ABSTRACT

While attention has been given to maladaptive personality traits in the sexual offending literature, little is known about how individuals who engage in child sexual abuse (CSOs) score on general personality traits, and how subgroups of CSOs vary in these traits. This study investigated general personality traits of (subgroups of) CSOs (n=57) as compared to those who engage in nonsexual offending (n=33) and nonoffending controls (n=36) by using the HEXACO model and the Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory. Results revealed that the personality features of the CSOs are more similar to those of the nonoffending subgroup than to those of the nonsexual offending subgroup. Whereas the nonsexual offending subgroup showed personality traits that may affect their self-regulatory abilities, the CSOs showed traits that may impair their socio-affective functioning. However, the subgroup of CSOs that showed an enduring pattern of offending did display a constellation of personality traits typically found in antisocial individuals. These findings can inform treatment strategies for CSOs.

Practice impact statement

This article assists clinicians in designing tailored treatment strategies for individuals who perpetrate sexual offences against children (CSOs) by identifying how CSOs score on general personality traits. In contrast to nonsexual offenders who showed personality traits that may affect their self-regulatory abilities, CSOs showed personality traits that may affect their socio-affective functioning. This highlights the importance of addressing problems in the socio-affective domain such as intimacy deficits and emotional regulation difficulties in treatment programmes for CSOs. The present research also revealed personality differences within CSOs and showed how these differences should be taken into account when designing treatment strategies for CSOs.

摘要

虽然在性犯罪文献中已经注意到适应不良的人格特征，但对于从事儿童性虐待 (CSO) 的个人如何在一般人格特征上得分，以及 CSO 的亚组在这些特征上有何不同，知之甚少。本研究调查了 CSO（ n = 57）（n = 57）与那些从事非性犯罪的人（n = 33）和非犯罪对照组（n=36) 通过使用 HEXACO 模型和增强敏感性理论。结果显示，CSO 的人格特征与非性侵犯亚组的相似性高于非性侵犯亚组的人格特征。非性犯罪亚组表现出可能影响其自我调节能力的人格特征，而 CSO 表现出可能损害其社会情感功能的特征。然而，表现出持久犯罪模式的 CSO 子群体确实表现出一系列通常在反社会个体中发现的人格特征。这些发现可以为 CSO 的治疗策略提供信息。

实践影响陈述

本文通过确定 CSO 在一般人格特征上的得分，帮助临床医生为对儿童 (CSO) 实施性侵犯的个人设计量身定制的治疗策略。与表现出可能影响其自我调节能力的人格特质的非性犯罪者相比，CSO 表现出可能影响其社会情感功能的人格特质。这突出了解决社会情感领域问题的重要性，例如 CSO 治疗计划中的亲密缺陷和情绪调节困难。本研究还揭示了 CSO 内部的人格差异，并展示了在为 CSO 设计治疗策略时应如何考虑这些差异。