Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The psychometric properties of the penile tumescence assessment of child molesters

  • Published:
Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The presence of sexual arousal to children or a sexual preference for children are commonly hypothesized as being related to child molesting. Sexual arousal and sexual preference do not appear to be accurately assessed by traditional assessment methods such as the clinical interview and traditional personality testing or by projective testing (Earls, 1992). Penile tumescence measurement is an increasingly utilized method for assessing sexual arousal and preference in child molesters. The published literature concerning the psychometric properties of this technology as used with child molesters is critically reviewed. Basic questions concerning the sexual preference hypothesis, the criterion problem, the lack of procedural standardization, the kind of test penile tumescence measures exemplifies, and potentially problematic inferences involved in penile tumescence assessment are examined. There is evidence of test-retest and internal consistency reliabilities for certain penile tumescence measurement procedures. While there are a significant number of studies providing evidence that these techniques can accurately distinguish child abusers from nonoffenders, many are plagued by methodological problems. Suggestions for future research are given.

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

Access this article

Log in via an institution

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., Blanchard, E. B., Barlow, D. H., & Mavissakalian, M. (1975). Identifying specific erotic cues in sexual deviations by audiotaped descriptions.Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 8, 247–260.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Abel, G. G., Blanchard, E. B., Becker, J. V., & Djenderedjian, A. (1978). Differentiating sexual aggressives with penile measures.Criminal Justice and Behavior, 5, 315–332.

    Google Scholar 

  • Abel, G. G., Becker, J. V., Murphy, W. D., & Flanagan, B. (1981). Identifying dangerous child molesters. In R. B. Stuart (Ed.),Violent behavior: Social learning approaches to prediction, management, and treatment (pp. 116–137). New York: Brunner/Mazel.

    Google Scholar 

  • Abel, G. G., Blanchard, E. B., & Barlow, D. H. (1981). Measurement of sexual arousal in several paraphilias: The effects of stimulus modality, instructional set and stimulus content on the objective.Behaviour Research and Therapy, 19, 25–33.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Abel, G. G., Becker, J. V., Mittelman, M., Cunningham-Rather, J., Rouleau, J. L., & Murphy, W. D. (1987). Self-reported sex crimes on non-incarcerated paraphiliacs.Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 2, 3–25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Adams, H. E. (1989).Is the penile plethysmograph an adequate clinical assessment procedure or a harmless toy for clinical researchers? Paper presented at the meeting of the Association for the Advancement of Behavior Therapy, Washington, DC, Nov.

  • American Psychiatric Association (1980).Diagnostic and statistical manual of the mental disorders (3rd ed.). Washington, DC: APA.

    Google Scholar 

  • American Psychological Association (1985).Report of the joint AERA, APA, NCME committee for review of the standards for educational and psychological tests. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Avery-Clark, C., & Laws, D. R. (1984). Differential erection response patterns of sexual child abusers to stimuli describing activities with children.Behavior Therapy, 15, 71–83.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bancroft, J. H., Jones, H. G., & Pullan, B. P. (1966). A simple transducer for measuring penile erection with comments on its use in the treatment of sexual disorder.Behaviour Research and Therapy, 4, 239–241.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Barbaree, H. E., & Marshall, W. L. (1988). Deviant sexual arousal, offense history, and demographic variables as predictors of reoffense among child molesters.Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 6, 267–280.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barbaree, H. E., & Marshall, W. L. (1989). Erectile responses among heterosexual child molesters, father-daughter incest offenders, and matched non-offenders: Five distinct age preference profiles.Canadian Journal of Behavioral Science, 21, 70–82.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barlow, D. H. (1977). Assessment of sexual behavior. In A. R. Ciminero, K. S. Calhoun, & H. E. Adams (Eds.),Handbook of behavioral assessment (pp. 461–508). New York: John Wiley & Sons.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barlow, D. H., Becker, J. V., Leitenberg, H., & Agras, W. S. (1970). A mechanical strain gauge for recording penile circumference change.Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 3, 73–76.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baxter, D. J., Marshall, W. L., Barbaree, H. E., Davidson, P. R., & Malcolm, P. B. (1984). Deviant sexual behavior: Differentiating sex offenders by criminal and personal history, psychometric measures, and sexual response.Criminal Justice and Behavior, 11, 477–501.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brownmiller, S. (1975).Against our will: Men, women and rape. New York: Simon & Schuster.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cronbach, L. J. (1960).The essentials of psychological testing (2nd ed.). New York: Harper.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dahlstrom, W. G., Welsh, G. S., & Dahlstrom, L. E. (1975).An MMPI handbook. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Day, D., Miner, M., Sturgeon, V., & Murphy, J. (1989). Assessment of sexual arousal by means of physiological and self-report measures. In D. R. Laws (Ed.),Relapse prevention with sex offenders (pp. 115–123). New York: Guilford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dekker, J., & Everaerd, W. (1988). Attentional effects on sexual arousal.Psychophysiology, 25, 45–54.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Earls, C. M. (1992). Clinical issues in the psychological assessment of child molesters. In W. O'Donohue & J. Geer (Eds.),The sexual abuse of children: Clinical issues (pp. 232–255). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Earls, C. M., & Marshall, W. L. (1982). Instrumentation and techniques: The simultaneous and independent measurement of penile circumference and length.Behavior Research Methods and Instrumentation, 14, 447–450.

