The role of personality and sexual fantasy in sexual offending.
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Progressive Risk of Sexual Offending: Specific focus on the relationship between personality, sexual fantasies and the protective factors employed to manage these risk factors.
IRAS ID
116330
Contact name
Simon Duff
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Nottingham, Head of Research Grants and Contracts
Research summary
The current study aims to explore the complex relationship between personality and sexual fantasy in sexual offending. In addition, the potential of protective factors employed to manage these risk factors (specifically empathy and coping strategies) are considered. It is predicted that certain personality profiles will be associated with specific fantasies that may increase an individual's risk of sexually offending. Participants will be recruited from a range of forensic services, including secure hospitals, prisons and community services. Sexual offenders and a control sample of non-sexual offenders (specifically violent offenders) will be recruited. If consent is given, participants will be asked to complete several psychometrics to determine their personality profile, sexual fantasy content, level of empathy and their coping style. It is estimated that all the psychometrics will take between 60-85 minutes (proposed minimum and maximum) to complete. To ensure the safety of participants, researchers will discuss with the individual's care team whether the completion of these questionnaires will be detrimental to the participant's mental health. Participants will also give consent for researchers to use case file information to determine the presence of other risk factors related to sexually offending. The following statistical methods are proposed:
1) Descriptive Statistics to describe demographic data and the presence of certain personality traits.
2) Independent samples t-tests to investigate the different between ‘high risk’ fantasisers and those without ‘high risk’ fantasies (in terms of personality, offense history, coping style and level of empathy).
3) Correlations between: A) Sexual fantasies and Personality traits B) Personality traits and coping style.
4) Cluster Analysis to identify any meaningful clusters of personality traits, sexual fantasy and several other documented risk factors to sexual offending.REC name
North East - York Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/NE/0340
Date of REC Opinion
12 Feb 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion