Langdon Peter E, Maxted Helen, Murphy Glynis H
School of Medicine, Health Policy and Practice, Institute of Health, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK.
J Intellect Dev Disabil. 2007 Jun;32(2):94-105. doi: 10.1080/13668250701364686.
It was predicted that offenders with intellectual disability (ID) categorised according to Ward & Hudson's (1998b) self-regulation theory as having an Approach goal would have higher levels of distorted cognitions, less victim empathy, and a history of more prolific offending compared to those with an Avoidant goal. Offenders categorised as having a Passive strategy were hypothesised to have lower levels of general intellectual functioning, and more known offences and convictions compared to those with an Active strategy.
Using a cross-sectional independent groups design, the offence pathways of 34 men with ID who were taking part in group cognitive behavioural therapy were rated by therapists. Participants assigned to each pathway were then compared using measures of sexual knowledge, distorted cognitions, and victim empathy. Cronbach's alpha for the measures was found to be acceptable.
Offenders with an Approach goal were found to have higher levels of distorted cognitions and more denial about the negative impact of their offending upon their victims on one measure of distorted cognitions, while on another measure of distorted cognitions there were no differences. There were no differences between Approach and Avoidant offenders in terms of victim empathy, socio-sexual knowledge, severity of offending, and victim type. Offenders with a Passive strategy were found to have lower levels of general intellectual functioning than offenders with an Active strategy, but did not have more known offences and convictions.
The findings provide partial support for the usefulness of the Offending Pathways model in understanding the sexual offence processes of men with ID. The difficulties with this study are further discussed, together with the theoretical implications.
根据沃德和哈德森（1998b）的自我调节理论，被归类为具有趋近目标的智力残疾罪犯，相较于具有回避目标的罪犯，预计会有更高水平的认知扭曲、更低的受害者同理心，以及更频繁的犯罪历史。被归类为具有被动策略的罪犯，相较于具有主动策略的罪犯，被假设具有更低水平的一般智力功能，以及更多已知的犯罪行为和定罪记录。
采用横断面独立组设计，由治疗师对34名参与团体认知行为疗法的智力残疾男性的犯罪路径进行评分。然后，使用性知识、认知扭曲和受害者同理心的测量方法，对分配到每种路径的参与者进行比较。发现这些测量方法的克朗巴哈系数是可接受的。
在一项认知扭曲测量中，发现具有趋近目标的罪犯有更高水平的认知扭曲，并且在对其犯罪行为对受害者的负面影响的否认程度上更高，而在另一项认知扭曲测量中则没有差异。在受害者同理心、社会性行为知识、犯罪严重程度和受害者类型方面，趋近型和回避型罪犯之间没有差异。发现具有被动策略的罪犯的一般智力功能水平低于具有主动策略的罪犯，但已知的犯罪行为和定罪记录并不更多。
这些发现为犯罪路径模型在理解智力残疾男性性犯罪过程中的有用性提供了部分支持。进一步讨论了本研究的困难以及理论意义。
