Which type of child molester includes persons who are suffering from some form of mental disorder that renders them unable to distinguish between right and wrong, including sexual practices with children, and finds children to be nonthreatening which allows them to feel more in control?

• A. Fixated child molester
• B. Naive or inadequate child molester
• C. Sadistic child molester
• D. Regressed child molester

Answer: (B)

The idea tested here is that some offenders offend against children because of cognitive and emotional limitations that distort their judgment about boundaries. This type involves a mental disorder or developmental issue that makes it hard for the individual to distinguish right from wrong, so sexual acts with children can seem, to them, more acceptable. They also tend to view children as nonthreatening and easier to control, which gives them a sense of power in the situation. This contrasts with other patterns: a fixated offender has a persistent, deviant sexual interest in children and seeks ongoing contact; a regressed offender typically has normal adult sexual interests and Offends under stress or lapse, not primarily due to a mental impairment; and a sadistic offender derives sexual pleasure from cruelty, not from viewing children as nonthreatening or controllable.