TY - JOUR
T1 - Characteristics of Child Molesters
T2 - Implications for the Fixated-Regressed Dichotomy
AU - Simon, Leonore M.J.
AU - Sales, Bruce
AU - Kaszniak, Alfred
AU - Kahn, Marvin
PY - 1992/6
Y1 - 1992/6
N2 - This study attempted to empirically validate the fixated-regressed typology used in the child sexual abuse literature. The sample consisted of 136 consecutive cases of convicted child molesters tried in Pima County, Arizona, over a 2-year period (1984-1985) for whom case history, MMPI, presentence reports, and police report data were collected prior to sentencing. Application of the criteria defining fixated versus regressed status yielded a unimodal and continuous distribution of child molesters rather than the bimodal distribution predicted by theory. In a multiple regression analysis, two independent variables (i.e., whether the victim and offender were related and an offender's prior non-sex-criminal record) significantly predicted an offender's degree of regression, and a third independent variable (i.e., offender age) approached significance. Alternative conceptualizations to the fixated-regressed typology are described, and implications for understanding child molesters are discussed.
AB - This study attempted to empirically validate the fixated-regressed typology used in the child sexual abuse literature. The sample consisted of 136 consecutive cases of convicted child molesters tried in Pima County, Arizona, over a 2-year period (1984-1985) for whom case history, MMPI, presentence reports, and police report data were collected prior to sentencing. Application of the criteria defining fixated versus regressed status yielded a unimodal and continuous distribution of child molesters rather than the bimodal distribution predicted by theory. In a multiple regression analysis, two independent variables (i.e., whether the victim and offender were related and an offender's prior non-sex-criminal record) significantly predicted an offender's degree of regression, and a third independent variable (i.e., offender age) approached significance. Alternative conceptualizations to the fixated-regressed typology are described, and implications for understanding child molesters are discussed.
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U2 - 10.1177/088626092007002007
DO - 10.1177/088626092007002007
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84965431694
SN - 0886-2605
VL - 7
SP - 211
EP - 225
JO - Journal of Interpersonal Violence
JF - Journal of Interpersonal Violence
IS - 2
ER -