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Updated: Aug 13, 2026

Combining Behavioral Endocrinology and Experimental Economics: Testosterone and Social Decision Making
Published on: March 2, 2011
Testosterone, sexuality and antisocial personality in rapists and child molesters: a pilot study
Anu S Aromäki1, Ralf E Lindman, C J Peter Eriksson
1Department of Psychology, Abo Akademi University, FIN-20500 Turku, Finland. anu_aromaki@hotmail.com
Abstract:
Morning and afternoon levels of saliva testosterone levels in Finnish imprisoned rapists (n = 10) and child molesters (n = 10) were compared to those in randomly selected control subjects (n = 31). The associations of saliva testosterone with sexual behavior and antisocial personality traits were explored in all groups. The sexual offenders and control subjects did not differ in the between-subjects main effect estimated for the averaged morning and afternoon testosterone levels. Seven rapists and three child molesters met the criteria for antisocial personality disorder (ASP). In the sexual offenders, a summed ASP index was positively correlated with mean saliva testosterone. Sexual activity as estimated from self-reports of sexual intercourse and masturbation was significantly related to testosterone in both rapists and child molesters but not in the control males. The implications of these results are discussed.
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