An investigation of cognitive distortions among sexual offenders, non-sexually offending criminals, and normals
Year: 1993
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Recent research indicates that cognitions which justify and rationalize sexual assault play an important role in sustaining assaultive behaviour.Consequently, it has been argued that effective treatment must assess and treat such cognitive distortions.The present study used the Abel-Becker Cognition Scale and the Burt Rape Myth Acceptance (RMA) Scale to investigate the cognitive distortions of 69 child molesters and 21 non-child molesting sexual offenders.The experimental groups were compared to 97 non-sexual offending subjects awaiting adjudication at the Vancouver pretrial Services Centre (VPSC) and 100 introductory psychology students.Given the high face validity of the Abel-Becker Scale and the RMA Scale, the presence and influence of faking good was evaluated.Sexual offenders faked good to a significantly greater degree than the control groups.However, faking good was not found to have a significant impact on the sexual offender's cognition scores.The results indicate that child molesters adhere to child molestation distortions significantly more than the non-child molesting sexual offenders and the student control group but not the VPSC control group.Non-child molesting sexual offenders adhere to rape distortions significantly more than the student control group but not significantly more than the child molesters or the VPSC control group.Implications for treatment and further research are discussed.iii summer of my practicum.During the long drives from Vancouver to the Stave Lake Correctional Facility I had the fortunate opportunity to discuss assessment and treatment issues with my practicum supervisor, Dr. Conrad Bowden.During one conversation Dr. Bowden wondered if I would be interested in doing research on the cognitive distortions of sexual offenders.That suggestion grew into my thesis.I extend my gratitude to
Source: Summit (Simon Fraser University)
Author: Anton Schweighofer
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W152879076