NCJ Number
153425
Date Published
Unknown
Length
20 pages
Annotation
Because most sex offenders have experienced abusive primary relationships, there is tremendous healing power in building relationships with both the therapeutic community and the therapist.
Abstract
Although most contemporary treatment programs for sex offenders rely heavily on cognitive-behavioral approaches to sexual compulsivity, the author contends that therapeutic programs need to move beyond such mechanistic reductionism. An integrated approach to sex offender treatment is described that draws on a wide variety of treatment philosophies, including systemic, trauma-based, addictionology, psychodynamic, gestalt, and feminist-humanistic conceptualizations. Fundamental to the approach is an etiological-based conceptualization of traumatic influences on the unfolding of sexual and affectional systems. Successful rehabilitation requires resolving trauma in order to prevent re-enactments. Also critical to the integrated treatment model is an understanding of the connection between compulsive sexuality and unexpressed range. The author believes that intimacy disorders, deficits in the ability to form close interpersonal bonds, cause sexually compulsive behavior. He focuses on the following aspects of treatment: (1) renunciation of denial and other defensive maneuvers; (2) restructuring of cognitive distortions typical of sex offenders; (3) development of intimacy skills and especially empathy; (4) making amends to those damaged directly or indirectly by destructive behavior; (5) relapse prevention; and (6) trauma resolution. Goals of sex offender treatment are identified, and the author's treatment format is described. 15 references and 4 tables