Multivariate analyses suggested that nondeviant and deviant arousal were significantly associated and that sexual arousal as a male voice described consenting sexual intercourse with women or female minors was significantly higher than sexual arousal to descriptions of physically forcible sexual and nonsexual activity with female minors. However, the correspondence of these physiological measures with several external offense criteria was weak. Deviant sexual arousal among sexual offenders may often reflect general arousability rather than deviant sexual behavior. Caution is advised in the interpretation of physiological measures to assess sexual offenders. (Publisher abstract)