Comparing personality characteristics of juvenile sex offenders and non-sex offending delinquent peers: a preliminary investigation.
There exists a paucity of research on psychopathology among Juvenile Sex Offenders (JSOs) as measured by standardized instruments, particularly as compared to nonclinical and other clinical populations. The current investigation involved a comparison of scores on the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Adolescent Version (MMPI-A) between a group of JSOs and non-sex offending delinquent peers. Thirty-six youth from a staff-secure residential facilitate participated, 18 JSOs and 18 non-sex offending delinquent peers. Results revealed that the mean score on clinical Scale 4 (Psychopathic Deviant) was in the clinically significant range for non-sex offending peers and not for JSOs, although the difference between the mean scores was not statistically significant. Chi-square analysis indicated that a significantly greater number of non-sex offending delinquents had scores in the clinical range on this scale as compared to JSOs. Results are discussed in the context of current research on psychopathology among JSOs.
Freeman
Kurt A
KA
Counseling Psychology Program, Pacific University, Portland, Oregon, USA. freemaku@ohsu.edu
Dexter-Mazza
Elizabeth T
ET
Hoffman
Kerry C
KC
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008950:MMPI; D009511:New England / Q000453:epidemiology; D010551:Personality; D010552:Personality Assessment; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data