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October 17, 2025Open Access

Perceptions of Sexual Offenders (PSO) Scale

BRB. J. RyeSt. Jerome's University ATAmy G. TuerUniversity of Waterloo

Key Points

The PSO scale effectively assesses community perceptions of sexual offenders, emphasizing risk and sentencing contexts.
A three-factor structure of the PSO scale was validated through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses with new samples.
The development of the PSO incorporated insights from prior research, enhancing its psychometric reliability and validity.
Potential uses of the PSO extend beyond academia into practical settings like judicial and restorative justice applications.

Abstract

Derived from the Community Attitudes Toward Sex Offenders scale (CATSO), the Perceptions of Sex Offenders (PSO) scale is 20-item instrument designed to be a practical and accurate assessment of perceptions of those who have offended sexually. The PSO was developed by Harper and Hogue through a revision of the CATSO scale, incorporating exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses with new validation samples. A three-factor scale emerged which assesses perceptions related to the sentencing and management of sexual offenders, stereotype endorsement of the person who offends sexually, and perception of the person who has offended sexually as a continued risk. This entry outlines the historical context of the PSO and the social science literature in which the instrument has been used. As well, this entry describes the development and psychometric properties of the PSO as well as the potential uses of the instrument in non-academic settings (e.g., judicial, restorative justice).

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