Cognitive mediational deficits and the role of coping styles in pedophile and ephebophile Roman Catholic clergy.
This study was designed to examine hypothesized differences between sex offending and nonoffending Roman Catholic clergy on cognitive mediation abilities as measured by the Rorschach Inkblot Test (H. Rorschach, 1921/1942). This study compared 78 priest pedophiles and 77 priest ephebophiles with 80 nonoffending priest controls on the Inkblot test using J. E. Exner's (2003) Comprehensive System. The three groups were compared on seven variables that constitute Exner's Cognitive Mediation cluster. Additionally, the groups' coping styles were compared to examine the interaction of coping style and cognitive mediational abilities. We found interactions between coping style and offending status across most of the cognitive variables indicating impairment in the mild to pathological ranges. Moreover, significantly higher unusual thinking styles (Xu%) and significantly lower conventional thinking styles (X+%) in offenders compared to nonoffenders. Those with an Extratensive style (n=31) showed significantly higher distorted thinking when compared to the Introversive (n=81), Ambitent (n=73), and Avoidant (n=50) coping styles. This study suggests that offenders display significantly higher distorted thinking styles than do nonoffenders. Possible reasons for these discrepancies and the role of coping styles in abusive behaviors were discussed.
Ryan
Gregory P
GP
Montgomery College, 20200 Oberservation Drive, HS 138, Germantown, MD 20876, USA. Gregory.Ryan@montgomerycollege.edu
Baerwald
Jeffrey P
JP
McGlone
Gerard
G
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D002410:Catholicism; D002977:Clergy / Q000523:psychology*; D003071:Cognition; D006801:Humans; D007282:Ink Blot Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010378:Pedophilia / Q000523:psychology*; D014481:United States