MMPIs of rapists of adults, rapists of children, and non-rapist sex offenders

Abstract

Compared MMPI group mean profiles of rapists of adults, rapists of children, and non-rapist sex offenders. All three groups showed similar elevations on scale 4, but they differed in the extent to which scale 8 characteristics combined with those of scale 4. Rapists of adults showed an elevated 8-4 profile, rapists of children showed a 4-8 profile but with scale 8 somewhat lower, and non-rapists showed a high-4 profile with scale 8 elevated still less. Though there was marked heterogeneity in the two-point codes within groups, still the group results supported the notion that while all three types of sex offenders are impulsive and self-centered with poor social intelligence, the rapists of adults are more hostile, resentful, and interpersonally alienated than are rapists of children, and both types of rapists show those hostile and resentful characteristics more than do non-rapist sex offenders.