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New study correlates alleged child molesters to psychosexual testing results
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<DIV>I conducted this study under the supervision of a licensed clinical Psychologist and Board Certified Behavioral Analyst. Anyone who is interested in obtaining a full PDF version of the published study (May/June issue of The American Journal of Family Therapy) please e-mail me backchannel.</DIV>
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<H1 id=s777852454>The Penile Plethysmograph, Abel Assessment for Sexual Interest, and MSI-II: Are They Speaking the Same Language? </H1><!--start-include file /home/mpp/www/mpptwo/sess-templates/incl/download/download_routines.inc--><!--end-include file /home/mpp/www/mpptwo/sess-templates/incl/download/download_routines.inc-->
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<DIV><STRONG>Author:</STRONG> Dean Tong </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG>DOI:</STRONG> 10.1080/01926180701226762 </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG>Publication Frequency:</STRONG> 5 issues per year </DIV><!-- -->
<DIV><STRONG>Published in:</STRONG> <IMG title="" style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle" alt="" src="http://www.informaworld.com/mpp/cache/images/themed/000000000000000000000000004e9fffffff/images/mediaicons/journal_small.png"; border=0> <A title=http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/title~content=t713722633~db=all href="http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/title~content=t713722633~db=all"; target=_top>The American Journal of Family Therapy</A>, Volume <A title=http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/title~content=t713722633~db=all~tab=issueslist~branches=35#v35 href="http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/title~content=t713722633~db=all~tab=issueslist~branches=35#v35"; target=_top><A title=http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/title~content=t713722633~db=all~tab=issueslist~branches=35#v35 href="http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/title~content=t713722633~db=all~tab=issueslist~branches=35#v35"; target=_top>35</A>, Issue <A title=http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/title~content=g777852714~db=all href="http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/title~content=g777852714~db=all"; target=_top>3 </A>May 2007 , pages 187 - 202 </DIV>
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<P>The assessment of sexual arousal, sexual interest, and cognitive distortion patterns in men accused of child molestation are significant elements in the detection and treatment of child sexual abuse perpetration. This study investigated chiefly whether there was a relationship between sexual interest (utilizing psychosexual measures - Abel Assessment for Sexual Interest and Multiphasic Sex Inventory-II), and sexual arousal (utilizing a psychophysiological device called the Penile Plethysmograph) in an outpatient sample of men, all of whom were accused of incest within divorces and/or child custody battles. Fifty three participants, all of whom were involved in civil and/or criminal litigation at the time they retained this researcher to consult on their legal cases, voluntarily underwent Penile Plethysmograph, Abel Assessment for Sexual Interest, and Multiphasic Sex Inventory-II testing under the direction and supervision of a clinical psychologist and board certified behavioral analyst. Results indicated that a strong correlation existed between the Abel Screen VRT and Penile Plethysmograph, Abel Questionnaire for Men and Penile Plethysmograph, and the Multiphasic Sex Inventory-II and Penile Plethysmograph, and that sexual interest, cognitive distortions, and sexual arousal were all linked to a high degree. The present within-subject, validation research study lends further credibility to the use of the Abel Assessment for Sexual Interest and Multiphasic Sex Inventory-II as possible replacement measures for the more controversial phallometric procedure - the Penile Plethysmograph.</P>
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<H2 id=s777852504>INTRODUCTION </H2><!--start-include file /home/mpp/docserver_mpptwo/713722633/777852454/777852504.sec--><A class=thinanchor name=S002> </A>
<P>According to Hanson and Bussière (<A title=http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/section?content=a777852454&fulltext=713240928#CIT0015 href="http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/section?content=a777852454&fulltext=713240928#CIT0015";>1996</A>, <A title=http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/section?content=a777852454&fulltext=713240928#CIT0016 href="http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/section?content=a777852454&fulltext=713240928#CIT0016";>1998</A>), measuring an accused child molester's level of sexual functioning by both psychophysiological and psychosexual means is the first and most important step to proper diagnosis and treatment. <A title=http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/section?content=a777852454&fulltext=713240928#CIT0016 href="http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/section?content=a777852454&fulltext=713240928#CIT0016";>Hanson and Bussiere's (1998)</A> seminal meta-analytic study published in the <I>Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology</I>, whereby they reviewed 61 studies covering over 23,000 sex offender cases, found that an individual is more likely to act in a sexual manner with a person (child or adult) when he is first sexually aroused or interested in that person. Assessing an accused pedophile's level of arousal and interest to sexual stimuli is important for several reasons. It allows for treatment to focus on deviant sexual arousal and behavior, and therefore maximizes treatment effectiveness; it clarifies, for the accused and the treatment team, the individual's deviant behavioral patterns, and it allows for the person to eradicate his level of denial (<A title=http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/section?content=a777852454&fulltext=713240928#CIT0024 href="http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/section?content=a777852454&fulltext=713240928#CIT0024";>Rowland, 2004</A>). Pedophiles try to justify their abusive actions and conceal their behavior by exhibiting elevated cognitive distortions, while also displaying antisocial personality behavior and poor impulse control (<A title=http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/section?content=a777852454&fulltext=713240928#CIT0024 href="http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/section?content=a777852454&fulltext=713240928#CIT0024";>Rowland, 2004</A>).</P>
