NCJ Number
142299
Journal
Child Abuse and Neglect Volume: 17 Issue: 2 Dated: (March-April 1993) Pages: 299-304
Date Published
1993
Length
6 pages
Annotation
Two groups of 17 male child sexual abusers participated in a brief group treatment designed to help them overcome their denial, for which they had been refused admission to sex offender treatment programs. Pre- and posttreatment clinical interviews were conducted for each subject and a follow-up measure was constructed and sent to therapists of subjects who received sex offender treatment subsequent to this group treatment.
Abstract
The program consisted of victim empathy training, cognitive restructuring of irrational beliefs regarding adult- child sexual contact, sex education, assertiveness and social skills training, sex offender therapy education, discussion of the possible consequences of repeated child sexual abuse, and analysis of inhibitions regarding adult-child sexual contact. The treatment consisted of seven sessions, each lasting 90 minutes. During the pretest interview, 15 of the 17 subjects were found to be in complete denial, one was in partial denial, and one accepted responsibility for his actions but refused treatment. At the posttreatment interview, 76 percent of the subjects were rated as being either totally or at least partially out of denial about their guilt. The follow-up data provided by therapists showed that, of those subjects who were partial deniers posttreatment, 80 percent later took full responsibility for their offenses. Of those subjects who had taken full responsibility at posttreatment, 67 percent still took responsibility during therapy, while the other third showed a negative change in denial status. The subjects also showed average to above average compliance with subsequent sex offender treatment. 5 references