title: [Impairments of empathic process in sexual offenders].
abstract: The review of literature devoted to empathy deficits of sexual offenders shows that they have difficulties in identifying specific emotions in specific situations. Their perspective taking abilities range from weak to normal. Face to their victims suffering, their emotional replication would be inhibited. Affective and cognitive impairments in sexual offenders do not result from a general empathy deficit but would however result from the context, cognitive distortions or indifference towards victims. Some sexual offenders are able to decenter from themselves and understand their victims' mental states, but maintain their viewpoint, leading them to not identify with their victims or share their feelings. This focus overcomes the common general consideration regarding the lack of empathy among sex offenders by lighting several processes that explain, justify or apologize to them the genesis and persistence of their behavior. It would be interesting to study by using brain imaging techniques the perspective switching mechanisms of sexual offenders.
authors.affiliation: Centre hospitalier Henri-Laborit, unité de recherche clinique intersectorielle en psychiatrie à vocation régionale Pierre-Deniker, 370, avenue Jacques-Cœur, CS 10587, F-86022 Poitiers, France; CRIAVS Poitou-Charentes, 1, allée de la Providence, F-86000 Poitiers, France. Electronic address: virginie.cailleau@ch-poitiers.fr.
authors.forename: Virginie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cailleau
authors.affiliation: Centre hospitalier Henri-Laborit, unité de recherche clinique intersectorielle en psychiatrie à vocation régionale Pierre-Deniker, 370, avenue Jacques-Cœur, CS 10587, F-86022 Poitiers, France.
authors.forename: Bérangère
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Thirioux
authors.affiliation: CRIAVS Poitou-Charentes, 1, allée de la Providence, F-86000 Poitiers, France; Centre pénitentiaire de Poitiers-Vivonne, Le champ des Grolles, route de Lusignan, CS 80029, F-86370 Vivonne, France.
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Méry
authors.affiliation: Centre hospitalier Henri-Laborit, unité de recherche clinique intersectorielle en psychiatrie à vocation régionale Pierre-Deniker, 370, avenue Jacques-Cœur, CS 10587, F-86022 Poitiers, France; CRIAVS Poitou-Charentes, 1, allée de la Providence, F-86000 Poitiers, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Louis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Senon
authors.affiliation: Centre hospitalier Henri-Laborit, unité de recherche clinique intersectorielle en psychiatrie à vocation régionale Pierre-Deniker, 370, avenue Jacques-Cœur, CS 10587, F-86022 Poitiers, France; CHU de Poitiers, université Poitiers, Inserm CICP1402, Inserm U 1084 Experimental and Clinical Neurosciences Laboratory, groupement de recherche CNRS 3557, F-86022 Poitiers, France.
authors.forename: Nematollah
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jaafari
mesh_terms: D004644:Emotions; D004645:Empathy; D006801:Humans; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000523:psychology*