Sexual Offending: Theory of Problem, Theory of Change, and Implications for Treatment Effectiveness

• NCJ Number: 214274
• Journal: Aggression and Violent Behavior Volume: 11 Issue: 3 Dated: May-June 2006 Pages: 208-224
• Author(s): Laura G. Kirsch; Judith V. Becker
• Date Published: May 2006
• Length: 17 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Literature Review
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article outlines some of the major discrepancies between the prevailing theories of the causes of sexually deviant behavior, the most widely used treatment approaches, and the research literature that has been used to inform both the causes and treatment of sexual offending behavior.

Abstract

The main argument presented by the authors is that sex offender treatment programs have experienced only limited success in reducing recidivism for two reasons: (1) flaws in the theories of the causes of sexual offending behavior (termed “theory of problem”), and (2) flaws in the theory of treatment delivery (“theory of change”). Theories of problem and theories of change have been flawed because they lack empirical investigation and evidence. In building this argument, the authors begin with a discussion of the history of sex offender treatment and a review of the current treatment programs and their effectiveness. Research has been mixed concerning the effectiveness of different treatment programs in the reduction of sexual offending. Overall, however, a multi-component cognitive-behavioral approach has emerged as the most effective treatment option for sex offenders. The authors next turn to a discussion of the major theories used to explain sexual offending, outlining their main problems and arguing that their weaknesses stem from a lack of empirical evidence supporting the theoretical components. Theories of treatment delivery for sexual offenders are reviewed as the authors illustrate how the process of treatment delivery within sex offender treatment programs has received little research attention. Moreover, the research that has been conducted in this area suggests that there can be detrimental effects of sex offender therapy, underscoring the importance of research in the field of treatment delivery. Recommendations for future research are outlined and include the advice to focus on risk factors for recidivism and to probe the dose-response relationship that assumes a correlation between treatment intensity and outcome. References