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Developmental Pathways into Social and Sexual Deviance

Journal of Family Violence volume 25, pages 141–148 (2010)Cite this article

Abstract

Path analysis was used to assess the contribution of four exogenous developmental variables (sexual abuse, physical abuse, exposure to violence, exposure to pornography—each occurring prior to age 13) and four personality constructs (“psychopathic and antagonistic attitudes,” “psychosocial deficits,” “pedophilia,” “hostile masculinity”) to the prediction of non-sexual delinquency and number of male child victims in a sample of 256 adolescent males with a history of “hands-on” sexual offending. “Psychosocial deficits” was found to partially mediate the effects of the exogenous variables on both outcomes. Exposure to violence both directly, and indirectly through “psychopathic and antagonistic attitudes,” contributed to the prediction of non-sexual delinquency. Sexual abuse by a male directly, and indirectly through “hostile masculinity” and “pedophila”, contributed to prediction of number of male child victims. Clinical implications of the findings are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA

    John A. Hunter

  2. University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA

    Aurelio Jose Figueredo

  3. University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Neil M. Malamuth

  4.  , 1926 Milan Street, New Orleans, LA, 70115

    John A. Hunter

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  1. John A. Hunter
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  2. Aurelio Jose Figueredo
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  3. Neil M. Malamuth
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Correspondence to John A. Hunter.

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Hunter, J.A., Figueredo, A.J. & Malamuth, N.M. Developmental Pathways into Social and Sexual Deviance. J Fam Viol 25, 141–148 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-009-9277-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-009-9277-9

Keywords

  • Pathways
  • Social deviance
  • Sexual deviance
  • Adolescents