Assessing components of empathy and victim specific empathy in sex-offenders with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

The focus of this thesis is empathy in sex offenders with intellectual disabilities (ID).
The first section reviews components of empathy, based on Marshall et al.'s (1995)
model, in sex-offenders with ID. Due to the paucity of research into empathy in sexoffenders
with ID, the review establishes what can be learned from studies investigating
components of empathy in sex-offenders without disabilities and in people with ID.
Evidence is conflicting and no clear conclusions can be made as to whether sexoffenders
or people with ID are deficient in components of empathy. Further research is
needed into the components of empathy in sex-offenders with ID, motivating the
research carried out in section two.
The second section describes a study on components of empathy and victim empathy in
sex-offenders with ID. Twenty-one sex-offenders and twenty-one non-offenders with
ID were given measures of empathy. In addition the sex-offenders completed a measure
of empathy towards their own victim. There were no significant differences between
sex-offenders and non-offenders with ID on measures of general or victim empathy, nor
on components of empathy. There was no significant relationship between the sexoffenders'
scores on empathy towards their own victim and empathy towards nonspecific
victims of sexual assault. Sex-offenders who had received treatment performed
better on some measures of components of empathy than non-offenders. Limitations
and clinical implications are discussed. Further research is needed to understand
empathy in sex-offenders with ID.
The final section discusses reflections on the research process, including what was
learned and areas for future development.