Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Female Sexual-Offenders: Personality Pathology As A Mediator Of The Relationship Between Childhood Sexual Abuse History And Sexual Abuse Perpetration Against Others, Kelly Ann Christopher, Catherine J. Lutz-Zois, Amanda R. Reinhardt

Psychology Faculty Publications

Objective: The goal was to examine, in an all-female sample, possible mechanisms for the relationship between a history of childhood sexual abuse and the likelihood of perpetrating sexual abuse as an adult. It was hypothesized that Borderline and Antisocial Personality Disorder tendencies would mediate the relationship between these two forms of abuse.

Method: One hundred forty two female participants (61 sex-offenders and 81 non-sex offenders) were recruited from a women’s prison in the Midwest. The participants completed measures that included a childhood history of sexual abuse, socially desirable responding, primary and secondary psychopathy, and Borderline Personality Disorder tendencies.

Results: Participants …