A comparison of incestuous biological and stepfathers

Abstract

Biological and stepfathers who committed incestuous acts on their daughters were compared on sexual history and preference and on personality, using the Phallometric Test of Erotic Preference (Freund & Blanchard, 1989), the Clarke Sex History Questionnaire (Langevin, et al, 1990), and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI). The cases were drawn from a data base of 200 incest offenders seen for psychological assessment. Results showed that the two groups of fathers did not differ significantly in their penile responses to pictures of men, women, boys, and girls, and most showed largest responses to adult females. However a significant percentage of both groups showed largest responses to children, indicating pedophilia. Although there was considerable individual variation in sexual history, offenders in both groups had most of their sexual experiences with adult females. Experiences with males were infrequent and limited to adults. The two groups showed few differences in personality. Nevertheless substantial numbers of offenders in both groups showed anxiety, disturbed family background and confused thinking. The results overall showed few differences between incestuous biological and stepfathers in sexual history and preferences and in personality. Similar dynamics appear operative in the two groups, i.e., pedophilia, limited sexual history, and personality pathology are present in selected cases. Possible group differences in other factors prominent in sexual offenders, e.g., substance abuse or neuropsychological impairment, have yet to be examined.