INTERGRATED TREATMENT PROGRAM FOR RAPISTS (FROM CLINICAL ASPECTS OF THE RAPIST, 1978 BY RICHARD T RADA - SEE NCJ-45709)

• NCJ Number: 45713
• Author(s): G G ABEL; E B BLANCHARD; J V BECKER
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 54 pages
• Corporate Author: Grune and Stratton, Inc
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

COMPONENTS COMMON TO TREATMENT PROGRAMS FOR RAPIST ARE REVIEWED, AND A BEHAVIORALLY ORIENTED PROGRAM IS PRESENTED BY OUTLINING TREATMENT STRATEGIES FOR SELECTED CASES.

Abstract

THE FIVE MAJOR ELEMENTS OF MOST TREATMENT PROGRAMS ARE AS FOLLOWS: (1) THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN EMPATHETIC RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE PATIENT AND THERAPIST; (2) CONFRONTATION REGARDING THE RAPIST'S RESPONSIBILTY FOR HIS SEXUAL BEHAVIOR; (3) HETEROSOCIOAL-HETEROSEXUAL SKILLS TRAINING; (4) GENERATING OR INCREASING HETEROSEXUAL AROUSAL FOR ADULT FEMALES; AND (5) DECREASING SEXUAL AROUSAL TO RAPE. THE BEHAVIORAL PROGRAM LOCATED IN THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHIATRY AT THE MEMPHIS MENTAL HEALTH INSTITUTE IS THE FOCUS OF AN EXAMINATION OF DATA ON THE EVALUATION AND TREATMENT OF RAPISTS. THE PROGRAM'S BEHAVIORAL-MEASUREMENT MODEL OF DEVIANT SEXUAL BEHAVIOR COVERS EXCESSIVE SEXUAL AROUSAL TO RAPE THEMES, DEFICIT HETEROSEXUAL AROUSAL, DEFICITS IN HETEROSOCIAL SKILLS, AND GENDER ROLE CONFLICT ON THE PART OF THE RAPIST. MEASUREMENT OF MALE SEXUAL AROUSAL THROUGH MECHANICAL MEANS, SELECTION OF STIMULI, AND THE SET OF INSTRUCTIONS FOR PATIENTS ARE DESCRIBED, AS ACCURATE PHYSIOLOGIC ASSESSMENT OF DEVIANT AND NONDEVIANT AROUSAL IS CRITICAL TO THE BEHAVIOR MODEL. ELEMENTS OF THE INTEGRATED TREATMENT PROGRAM PROPOSED BY THE AUTHORS INCLUDE REDUCING DEVIANT SEXUAL AROUSAL (THROUGH ELECTRICAL AVERSION AT AND OUTSIDE OF THE FANTASY LEVEL, COVERT SENSITIZATION USING AVERSIVE IMAGERY, AND CHEMICAL AND OLFACTORY AVERSION), DEVELOPING HETEROSEXUAL AROUSAL (THROUGH SUCH TECHNIQUES AS AVERSION, AVERSION RELIEF, SYSTEMATIC DESENSITIZATION, SOCIAL RETRAINING, CLASSICAL CONDITIONING, AND MASTURBATORY CONDITIONING), AND ACQUIRING SOCIAL SKILLS (THROUGH RELAXATION TRAINING, BEHAVIORAL REHEARSAL, PRACTICE SESSIONS WITH FEMALE CONFEDERATES, AND DISCUSSION WITH THERAPISTS). CLINICAL EXAMPLES OF THESE METHODS ARE DRAWN FROM TRANSCRIPTS OF THERAPIST-PATIENT MEETINGS. FURTHER RESEARCH INTO BEHAVIORAL TREATMENTS, DEVELOPMENT OF TREATMENT PROGRAMS WITH OTHER ORIENTATIONS, AND SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION OF TREATMENT EFFECTIVENESS ARE URGED. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (DAS)