NCJ Number
54476
Journal
CANADIAN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION JOURNAL Volume: 20 Issue: 2 Dated: (1975) Pages: 133-138
Date Published
1975
Length
6 pages
Annotation
SELECTION PROCEDURES, TREATMENT AND ASSESSMENT TECHNIQUES, AND RESULTS OF A PROGRAM FOR 'DANGEROUS SEXUAL OFFENDERS' IN ONTARIO (CANADA) REGIONAL PENITENTIARIES ARE DESCRIBED AND DISCUSSED.
Abstract
CLIENTS FOR THE PROGRAM TARGETED AS INCARCERATED 'DANGEROUS SEXUAL OFFENDERS' ARE SELECTED BY A TEAM OF THREE MEDICAL PERSONNEL ACCORDING TO CHARACTERISTICS DEEMED FAVORABLE FOR SUCCESSFUL TREATMENT. SEXUAL OFFENDERS TESTED TO BE PSYCHOTIC, OR CONSIDERED SECURITY RISKS OR UNMOTIVATED TOWARD CHANGE ARE EXCLUDED. TREATMENT CONSISTS OF LABORATORY-BASED PROCEDURES INVOLVING AVERSION THERAPY, TRAINING IN SOCIAL SKILLS, AND A MORE GENERAL WORD-BASED PROGRAM WHICH INCLUDES A GRADED INTRODUCTION TO MORE COMPLEX SOCIAL INTERACTION AND GROUP THERAPY. THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THE TREATMENT IS CONSIDERED TO BE THE AVERSION THERAPY, IN WHICH THE SUBJECT VIEWS SIX 'APPROPRIATE' AND SIX 'INAPPROPRIATE' SLIDES RELATED TO NORMAL AND ABNORMAL SEXUAL AROUSAL. PICTURES DEEMED ABNORMALLY AROUSING FOR PARTICULAR SUBJECTS ARE ACCOMPANIED BY A PAINFUL ELECTRIC SHOCK TO THE CALF OF THE LEG, WHILE THE SHOCK IS TERMINATED WITH THE SHOWING OF PICTURES CONSIDERED APPROPRIATELY AROUSING. SUCH SESSIONS ARE CONDUCTED TWICE A DAY FOR 4 WEEKS. APPROPRIATE SOCIAL SKILLS ARE TAUGHT USING DESENSITIZATION PROCEDURES TO REDUCE ANXIETY IN FEARED INTERACTIONS AND PROVIDING MODELING AND ROLE PLAYING TO DEMONSTRATE APPROPRIATE SOCIAL BEHAVIOR. LEVELS OF SOCIAL INTERACTION THROUGH GROUP THERAPY AND SOCIALIZATION WITHIN THE INSTITUTION ARE PLANNED ACCORDING TO THE PROGRESS OF THE SUBJECT. SUBJECT PROGRESS IS ASSESSED BY PRETESTING AND POSTTESTING THROUGH THE USE OF A PENOMETER TO MEASURE SEXUAL AROUSAL AT THE DISPLAY OF SEXUALLY SUGGESTIVE PICTURES OF THE NORMAL AND ABNORMAL TYPES, SUBJECT RATINGS OF SEXUAL ATTRACTIVENESS OF VARIOUS PICTURES, THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE SEXUAL ORIENTATION METHOD, AND BEHAVIORAL OBSERVATION. CASE HISTORIES AND OUTCOMES OF THREE PEDOPHILIACS ARE PRESENTED. IT IS ACKNOWLEDGED THAT OUTCOMES WERE NOT AS FAVORABLE AS HAD BEEN HOPED, BUT SIGNS OF IMPROVEMENT ARE NOTED, AND IT IS BELIEVED MODIFICATIONS IN THE PROGRAM CAN INCREASE POSITIVE RESULTS. DATA AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)