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Five-Factor Model of Personality and Sexual Aggression
Joana Carvalho1, Pedro J Nobre1
11 Universidade do Porto, Portugal.
Summary
Personality traits and emotional adjustment differentiate sexual offenders. Convicted rapists and child molesters show higher neuroticism, while child molesters exhibit less openness. Emotional adjustment issues were more pronounced in convicted rapists.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Criminology
- Forensic Psychology
Background:
- The Five-Factor Model (FFM) of personality is a widely used framework.
- Limited research exists on the FFM's application to sexual aggression.
- Understanding personality and emotional factors in sexual offending is crucial for intervention and prevention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how the Big Five personality dimensions and emotional adjustment features differentiate various types of sexual offenders.
- To compare nonconvicted sexual offenders, convicted rapists, and convicted child sexual molesters on personality and emotional adjustment.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) for personality assessment.
- Employed the Brief Symptom Inventory to evaluate emotional adjustment.
- Administered the Sexual Experiences Survey (perpetration form) and Socially Desirable Response Set Measure.
- Evaluated three groups: nonconvicted sexual offenders, convicted rapists, and convicted child sexual molesters.
Main Results:
- Convicted rapists and child molesters exhibited higher neuroticism compared to nonconvicted offenders.
- Child molesters showed significantly lower openness than rapists and nonconvicted offenders.
- Nonconvicted offenders displayed less conscientiousness than convicted offenders.
- Convicted rapists presented more psychopathological features and hostility than child molesters.
Conclusions:
- Specific Big Five personality traits (neuroticism, openness, conscientiousness) appear to characterize different sexual offender typologies.
- Emotional adjustment features, particularly hostility and psychopathology, distinguish between convicted rapists and child molesters.
- These findings contribute to a nuanced understanding of the psychological profiles of sexual offenders.
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