Self-report and behavioral assertion in two groups of sexual offenders

Role play and self-report measures of assertion were administered to a sample of rapists and child molesters as well as to groups of institutional and socioeconomic status controls. Clear differences emerged on the self-report measures, with high socioeconomic status men appearing to be the most assertive, less socially anxious, and endorsing the most liberal attitudes towards women. No differences were observed on the behavioral role plays, which required assertion in a number of heterosexual situations. There were also no differences between the groups on two related questionnaires measuring knowledge of appropriate behavior and actual predicted behavior in the same scenarios as were role played. Desynchrony between self-report and behavioral measures of assertion is not an uncommon finding with a prison population. Implications for the identification of relevant treatment targets, attempts at isolating causal variables and the relationship between attitudes toward women and assertion are discussed.