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Alcohol expectancies in convicted rapists and child molesters
Author(s) -
Aromäki Anu S.,
Lindman Ralf E.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
criminal behaviour and mental health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.63
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1471-2857
pISSN - 0957-9664
DOI - 10.1002/cbm.374
Subject(s) - psychology , aggression , poison control , expectancy theory , injury prevention , clinical psychology , psychiatry , antisocial personality disorder , suicide prevention , personality , medicine , medical emergency , social psychology
Background Previous findings suggest that cognitive factors and expectancies related to drinking can mediate subjective sexual arousal as well as aggression in men. Our aim was to investigate the drinking habits and alcohol‐related expectancies that might predispose men to sexually aggress in two groups of sexual offenders. Method Men convicted of rape ( n = 10) were compared with men convicted of child molesting ( n = 10) and with control subjects ( n = 31). Current drinking habits (while not in prison) were assessed by self‐report, and the extent of alcohol abuse was mapped by the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (MAST; Selzer, 1971). Cognitive expectancies related to alcohol use were explored by the standard Alcohol Expectancy Questionnaire (AEQ; Brown et al., 1980). Results The majority of the men who committed rape (70%) but only a third of the men convicted of child molesting were diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder. Alcohol abuse was common in men convicted of both rape and child molesting and the men convicted of rape expected significantly more positive effects from drinking than the control group. Both sex offender groups were the only groups to express significant alcohol‐related cognitive expectancies linked to arousal and aggression. Expectancy patterns were directly linked to the antisocial personality characteristics. Conclusion Alcohol abuse is common in men who commit both rape and child molesting. Heavy drinking and the anticipation of alcohol effects such as sexual enhancement, arousal and aggression may facilitate sexual aggression in offenders with antisocial personality disorder. Copyright © 2001 Whurr Publishers Ltd.