Child Molesters' Implicit Theories

Abstract

In this article, the authors argue that child molesters' cognitive distortions emerge from underlying causal theories about the nature of their victims, the world, and themselves. These implicit theories function like scientific theories and are used to explain empirical regularities (e.g., other people's actions) and to make predictions about the world. They are relatively coherent and constituted by a number of interlocking ideas and their component concepts and categories. Drawing on recent work in the cognitive distortions area, the authors identify five core implicit theories. Each theory is described in detail and its relationship to cognitive distortions discussed. Finally, the clinical and research implications of the implicit theory perspective are outlined.