The role of locus of control in sexual offending
LE3 .A278 2014
2014
Price, Lisa
Acadia University
Bachelor of Arts
Honours
Psychology
Whether the type of sexual offence committed and the experience of physical and/or emotional childhood abuse was related to pre-treatment locus of control (LoC) and change in LoC was examined. Males who have committed different types of sexual offences participated in this study. Both pre- and post- treatment, participants completed the Internal Control Index (Duttweiler, 1984). The present study found LoC was not related to the type of sexual offence committed. Participants had a more internal LoC post-treatment, but change in LoC was not related to the type of offender. Since too few participants reported childhood abuse, the effect of childhood abuse on pre-treatment LoC and change in LoC was unable to be determined. These findings indicate that treatment can facilitate individuals who have committed a sexual offence in feeling more in control of their behaviour and making positive changes in their lives, which might reduce future recidivism.
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https://scholar.acadiau.ca/islandora/object/theses:1105
