The role of multiple attachments in intergenerational transmission of child sexual abuse among male victims.

Background: According to Finkelhor (1984), difficulties child sexual abusers have in establishing adaptive adult relationships are a consequence of attachment problems with parents. Research shows that insecure attachment is associated with both the experience of child sexual abuse (CSA) as a victim and perpetration of CSA as an adult. Attachment may thus be a key factor in intergenerational transmission (IT) of CSA.

Empathy and recognition of facial expressions of emotion in sex offenders, non-sex offenders and normal controls.

Research conducted on empathy and emotional recognition in sex offenders is contradictory. The present study was aimed to clarify this issue by controlling for some affective and social variables (depression, anxiety, and social desirability) that are presumed to influence emotional and empathic measures, using a staged multicomponent model of empathy. Incarcerated sex offenders (child molesters), incarcerated non-sex offenders, and non-offender controls (matched for age, gender, and education level) performed a recognition task of facial expressions of basic emotions that varied in intensity, and completed various self-rating scales designed to assess distinct components of empathy (perspective taking, affective empathy, empathy concern, and personal distress), as well as depression, anxiety, and social desirability.