Assessment of sexual interest in child sex offenders by the use of a computerized measure.

Flak, Vanja Elisabeth (2011). Assessment of sexual interest in child sex offenders by the use of a computerized measure. University of Birmingham. Ph.D.

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Abstract

This thesis investigates Rapid Serial Visual Presentation (RSVP) procedure as a tool to evaluate sexual interest in child sex offenders. Chapters 1 and 2 evaluate sexual interest in child sex offenders, exploring the attentional blink theories. Chapter 3 examines RSVP in child sex offenders and offenders with no sexual offence history, showing child sex offenders displaying enhanced attentional blink towards images of children. Chapter 4 examined released child sex offenders who did not show the hypothesised attentional blink effect. Chapter 5 looked into RSVP responses of fathers with children under two, and shows an opposite pattern of response to child sex offenders. Chapter 6 showed that RSVP, using male and female images, elicited heightened attentional blink in a normative sample of females, but not the male sample. Chapter 7 examined the RSVP using erotic images of males and females on heterosexual males and females with no significant effect. Chapter 8 tested the reliability and validity of the RSVP in a subsample using the procedure on two separate occasions, showing significant improvement from Session 1 to Session 2. This shows practice effect can influence performance on the RSVP. The main discussion evaluates the results in terms of implications for the utility of the RSVP.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Doctorates > Ph.D.)

Award Type:

Doctorates > Ph.D.

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