<P>Significantly, over the past 20-odd years, there has been an alarming increase in the number of unfounded and false child sexual abuse allegations made within contested divorces, visitation disputes, and custody battles (<A title=http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/section?content=a777852454&fulltext=713240928#CIT0007 href="http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/section?content=a777852454&fulltext=713240928#CIT0007";>Blush & Ross, 1987</A>; Gardner, 1998; <A title=http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/section?content=a777852454&fulltext=713240928#CIT0028 href="http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/section?content=a777852454&fulltext=713240928#CIT0028";>Tong, 2002</A>). Although no true count of the number of false allegations that are made each year exists, some estimates have been made and are quite thought-provoking. According to the published reports of Child Maltreatment 2004 (<A title=http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/pubs/cm04/chaptertwo.htm#investigate href="http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/pubs/cm04/chaptertwo.htm#investigate"; target=_blank>http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/pubs/cm04/chaptertwo.htm#investigate</A>), of the approximate 3 million reports of child abuse in the United States in 2004, 60.7% of the same were unsubstantiated. Of those, approximately 10%, or 300,000 were alleged sexual child abuse reports, suggesting approximately 180,000 of the same were unsubstantiated. Serious emotional and psychological consequences remain for the impacted non-abused children who are treated as genuine victims of abuse (Hickman & Reynolds, 1994. <A title=http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/section?content=a777852454&fulltext=713240928#CIT0027 href="http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/section?content=a777852454&fulltext=713240928#CIT0027";>Summers & Summers, 2006</A>). Non-abused children who are forced into unnecessary sexual abuse therapy can suffer regressive behaviors such as enuresis, encopresis, and nightmares; PTSD is also a problem (Hickman & Reynolds, 1994). Civil and criminal investigations for alleged child sexual assault can be traumatizing to alleged child victims (Hickman & Reynolds, 1994; <A title=http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/section?content=a777852454&fulltext=713240928#CIT0027 href="http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/section?content=a777852454&fulltext=713240928#CIT0027";>Summers & Summers, 2006</A>). Such events are not benign or innocuous (<A title=http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/section?content=a777852454&fulltext=713240928#CIT0029 href="http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/section?content=a777852454&fulltext=713240928#CIT0029";>Wexler, 1995</A>, <A title=http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/section?content=a777852454&fulltext=713240928#CIT0029 href="http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/section?content=a777852454&fulltext=713240928#CIT0029";>1995</A>; <A title=http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/section?content=a777852454&fulltext=713240928#CIT0027 href="http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/section?content=a777852454&fulltext=713240928#CIT0027";>Summers & Summers, 2006</A>).</P>
<P>Regardless of the problem of unreliable eyewitness evidence from children (largely caused by inadequate education and training among child protection interviewers, including the use of leading interview techniques), there is always a need for more persuasive evidence in the courtroom to corroborate or impeach allegations of child sexual abuse. One method of adding weight to a child's testimony is to conduct an objective psychosexual assessment of an alleged offender, and determining his level of sexual arousal and interest to child versus consensual adult stimuli.</P>
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<DIV><FONT lang=0 face=Arial size=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" PTSIZE="10">Dean Tong, MSc., Forensic Trial Consultant<BR>10246 Hunters Haven Blvd.<BR>Riverview, FL 33569<BR>813.671.4190, Office/Fax<BR>813.417.5362, Cell<BR>813.278.8356, Pager<BR>800.854.0735, Book Orders/Media<BR>DeanTong@aol.com, E-Mail<BR><A title=http://www.abuse-excuse.com/ href="http://www.abuse-excuse.com/";>http://www.abuse-excuse.com/</A>, Web Site<BR><BR><BR><B><U>Disclaimer</B></U>:<BR>Dean Tong is not a licensed attorney. The contents of this e-mail correspondence represents his personal and professional opinion and must not be gleaned to be "legal advice." If you need an attorney please visit <A title=http://www.lawyers.com/ href="http://www.lawyers.com/";>http://www.lawyers.com/</A> or contact your local State Bar Association. If you are not the intended recipient of this e-mail please delete the same.</FONT></DIV><BR><BR><BR><DIV><FONT style="color: black; font: normal 10pt ARIAL, SAN-SERIF;"><HR style="MARGIN-TOP: 10px">See what's free at <A title="http://www.aol.com?ncid=AOLAOF00020000000503"; href="http://www.aol.com?ncid=AOLAOF00020000000503"; target="_blank">AOL.com</A>. </FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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