Sex crimes: The role of early childhood trauma, cognitive distortions, and psychopathy on the risk of recidivism (Article) [Reati a sfondo sessuale: Il ruolo dei traumi infantili, delle distorsioni cognitive e della psicopatia sul rischio di recidiva]

The aim of this paper is to evaluate, starting from analysis of scientific literature, the relationship, in sex offenders, between recidivism proneness and the following variables: early trauma, cognitive distortions, and psychopathy. In order to investigate the association among these variables, we subject two sex offenders to tests using the following instruments: PCL-R, PBI, TEC and MDS. We obtained positive and clinically significant associations among early trauma, presence of psychopathic traits, and risk of recidivism as per their stories and their test score. As we cannot generalize these data, we are led to maintain a suitable caution in evaluating them. Apart from this we hope that future studies are able to consider how early relationship traumas and psychopathic traits affect the risk of recidivism for sex offenders. Copyright © FrancoAngeli.