Studies of Brain Damage and Dysfunction in Sex Offenders

Pedophiles, sexual aggressives and incest offenders were examined for brain damage and dysfunction using computer tomography (CT) scans, the Halstead-Reitan (HR) Neuropsychological Test Battery, including the Weschsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R), the Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS), and the Space Relations Test (SRT) of the Differential Aptitude Test. Results suggest that the groups of sex offenders examined did not suffer from memory or spatial (imaging) deficits. Subgroups of pedophiles, however, showed different patterns of neuropsychological deficits. Heterosexual and homosexual pedophiles showed verbal deficits and apparent left hemispheric brain dysfunction whereas bisexual pedophiles did not but rather showed right hemispheric visual-spatial deficits. An examination of problems surrounding typology of sex offenders and measurement issues in studying brain damage and dysfunction are discussed.