traits including aspects of personality and cognitive abilities, which though not disorders themselves, may influence susceptibility to mental illness and maladaptive behaviours. Howwever, yet again genes are only part of the story, and it is by understanding the interplay between genes and the environment that researchers are likely to discover the key processes involved.