Affect regulation as a factor in sex offenders

Research and theory over the past 15 years indicate that affect regulation problems may play a role in the onset of sexual abuse. Affect regulation is often described as a developmental task that can be disturbed by attachment problems or traumatic experiences, potentially leading up to different psychological and behavioral problems. This review intends to integrate conceptual and empirical literature on affect regulation difficulties in adult male sex offenders. Specific attention is devoted to the role of affect regulation in the development of sexual offending and it's link with other criminogenic factors, such as intimacy deficits and sex as coping. Furthermore, implications for psychotherapeutic practice are discussed. Most current treatment programs focus highly on cognitions and behavior and consider affect and emotion as being of secondary importance. Based on this review, recommendations for future research are made and important target areas for treatment are discussed.