Connections between paraphilic disorders, personality disorders and sexual delinquency

Abstract

Studies have shown a robust relationship between mental disorders and sexual delinquency. Compared to the general population both paraphilic disorders and personality disorders are overrepresented in sex offenders. Furthermore, sex offenders with personality disorders and paraphilic disorders more often show psychiatric comorbidities, psychosocial abnormalities, difficulties in the area of treatment and less favorable legal prognoses compared to sex offenders without such diagnoses. In addition, offence-specific differences can be observed: rapists and sexual murderers are more likely to have personality disorders from cluster B and sexual sadism, while offenders with children as victims are more likely to be diagnosed with cluster C personality disorders and pedophilia. Different hypotheses on the connections between sexual delinquency, personality disorders and paraphilic disorders are discussed. Although diagnostically relevant, normal deviations in sexuality and personality do not provide a monocausal explanation for the development and maintenance of sexual delinquency; however, they are often crucial for a comprehensive approach and require special attention in the planning and implementation of the treatment for sexual offenders.