title: Defense styles of pedophilic offenders.
abstract: This pilot study investigated the defense styles of pedophile sexual offenders. Interviews with 20 pedophiles and 20 controls were scored using the Defense Mechanisms Rating Scales. Results showed that pedophiles had a significantly lower overall defensive functioning score than the controls. Pedophiles used significantly fewer obsessional-level defenses but more major image-distorting and action-level defenses. Results also suggested differences in the prevalence of individual defenses where pedophiles used more dissociation, displacement, denial, autistic fantasy, splitting of object, projective identification, acting out, and passive aggressive behavior but less intellectualization and rationalization.
authors: McGill University, Montreal, Canada. martin.drapeau@mcgill.ca
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Drapeau
authors: Véronique
authors: V
authors: Beretta
authors: Yves
authors: Y
authors: de Roten
authors: Annett
authors: A
authors: Koerner
authors: Jean-Nicolas
authors: JN
authors: Despland
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D003674:Defense Mechanisms; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010378:Pedophilia / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D010552:Personality Assessment; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology*; D011575:Psychoanalytic Therapy; D011614:Psychotherapy, Brief