    Google Scholar 

  • Earls, C. M., & Marshall, W. L. (1983). The current state of technology in the laboratory assessment of sexual arousal patterns. In J. G. Greer & I. R. Stuart (Eds.),Sexual aggression: Current perspectives on treatment (pp. 336–362). New York: Von Nostrand Reinhold.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eccles, A., Marshall, W. L., & Barbaree, H. E. (1988). The vulnerability of erectile measures to repeated assessments.Behaviour Research and Therapy, 26, 179–183.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Erickson, W. D., Luxenberg, M. G., Walbek, N. H., & Seely, R. K. (1987). Frequency of MMPI two-point code types among sex offenders.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 55, 566–570.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Farrall, W. (1992). Instrumentation and methodological issues in the assessment of sexual arousal. In W. O'Donohue & J. Geer (Eds.),The sexual abuse of children: Clinical issues (pp. 188–231). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fisher, C., Gross, J., & Zuch, J. (1965). Cycle of penile erection synchronous with dreaming (REM) sleep.Archives of General Psychiatry, 12, 29–45.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Frenzel, R. R., & Lang, R. A. (1989). Identifying sexual preferences in intrafamilial and extrafamilial child sexual abusers.Annals of Sex Research, 2, 255–275.

    Google Scholar 

  • Freund, K. (1957). Diagnostika homosexuality u muszu.Ceskoslovak Medicince, 53, 382–393.

    Google Scholar 

  • Freund, K. (1965). Diagnosing heterosexual pedophilia by means of a test for sexual interest.Behaviour Research and Therapy, 3, 229–234.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Freund, K. (1967a). Diagnosing homo- and heterosexuality and erotic age-preference by means of a psychophysiological test.Behaviour Research and Therapy, 5, 209–228.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Freund, K. (1967b). Erotic preference in pedophilia.Behaviour Research and Therapy, 5, 339–348.

    Google Scholar 

  • Freund, K., & Blanchard, R. (1981). Assessment of sexual dysfunction and deviation. In M. Hersen & A. S. Bellack (Eds.),Behavioral assessments: A practical handbook (2nd ed., pp. 427–455). New York: Pergamon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Freund, K., & Blanchard, R. (1989). Phallometric diagnosis of pedophilia.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 57, 1–6.

    Google Scholar 

  • Freund, K., & Watson, R. J. (1991). Assessment of the sensitivity and specificity of a phallometric test: An update of phallometric diagnosis of pedophilia.Psychological Assessment, 3, 254–260.

    Google Scholar 

  • Freund, K., McKnight, C. K., Langevin, R., & Cibiri, S. (1972). The female child as a surrogate object.Archives of Sexual Behavior, 2, 119–133.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Freund, K., Langevin, R., & Barlow, D. (1974). Comparison of two penile measures of erotic arousal.Behaviour Research and Therapy, 12, 355–359.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Freund, K., Chan, S., & Coulthard, R. (1979). Phallometric diagnoses with “nonadmitters”.Behaviour Research and Therapy, 17, 451–457.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Freund, K., Watson, R., & Rienzo, D. (1988). Signs of feigning in the phallometric test.Behaviour Research and Therapy, 26(2), 105–112.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Geer, J. H., & Fuhr, R. (1976). Cognitive factors in sexual arousal: The role of distraction.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 44, 238–243.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Geer, J. H., & O'Donohue, W. (1992). Introduction. In W. O'Donohue & J. Geer (Eds.),The sexual abuse of children: Theory and research (pp. 3–13). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hall, G. C. N. (1990). Validity of physiological measures of pedophilic sexual arousal in a sexual offender population: A reply to Quinsey and Laws.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 58, 889–891.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hall, G. C. N., Proctor, W. C., & Nelson, G. M. (1988). Validity of physiological measures of pedophilic sexual arousal in a sexual offender population.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 56, 118–122.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Haywood, T. W., Grossman, L. S., & Cavanaugh, J. L. (1990). Subjective versus objective measurements of deviant sexual arousal in clinical evaluations of alleged child molesters.Psychological Assessment, 2, 269–275.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hildebran, D. D., & Pithers, W. D. (1990).Relapse prevention: Application and outcome. Unpublished manuscript.

