The role of antisocial-lifestyle traits in linking childhood maltreatment to sexual offending

Research has identified associations among childhood maltreatment, antisocial traits, and sexual offending. However, limited attention has been given to how they relate. This study investigated the relationship between childhood maltreatment, antisocial traits, and sexual offending, with a focus on whether antisocial-lifestyle traits mediate this relationship. Investigating this topic is important to better understand the developmental pathways underlying sexual violence and to inform tailored prevention and treatment strategies. A total of 209 male forensic patients in the Netherlands participated, including individuals convicted of child sexual abuse, sexual violence against adults, and non-sexual violent offenses. Participants completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire and were assessed using the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R). Kruskal-Wallis tests showed that adult sex offenders scored significantly higher on interpersonal-affective traits than non-sexual offenders (p < .01), but did not differ from child sex offenders. No group differences emerged for antisocial-lifestyle traits or childhood maltreatment scores. Mediation analyses indicated that childhood maltreatment did not predict antisocial-lifestyle traits (p = .348), and these traits did not predict sexual offending (adult victims: p = .466; child victims: p = .093). Indirect effects were non-significant. Collectively, these results indicate that antisocial-lifestyle traits do not serve as a mediating factor in the relationship between childhood maltreatment and sexual violence in this sample.