Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Sexual preference assessment of sexual aggressors: Predictors of penile response magnitude

  • Published:
Archives of Sexual Behavior Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A current method used to assess the sexual preference of sexual aggressors is the recording of their penile responses during the presentation of erotic stimuli. This method is ineffective in subjects who do not obtain sufficient penile responses. Whether variables related either to the subjects or their crimes would correlate with the magnitude of penile responses during sexual preference assessment was studied. The penile responses of 92 subjects were recorded. Older and presentencing subjects showed a lower maximum penile response magnitude than younger and sentenced subjects. Results are discussed as they relate to the validity of physiological assessment of sexual preference.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abel, G. G., Barlow, D. H., Blanchard, E. B., and Guild, D. (1977). The components of rapists' sexual arousal.Arch. Gen. Psychiat. 34: 895–903.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Abel, G. G., Barlow, D. H., Blanchard, E. B., and Mavissakalian, M. (1975). Measurement of sexual arousal in male homosexuals: Effects of instructions and stimulus modality.Arch. Sex. Behav. 4: 623–629.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Abel, G. G., and Blanchard, E. B. (1976). The measurement and generation of sexual arousal. In Hersen, M., Eisler, R., and Miller, P. M. (eds.),Progress in Behavior Modification, Vol. 11, Academic Press, New York, pp. 99–136.

    Google Scholar 

  • Abel, G. G., Blanchard, E. B., Becker, J. V., and Djenderedjian, A. (1978). Differentiating sexual aggressiveness with penile measures.Crim. Justice Behav. 5: 315–332.

    Google Scholar 

  • Avery-Clark C. A., and Laws, D. R. (1984). Differential erection response patterns of sexual child abusers to stimuli describing activities with children.Behav. Ther. 15: 71–83.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bancroft, J. H., Jones, H. G., and Pullen, B. R. (1966). A simple transducer for measuring penile erection with comments on its use in the treatment of sexual disorders.Behav. Res. Ther. 4: 230–241.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barbaree, H. E. (1990). Stimulus control of sexual arousal. In Marshall, W. L., Laws, D. R., and Barbaree, H. E. (eds.),Handbook of Sexual Assault; Issues, Theories and Treatment of the Offender. Plenum Press, New York, pp. 115–142.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barbaree, H. E., Baxter, D. J., and Marshall W. L. (1989). The reliability of the rape index in a sample of rapists and nonrapists.Violence Victims 4: 299–306.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barbaree, H. E., and Marshall, W. L. (1989). Erectile responses among heterosexual child molesters, father-daughter incest offenders, and matched non-offenders: Five distinct age preference profiles.Can. J. Behav. Sci. 21: 70–82.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barbaree, H., Marshall, W. L, and Lanthier, R. D. (1979). Deviant sexual arousal in rapists.Behav. Res. Ther. 17: 215–222.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Beck, J., and Barlow, D. H. (1986). The effects of anxiety and attentional focus on sexual responding—II. Cognitive and affective patterns in erectile dysfunction.Behav. Res. Ther. 24: 19–26.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Blader, J. C., and Marshall, W. L. (1989). Is assessment of sexual preference in rapists worthwhile? A critique of current methods and the development of a response compatibility approach.Clin. Psychol. Rev. 9: 569–587.

    Google Scholar 

  • Earls, C. M., and Proulx, J. (1986). The differentiation of francophone rapists and nonrapists using penile circumferential measures.Crim. Justice Behav. 13: 419–429.

    Google Scholar 

  • Earls, C. M., and Quinsey, V. L. (1985). What is to be done? Future research on the assessment and behavioral treatment of sex offenders.Behav. Sci. Law 3: 377–390.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fedora, O., Reddon, J. R., and Yeudall, L. T. (1986). Stimuli eliciting sexual arousal and genital exhibitionists: A possible clinical application.Arch. Sex. Behav. 15: 417–427.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Freund, K. (1963). A laboratory method for diagnosing predominance of homo- or heteroerotic interest in the male.Behav. Res. Ther. 1: 85–93.