  • Howells, K. (1984).The psychology of sexual diversity. Oxford: Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Keith-Spiegel, P., & Koocher, G. P. (1985).Ethics in psychology: Standards and cases (p. 90). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelly, R., & Lusk, R. (1992). Theories of pedophilia. In W. O'Donohue & J. Geer (Eds.),The sexual abuse of children: Theory and research (pp. 168–203). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Knight, R. (1992). The generation and corroboration of a taxonomic model for child molesters. In W. O'Donohue & J. Geer (Eds.),The Sexual abuse of children: Clinical Issues (pp. 24–70). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolarsky, A., & Madlafousek, J. (1977). Variability of stimulus effect in the course of phallometric testing.Archives of Sexual Behavior, 6, 135–141.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Laws, D. R. (1977). A comparison of the measurement characteristics of two circumferential penile transducers.Archives of Sexual Behavior, 6, 45–51.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Laws, D. R., & Holmen, M. L. (1978). Sexual response faking by pedophiles.Criminal Justice and Behavior, 5, 343–356.

    Google Scholar 

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

    Google Scholar 

  • Magnusson, D. (1966).Test theory. (H. Mabon, Trans.). Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley. (Original work published 1961).

    Google Scholar 

  • Malcolm, P. B., Davidson, P. R., & Marshall, W. L. (1985). Control of penile tumescence: The effects of arousal level and stimulus content.Behaviour Research and Therapy, 23, 273–280.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Marlait, G. A., & Gordon, J. R. (1985).Relapse prevention. New York: Guilford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marques, J. K., Day, D. M., Nelson, C., & Miner, M. H. (1989).The Sex Offender Treatment and Evaluation Project (Third report to the Legislature in Response to PC 1365). Sacramento: California Department of Mental Health.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marshall, W. L., & Christie, M. M. (1981). Pedophilia and aggression.Criminal Justice and Behavior, 8, 145–158.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marshall, W. L., Barbaree, H. E., & Christophe, D. (1986). Sexual offenders against female children: Sexual preferences for age of victims and type of behaviour.Canadian Journal of Behavioural Sciences, 18, 424–439.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marshall, W. L., Barbaree, H. E., & Butt, J. (1988). Sexual offenders against male children: Sexual preferences.Behaviour Research and Therapy, 26, 383–391.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Marshall, W. W., Barbaree, H. E., & Eccles, A. (1991). Early onset and deviant sexuality in child molesters.Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 6, 323–336.

    Google Scholar 

  • McAnulty, R. D., & Adams, H. E. (1990). Patterns of sexual arousal of accused child molesters involved in custody disputes.Archives of Sexual Behavior, 19, 541–556.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McConaghy, N. (1967). Penile volume change to moving pictures of male and female nudes in heterosexual and homosexual males.Behaviour Research and Therapy, 5, 43–48.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McConaghy, N. (1974). Measurements of change in penile dimensions.Archives of Sexual Behavior, 3, 381–388.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McConaghy, N. (1988). Sexual dysfunction and deviation. In A. Bellack and M. Hersen (Eds.),Behavioral assessment: A practical handbook (pp. 490–541). New York: Pergamon.

    Google Scholar 

  • McConaghy, N. (1989). Validity and ethics of penile circumference measures of sexual arousal: A critical review.Archives of Sexual Behavior, 18(4), 357–369.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Murphy, W. D., & Barbaree, H. E. (1986).Assessment of sexual offenders by measures of erectile responses: Psychometric properties and decision making. Unpublished manuscript prepared for the National Institute of Mental Health; Order 86M050650051D.

