Sexual fantasies and sensation seeking among psychopathic sexual offenders

Leah C. Skovran; Matthew T. Huss; Mario J. Scalora

doi:10.1080/10683160902998025

Sexual fantasies and sensation seeking among psychopathic sexual offenders

Leah C. Skovran, Matthew T. Huss, Mario J. Scalora

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

29 Scopus citations

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between psychopathy, sensation seeking behavior and sexual fantasies in a sample of 199 participants from a maximum security forensic hospital. Psychopathy, measured by the Psychopathy Checklist Revised (PCL-R), and several sensation seeking and sexual fantasy measures were utilized. Results indicated that, in agreement with previous research, sexually deviant psychopaths are more likely to offend against adults than children. Likewise, psychopaths showed some tendency to score significantly higher on sexual sensation seeking measures than nonpsychopathic sexual offenders. Furthermore, a relationship between psychopathy and overall sexual fantasies existed but there were not specific patterns among psychopaths and nonpsycho- paths with regard to specific categories of sexual fantasies.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	617-629
Number of pages	13
Journal	Psychology, Crime and Law
Volume	16
Issue number	7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/10683160902998025
State	Published - Sep 2010

Keywords

PCL-R
Psychopathy
Sensation seeking
Sexual fantasies
Sexual offenders

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Pathology and Forensic Medicine
Psychology(all)
Law

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10.1080/10683160902998025

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AB - This study investigated the relationship between psychopathy, sensation seeking behavior and sexual fantasies in a sample of 199 participants from a maximum security forensic hospital. Psychopathy, measured by the Psychopathy Checklist Revised (PCL-R), and several sensation seeking and sexual fantasy measures were utilized. Results indicated that, in agreement with previous research, sexually deviant psychopaths are more likely to offend against adults than children. Likewise, psychopaths showed some tendency to score significantly higher on sexual sensation seeking measures than nonpsychopathic sexual offenders. Furthermore, a relationship between psychopathy and overall sexual fantasies existed but there were not specific patterns among psychopaths and nonpsycho- paths with regard to specific categories of sexual fantasies.

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Sexual fantasies and sensation seeking among psychopathic sexual offenders

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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