    Google Scholar 

  • Freund, K. (1967a). Diagnosing homo- or heterosexuality and erotic age-preference by means of a psychophysiological test.Behav. Res. Ther. 5: 209–228.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Freund, K. (1967b). Erotic preference in pedophilia.Behav. Res. Ther. 5: 339–348.

    Google Scholar 

  • Freund, K. (1981). Assessment of pedophilia. In Cook, M., and Howells, K. (eds.),Adult Sexual Interest in Children Academic Press, London, pp. 139–179.

    Google Scholar 

  • Freund, K., Chan, S., and Coulthard, R. (1979). Phallometric diagnosis with “nonadmitters.”Behav. Res. Ther. 17: 451–457.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hall, G. C., Proctor, W. C., and Nelson, G. M. (1988). Validity of physiological measures of pedophilic sexual arousal in a sexual offender population.J. Consult. Clin. Psychol. 56: 118–122.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kolarsky, A., and Madlafousek, J. (1983). The inverse role of preparatory erotic stimulation in exhibitionists: Phallometric studies.Arch. Sex. Behav. 12: 123–148.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lang, R. A., Black, R. R., and Checkley, K. L. (1988). Aggression and erotic attraction toward children in incestuous and pedophilic men.Ann. Sex Res. 1: 417–441.

    Google Scholar 

  • Langevin, R., Bain, J., Ben-Aron, M. H., Coulthard, R., Handy, L., Heasman, G., Hucker, S. J., Purins, J. E., Roper, V., Russon, A. E., Webster, C. D., and Wortzman, G. (1985), Sexual aggression: Constructing a predictive equation: A control pilot study. In Langevin, R. (ed.),Erotic Preference, Gender Identity, and Aggression in Men: New Research Studies Erlbaum, Hillsdale, NJ.

    Google Scholar 

  • Laws, D. R. (1981). Evaluation of sexual aggressives. Paper presented at the 3rd National Conference on the Evaluation and Treatment of Sexual Aggressives. Avila Beach, CA.

  • Laws, D. R., and Osborn, C. A. (1983). How to build and operate a behavioral laboratory to evaluate and treat sexual deviance. In Greer, J. G., and Stuart, I. R. (eds),The Sexual Aggressor: Current Perspectives on Treatment Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, pp. 293–335.

    Google Scholar 

  • Laws, D. R., and Rubin, H. B. (1969). Instructional control of an autonomic sexual response.J. Appl. Behav. Anal. 2: 93–99.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lifshitz, K. (1966). The average evoked cortical response to complex stimuli.Psychophysiology 3: 55–68.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mahoney, J. M., and Stassberg, D. S. (1991). Voluntary control of male sexual arousal.Arch. Sex. Behav. 20: 1–16.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Malcolm, P. B., Davidson, P. R., and Marshall, W. L. (1985). Control of penile tumescence: The effects of arousal and stimulus content.Behav. Res. Ther. 23: 273–280.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Marshall, W. L., and Barbaree, H. E. (1984). A behavioral view of rape.Int. J. Law Psychiat. 7: 51–77.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marshall, W. L., Barbaree, H. E., and Butt, J. (1988). Sexual offenders against male children: Sexual preferences.Behav. Res. Ther. 26: 383–391.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Marshall, W. L., Barbaree, H. E., and Christophe, D. (1986). Sexual offenders against female children: Sexual preferences for age of victims and type of behaviour.Can. J. Behav. Sci. 18: 424–439.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marshall W. L., Earls, C. M., Segal, Z., and Darke, J. L. (1983). A behavioral program for the assessment and treatment of sexual aggressors. In Craig, K. D., and McMahon, R. J. (eds.),Advances in Clinical Behavior Therapy Brunner/Mazel, New York, pp. 148–174.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marshall, W. L., and Eccles, A. (1991). Issues in clinical practice with sex offenders.J. Interpers. Violence 6: 68–93.

    Google Scholar 

  • Masters, W. H., Johnson, V. E., and Kolodny, R. C. (1988).Sex and Human Loving Little, Brown, Boston, MA.

