Clinical and risk relevance of intimacy and loneliness in a treated sample of men who have offended sexually

Abstract

The present study examined intimacy and loneliness, their etiological significance in sexual offending, viability as a treatment target, and their correlates with relevant psychological constructs and outcomes in a treated sample of 348 men convicted for sexual offenses. Factor analyses of the Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale and Miller Social Intimacy Scale identified latent dimensions of social connectedness and isolation that underpinned loneliness, and dimensions of validation and emotional intimacy that underpinned social intimacy. In turn, these latent dimensions were correlated with self-report measures of empathy, cognitive distortions, anxiety, and depression – positive self-reported changes in intimacy and loneliness were associated with self-reported decreases in cognitive distortions, depressive symptoms and social anxiety, and improved levels of empathy. Scores on latent dimensions of intimacy and loneliness, however, were not predictive of recidivism. Clinical and research implications are discussed regarding the assessment and evaluation of change on psychological risk factors in treated men who have offended sexually.