Construction of Self-Report Indigenous Measure: The Pedophilic Interest Scale for Child Sexual Abuse Perpetrators no in Pakistan

Abstract

Child sexual abuse is a deeply distressing and pervasive social issue that goes beyond cultural, geographical, and socioeconomic boundaries, leaving a profound impact on the lives of children. The consequences of child abuse are profound, and not only affect their wellbeing but influence their long-term physical, emotional, and psychological development. The objective of the present study was to construct an indigenous tool to assess the pedophilic interest in CSA offenders. The sample comprised 250 male offenders with a mean age of 29.88 years (SD= 12.44). Purposive sampling was used to collect data from local and district jails. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was performed by using orthogonal rotation (varimax) on 22 items as the factor analysis extraction technique through SPSS. Furthermore, Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was done, and the model was fit on 17 item final scale. Cronbach Alpha (α) reliability coefficient of the 17-item Pedophilic Interest Scale (PSI) had an acceptable internal consistency (17 items: α =. 64). Thus, the current indigenous scale can be used with other assessment measures for assessing pedophilic interest in the forensic population. This scale will provide vital resources for future academics and practitioners working in the field of mental health.