Personality traits of the child molester have been reviewed with the study of sexual offenders (child and adult), pedophilias, and incest offenders. Investigations clinical characteristics and educational, economic, and social observations. Psychometrics further analyze personality characteristics.
Background of Clinical Observations
Pedophilia, the adult sexual desire for a child, is sometimes viewed as a possible component of incest. Clinical observation reveals that pedophiliacs appear to be timid, passive, and immature with strong feelings of sexual inadequacy and impotence. These are men who lack the courage to attempt sexual contacts with adult women (Kopp, 1962). Studies of family histories comparing sexual deviancy suggest that pedophilia is familial (Gaffney, Lurie, & Berlin, 1984).
Peters (1976) studied sexual assault offenders and concluded that pedophiles produced an intelligence range which fell in the lower half of the normal-average range (96.9 on the Revised Army Beta Examination). All sex offenders studied produced scores in the pathologic range on the Cornell Medical Index and all scores for ego integration were different from normal men on the Bender Gestalt Test. Pedophiles scored higher on the somatic scale with fewer reports of emotional disturbances. Pedophiles' drawings showed immaturity, dependency needs, phallic inadequacy and over-all regression; the Rorschach showed pedophiles to be passive with diminished sensitivity toward others and denial as an ego defense mechanism. It was concluded that inferiority feelings may result in inabilities to compete with other men in efforts to attract adult women, and advances toward little girls for affection and sexual gratification may result.
An additional study of sex offenders from a correctional institution showed D-A-P test results. Narcissism, assertion, sex disturbance, aggression, and anxiety were demonstrated. Incest offenders, to inc...