title: Socially desirable responding and offence characteristics among rapists.
abstract: The relationship between socially desirable responding and offence characteristics is examined with 49 rapists. Socially desirable responding (SDR) was measured by the Balanced Inventory of Desirable Responding. Offence characteristics included: (a) perpetrator's relationship to the victim; (b) severity of victim injury; and (c) victim's age. Greater victim injury was associated with lower Impression Management (r = -.27, p < .03) and Denial scores (r = -.32, p < .01). No significant relationship occurred between offence characteristics and the self-deceptive scales of Denial of the Negative and Over Confident Rigidity. Alternative to the underreporting hypothesis, self-presentation and the acquisition of socially appropriate skills may explain the SDR/violence relationship.
authors.affiliation: Millhaven Institution, Bath, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Kroner
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Weekes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003674:Defense Mechanisms; D003717:Denial, Psychological; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology; D011902:Rape / Q000523:psychology*; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012928:Social Desirability; D014342:Truth Disclosure