This study investigates the relationship between psychopathy and devia
nt sexual arousal in a sample of 65 sexual offenders, with approximate
ly equal numbers of rapists and child molesters. Psychopathy, measured
by the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised and phallometric indexes of devi
ant sexual arousal were significantly correlated, r(63) =.28, p <. 02.
Differentiating between rapists, extrafamilial pedophiles, and incest
offenders revealed that this relationship, however was most apparent
for extrafamilial child molesters, somewhat less for rapists, and not
at all for incest offenders. The incidence of psychopathy was substant
ially lower than previous rates in incarcerated samples and a psychiat
ric sample of sexual offenders Rapists had higher psychopathy ratings
than child molesters, approaching statistical significance t(60) = -1.
88, p <. 07.