Self-Reported Reasons for Offending Behavior in Child Molesters

Twenty-six incarcerated male child molesters were assessed, using the Four Attributional Dimension Scale (Benson, 1989), at three points (high risk situation, lapse, and relapse) while they listened to an audiotaped recording of a description of their most typical offence chain. Participants were also classified as either fixated or regressed according to age of onset of their offending, quality of the relationship with the victim, lifestyle issues, stress, and drug use. There was no significant change in types of reasons given for their offense related behavior across the three points assessed, although there was an increasing trend for sexual reasons to be reported over the offense chain. Independent of the point in the offence cycle, a significantly greater number of participants reported that sexual motivations were the primary reason for their behavior. After sexual motives, intimacy emerged as a major reason for sexual offending. Where two reasons were given for the offending related behavior by the same individual, sexual motives and intimacy were most commonly associated together. These data are interpreted in light of current theorizing.