Are Categorical Deniers Different? Understanding Demographic, Personality, and Psychological Differences between Denying and Admitting Individuals with Sexual Convictions

Type of content
Journal Article
Thesis discipline
Degree name
Publisher
Informa UK Limited
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Language
en
Date
2020
Authors
Ware J
Blagden N
Harper C
ware, jayson
Abstract

The purpose of this study was to establish whether there were demographic, personality, or psychological differences between a sample of 40 incarcerated sex offenders in categorical denial and 37 sex offenders admitting responsibility in an Australian minimum-security unit. Categorical deniers had lower IQs, were older, and were more likely to be child molesters. Criminogenically, there were no differences between categorical deniers and those who admitted their offences in relation to Static-99 risk scores. Psychologically, offenders denying their offences were significantly more shame-prone, and likely to use externalization as a method of impression-management. They were also more compulsive than those admitting their offences, but less antisocial and sadistic, when compared on personality indices. The study is limited by the small sample size however implications for further research and the treatment of categorical deniers are discussed.

Description
Citation
Ware J, Blagden N, Harper C (2020). Are Categorical Deniers Different? Understanding Demographic, Personality, and Psychological Differences between Denying and Admitting Individuals with Sexual Convictions. Deviant Behavior. 41(4). 399-412.
Keywords
Sex offenders, denial, differences, personality, shame
Ngā upoko tukutuku/Māori subject headings
ANZSRC fields of research
1608 Sociology
1701 Psychology
Fields of Research::44 - Human society::4402 - Criminology::440214 - Sociological studies of crime
Fields of Research::52 - Psychology
Rights
All rights reserved unless otherwise stated