Abstract

CEPEDA RODRIGUEZ, Zulma Yadira  and  RUIZ PEREZ, José Ignacio. Empathy: differences between and among sexual abusers, violent criminals, and a control group. Rev. Crim. [online]. 2015, vol.57, n.2, pp.209-220. ISSN 1794-3108.

The objective was to explore, describe and compare variable empathy among three groups: sexual aggressors and off enders of minors, violent non-sexual criminals, and individuals without a history of reclusion in detention facilities or prisons, by means of a trans-sectional research of the descriptive-comparative type. In order to assess the study variable, the Child Molester Empathy Measure instrument was translated and adapted. Subsequently, this scale was applied to a convenience 149-men sample between 18 and 57 years of age. The main results obtain reveal that there are significant diff erences in the empathy's aff ective and cognitive factor among sexual off enders and violent criminals, and that the former report less empathy when the situation is evaluating their own victims. Finally, the importance of assessing in further studies other psychological variables associated with empathy, such as cognitive distortions and self-esteem, among others.

Keywords : Sexual offenses; sex offender; violent criminal; violent offender.

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