Screening and Diagnostic Validity of Affinity 2.5

• Main Author: Stephenson, Heather Lynn
• Format: Others
• Published: BYU ScholarsArchive 2014
• Subjects: Affinity 2.5; sexual interest; viewing time; reliability; validity; chi-square; Counseling Psychology; Special Education and Teaching
• Online Access: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/4232; https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5243&context=etd

Affinity 2.5 is a computer-based instrument designed to assess sexual interest using viewing-time measures. Viewing-time measures of sexual interest have been developed to identify individuals with deviant sexual interest. The purpose of this study is to examine the validity of Affinity 2.5 in screening and diagnosing individuals with sexually deviant interests. This study used viewing time profiles of known sexual offenders compared to norm-referenced profiles of an exclusively heterosexual, non-pedophilic college population. Participants were 155 males and 3 females who had sexually offended against children and 63 male and 84 female non-offender college students. Results show that 43.7% of offenders were correctly identified as having significantly deviant sexual interest, compared to the reference group. Further 12.0% of offenders showed statistical significant interest in at least one category of individuals from a protected population and offended against that same category. The results of this study do not provide support for the utility of the Affinity 2.5 as a screening or diagnostic tool.