    Google Scholar 

  • McConaghy, N. (1989). Validity and ethics of penile circumference measures of sexual arousal: A critical review.Arch. Sex. Behav. 18: 357–369.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Murphy, W. D., Krisak, J., Stalgaitis, S., and Anderson, K. (1984). The use of penile tumescence measures with incarcerated rapists: Further validity issues.Arch. Sex. Behav. 13: 545–554.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Proulx, J. (1989). Sexual preference assessment of sexual aggressors.Int. J. Law Psychiat. 12: 275–280.

    Google Scholar 

  • Proulx J., and Earls C. M. (1986). Le contrôle volontaire de l'érection lors de la présentation de stimuli préférés et non préférés.Cah. Recherche Inst. Philippe Pinel de Montréal, No. 15.

  • Quinsey, V. L., and Bergersen, S. G. (1976). Instructional control of penile circumference in assessments of sexual preference.Behav. Ther. 7: 489–493.

    Google Scholar 

  • Quinsey, V. L., and Carrigan, W. F. (1978). Penile responses to visual stimuli.Crim. Justice Behav. 5: 333–342.

    Google Scholar 

  • Quinsey, V. L., and Chaplin, T. C. (1984). Stimulus control of rapists and non-sex offenders sexual arousal.Behav. Assess. 6: 169–176.

    Google Scholar 

  • Quinsey, V. L., and Chaplin, T. C. (1988). Penile responses of child molesters and normals to description of encounters with children involving sex and violence.J. Interpers. Violence 3: 259–274.

    Google Scholar 

  • Quinsey, V. L., Chaplin, T. C., and Upfold, D. (1984). Sexual arousal to nonsexual violence and sadomasochistic themes among rapists and non-sex-offenders.J. Consult. Clin. Psychol. 52: 651–657.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Quinsey, V. L., Chaplin, T. C., and Varney, G. (1981). A comparison of rapists and non sex-offenders' sexual preferences for mutually consenting sex, rape, and physical abuse of women.Behav. Assess. 3: 127–135.

    Google Scholar 

  • Quinsey, V. L., and Laws, D. R. (1990). Validity of physiological measures of pedophilic sexual arousal in a sexual offender population: A critique of Hall, Proctor, and Nelson.J. Consult. Clin. Psychol. 58: 886–888.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Quinsey, V. L., Steinman, C. M., Bergersen, S. G., and Holmes, T. F. (1975). Penile circumferences, skin conductance, and ranking responses of child molesters and “normals” to sexual and nonsexual stimuli.Behav. Ther. 6: 213–219.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rubin, H. B., and Henson, D. E. (1975). Voluntary enhancement of penile erection.Bull. Psychonom. Soc. 6: 158–160.

    Google Scholar 

  • Simon, W. T., and Schouten, P. G. W. (1991). Plethysmography in the assessment and treatment of sexual deviance: An overview.Arch. Sex. Behav. 20, 75–91.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Solnick, R. L., and Birren, J. E. (1977). Age and erectile responsiveness.Arch. Sex. Behav. 6: 1–9.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wormith, J. S., Bradford, J. M. W., Pawlaki, A., Borzecki, M., and Zohar, A. (1988). The assessment of deviant sexual arousal as a fuction of intelligence, instructional set and alcohol ingestion.Am. J. Psychol. 13: 800–808.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wydra, A., Marshall, W. L., Earls, C. M., and Barbaree, H. E. (1983). Identification of cues and control of sexual arousal by rapists.Behav. Res. Ther. 21: 469–476.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut Philippe Pinel de Montréal, 10905 est Henri Bourassa, H1C 1H1, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

    Louis Georges Castonguay Ph.D., Jean Proulx Ph.D., Jocelyn Aubut M.D. & André McKibben M.A.

  2. Unité de dysfonction et de développements sexuels, Hôpital St-Luc, 1058 St-Denis, H2X 3J4, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

    Michel Campbell Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Louis Georges Castonguay Ph.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jean Proulx Ph.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jocelyn Aubut M.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. André McKibben M.A.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Michel Campbell Ph.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Castonguay, L.G., Proulx, J., Aubut, J. et al. Sexual preference assessment of sexual aggressors: Predictors of penile response magnitude. Arch Sex Behav 22, 325–334 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01542121

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01542121

Key words

Search

Navigation