Cluster analysis of child sexual offenders: A validation with roman catholic priests and brothers

The present study was designed to replicate cluster analytic techniques previously used to identify subgroups among child sexual offenders with a more restricted population of Roman Catholic priests and brothers who have sexually abused children. Two hierarchical agglomerative methods were used to cluster analyze participants on the three validity scales and ten clinical scales of the MMPI-2 (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory). Participants were 97 Roman Catholic priests and brothers who were child sex offenders. Four clusters were identified and found to be valid and interpretively useful. These empirically derived subgroups included: “Sexually and Emotionally Underdeveloped”; “Significantly Psychiatrically Disturbed”; “Undefended Characterological”; and “Defended Characterological.” Clusters were validated and further described using additional MCMI-II (Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory, Second Edition), NEO-PI-R (NEO Personality Inventory, Revised), demographic, and offense-related data. Clusters were also compared to subgroups previously identified in cluster analytic studies of child sexual offenders in the general population. Conclusions about the stability of child sexual offender subgroups are drawn based on our ability to replicate previously identified clusters, and based on our ability to predict distribution of membership according to what is known from clinically based descriptions of religious professionals who sexually abuse children. Implications for treatment and prevention are also discussed.