CYCLE OF ABUSE AND PSYCHOPATHOLOGY IN CLERIC AND NONCLERIC MOLESTERS OF CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS

Sexual abuse in childhood is frequently reported among sex offenders a nd has been hypothesized to be one of a number of psychological factor s etiologically related to perpetration of child molestation in adulth ood. In the current study we examine a sample of cleric and noncleric admitted child molesters and normal control subjects in their exposure to sexual abuse in childhood and current psychopathology. Odds ratios for the association between exposure to sexual abuse and child molest ation were obtained while adjusting for group differences in demograph ic and psychological characteristics. Results indicated exposure to se xual abuse in childhood was associated with becoming a child molester for both cleric and noncleric offenders (p <.0002). Nonclerics indicat ed more severe psychopathology than clerics. Sexual abuse in childhood is one of many risk factors for becoming a perpetrator of child moles tation in adulthood for both cleric and noncleric child molesters. Non cleric offenders demonstrated more sociopathy and mental disorder in g eneral while cleric offenders indicated more sexual conflictedness, su ggesting different psycho-etiologies of offending among cleric and non cleric child molesters. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd