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- From abuse to offense: The legacy of childhood sexual abuse on the psychological functioning of men who perpetrated child sexual abusePublication . Sousa, Marta; Cunha, Olga; Gonçalves, Tânia; Gonçalves, Rui; de Castro Rodrigues, AndreiaBackground: Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is often considereda significant factor associated with sexual offending in adulthood.However, the specific role of this experience in the commission ofsexual offenses remains unclear. Objective: This study aimed to exam-ine differences in emotional functioning (i.e. symptomatology, self-esteem) and dysfunctional thinking patterns between men convictedof CSA with and without a personal history of CSA. Participants andSetting: The sample consisted of 109 adult men found guilty of com-mitting CSA, divided into two groups: those who reported havingexperienced CSA (n = 26) and those who did not (n = 83). Methods:Participants were evaluated on several dimensions, including socio-demographic and legal variables, history of sexual, physical, and psy-chological abuse, substance use, psychopathology, aggression, self-esteem, victim empathy, and cognitive distortions. Results: Those witha history of CSA showed more psychological symptoms, greater levelsof aggression, and lower self-esteem compared to those without sucha history. They also demonstrated more distorted beliefs related tosexual drive. Conclusions: The findings highlight important implica-tions for prevention and intervention, suggesting that individuals witha history of CSA may present distinct emotional and cognitive needscompared to those without such experiences.