  • Murphy, W. D., Hayes, M. R., Stalgaitis, S. J., & Flanagan, B. (1986). Differential sexual responding among four groups of sexual offenders against children.Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 8, 339–353.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mussack, S. E. (1988). The need for sexual arousal assessment standardization.ABTSA Professional Forum, 2, 23–28.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nichols, H. R., & Moliander, I. (1984).Multiphasic sex inventory manual. Available from Nichols & Moliander, 437 Bowes Drive, Tacoma, WA.

  • O'Donohue, W., & Geer, J. H. (1985). The habituation of sexual arousal.Archives of Sexual Behavior, 14, 223–246.

    Google Scholar 

  • O'Donohue, W., & Plaud, J. (1991). The long-term habituation of male sexual arousal.Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 22, 87–96.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pithers, W. E., & Laws, D. R. (1988). The penile plethysmograph: Uses and abuses in assessment and treatment of sexual aggressors. In B. Schwartz (Ed.),A practitioner's guide to the treatment of the incarcerated male sex offender (pp. 83–91). Washington, DC: National Institute of Corrections.

    Google Scholar 

  • Quinsey, V. L., & Bergersen, S. G. (1976). Instructional control of penile circumference in assessments of sexual preference.Behavior Therapy, 7, 489–493.

    Google Scholar 

  • Quinsey, V. L., & Carrigan, W. F. (1978). Penile responses to visual stimuli: Instructional control with and without auditory sexual fantasy correlates.Criminal Justice and Behavior, 5, 333–342.

    Google Scholar 

  • Quinsey, V. L., & Laws, D. R. (1990). Validity of physiological measures of pedophilic sexual arousal in a sexual offender population: A critique of Hall, Proctor, & Nelson.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 58(6), 886–888.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Quinsey, V. L., & Marshall, W. L. (1983). Procedures for reducing inappropriate sexual arousal: An evaluation review. In J. G. Greer & I. R. Stuart (Eds.),The sexual aggressor: Current perspectives on treatment (pp. 267–289). New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.

    Google Scholar 

  • Quinsey, V. L., & Chaplin, T. C. (1988). Penile responses of child molesters and normals to descriptions of encounters with children involving sex and violence.Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 3, 259–274.

    Google Scholar 

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

    Google Scholar 

  • Quinsey, V. L., Chaplin, T. C., & Carrigan, W. R. (1979). Sexual preferences among incestuous and nonincestuous child molesters.Behavior Therapy, 10, 562–565.

    Google Scholar 

  • Quinsey, V. L., Chaplin, T. C., & Carrigan, W. R. (1980). Biofeedback and signaled punishment in the modification of inappropriate sexual age preferences.Behavior Therapy, 10, 567–576.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosen, R. C., & Beck, J. G. (1988).Patterns of sexual arousal. New York: The Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schaefer, H. H., & Colgan, A. H. (1977). The effect of pornography on penile tumescence as a function of reinforcement and novelty.Behavior Therapy, 8, 938–946.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sechrest, L. (1963). Incremental validity: A recommendation.Educational and psychological measurement, 23, 153–158.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sines, L. K. (1959). The relative contribution of four kinds of data to accuracy in personality assessment.Journal of Consulting Psychology, 23, 483–492.

    Google Scholar 

  • Simon, W. T., & Schouten, G. W. (1991). Plethysmography in the assessment and treatment of sexual deviance: An overview.Archives of Sexual Behavior, 20, 75–91.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Travin, S., Cullen, K., & Mellela, J. T. (1988). The use and abuse of erection measurements: A forensic perspective.Bulletin of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, 16, 235–250.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wheeler, D., & Rubin, H. B. (1987). A comparison of volumetric and circumferential measures of penile erection.Archives of Sexual Behavior, 16, 289–299.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wormith, J. S. (1986). Assessing deviant sexual arousal: Psychological and cognitive aspects.Advances in Behaviour Research and Therapy, 8, 101–137.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Northern Illinois University, 60115, DeKalb, Illinois

    William O'Donohue & Elizabeth Letourneau

Authors
  1. William O'Donohue
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Elizabeth Letourneau
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

The authors would like to thank Henry Adams, Christopher Earls, Steven R. Gold, D. Richard Laws, Barry M. Maletzky, and several anonymous reviewers for their comments on earlier versions of this paper.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

O'Donohue, W., Letourneau, E. The psychometric properties of the penile tumescence assessment of child molesters. J Psychopathol Behav Assess 14, 123–174 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00965172

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00965172

Key words

Search

Navigation