Adult sexual contact with children: An examination of cognitive factors

Child maltreatment and adult criminal behavior: Does criminal thinking explain the association?

“…Consistent with hypotheses, proactive criminal thinking was associated with sexual offending. Specifically, consistent with prior work (Hatch-Maillette et al, 2001;Stermac and Segal, 1989) the proactive thinking styles of mollification and power orientation were associated with sexual offending. These findings suggest that rationalization of criminal behavior and focusing on the need for power over others may increase risk for sexual offending.…”

“…Generally, having a history of sexual offenses has been associated with mollification (e.g., a belief that sexual contact benefits children; Marziano et al, 2006;Stermac and Segal, 1989), entitlement (Hanson, Gizzarelli, & Scott, 1994), and power orientation (Hatch-Maillette et al, 2001). Although a history of sexual offenses has also been associated with cognitive indolence (Hatch-Maillette et al, 2001), it appears that sexual offenses may be primarily associated with proactive criminal thinking styles.…”

Child Sexual Abuse in Protestant Christian Congregations: A Descriptive Analysis of Offense and Offender Characteristics

“…It is also possible that those in the primary position of power within their church view sexual offending as a mere extension of their power and control over their environment and their congregants. This is especially probable since power and control have been identified as key traits for male rapists with female victims (Brownmiller 1975;Stermac and Segal 1989). Future research needs to explore the specific mechanisms of how power and control inherent in one's role within the church are utilized, if at all, by the offenders in order to sexually abuse child congregants.…”

Crime Analysis About Sex Offenders in Turkey: Rapists' Psychological Profiling, Cognitive Distortions and Psychopathy

“…There are many studies that indicate that maladaptive beliefs and attitudes and cognitive distortions are related to sexual assault (Hanson and Scott 1995, Lanyon 1986, Marshall and Barbaree 1988, Pollock and Hashmall 1991, Schwartz and Masters 1983, Stermac and Segal 1989, Travin et al 1986). There is a significant difference between sex offenders and non-offenders in terms of cognitive distortions regarding rape.…”

“…Schweighofer (1993) also detected a meaningful difference between sex offenders and non-offenders in terms of cognitive distortions regarding rape. Sex offenders have more cognitive distortions than non-offenders when considering rape as a crime (Hanson et al 1994, Marshall et al 2003, Stermac and Segal 1989. Cognitive distortions include reactions such as rationalization, accusation, denial, excuses, and the observed difference between sex offenders and non-offenders is not an unexpected result.…”