PSYCHOLOGICAL TREATMENT OF RAPISTS (FROM RESEARCH INTO VIOLENT BEHAVIOR - OVERVIEW AND SEXUAL ASSAULTS, 1978 SEE NCJ-55729)

• NCJ Number: 55742
• Author(s): G G ABEL; E B BLANCHARD; J V BECKER
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 16 pages
• Corporate Author: US Congress
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE PROCESS OF PSYCHOTHERAPY EVALUATION AND A REVIEW OF THE COMPONENTS OF EFFECTIVE TREATMENT PROGRAMS FOR RAPISTS ARE DISCUSSED; DIRECTIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH ARE HIGHLIGHTED.

Abstract

IN RECENT YEARS A VARIETY OF THERAPY TECHNIQUES HAVE BEEN DESCRIBED FOR THE TREATMENT OF RAPISTS. BUT BOTH PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION AND TREATMENT HAVE BEEN IMPEDED BY LACK OF ACCESSIBILITY OF RAPISTS FOR EVALUATION-TREATMENT AND BY THE FAILURE OF THE PSYCHOLOGICAL COMMUNITY TO DEVELOP EFFECTIVE THERAPIES FOR THEM. THERE ARE DIFFERING LEVELS OF CONFIDENCE IN OR VALIDITY OF THE EVIDENCE SUPPORTING ANY PARTICULAR TREATMENT. THREE LEVELS OF INCREASING SOPHISTICATION IN EVALUATING TREATMENT EFFECTIVENESS CAN BE IDENTIFIED, HOWEVER. CASE REPORTS OF A TREATMENT COMPONENT, BASED UPON THE THERAPIST'S EXPERIENCE AND CLINICAL JUDGMENT, ARE ONE METHOD. A MORE SOPHISTICATED MEANS INVOLVES PLANNED, SINGLE-CASE EXPERIMENTS: THE THERAPISTS INTRODUCES, WITHDRAWS, AND REINTRODUCES A SINGLE-TREATMENT VARIABLE. THIRD, CONTROLLED GROUP STUDIES USE A TREATMENT METHOD FOR ALL MEMBERS OF ONE GROUP, AND NO TREATMENT AT ALL FOR COMPARABLE MEMBERS OF ANOTHER GROUP. ALSO IT IS POSSIBLE TO IDENTIFY THOSE TREATMENT COMPONENTS COMMON TO A VARIETY OF PROGRAMS, ASSUMING THAT FREQUENT USE OF THE SAME COMPONENT SUGGESTS THE IMPORTANCE OF A TECHNIQUE. COMMON TO ALL PROGRAMS IS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A WARM, ACCEPTING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE OFFENDER AND THE THERAPIST. IN ADDITION, THE OFFENDER MUST COME TO REALIZE, OFTEN THROUGH PASTORAL COUNSELING, THAT HE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS ACTIONS, AND ONLY HE CAN STOP THE DEVIANT BEHAVIOR. HETEROSOCIAL-HETEROSEXUAL SKILLS TRAINING ARE EMPHASIZED IN MOST TREATMENT PROGRAMS WHILE INCREASING AROUSAL TO ADULT FEMALES AND DECREASING AROUSAL TO THOUGHTS AND URGES TO RAPE ARE STRESSED IN OTHERS. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT ELEMENTS OF A TOTAL TREATMENT FOR RAPISTS ARE STILL BEING DEVELOPED, AND THAT GROUP OUTCOME STUDIES SHOULD BE COMPLETED. REFERENCES AND TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED. (LWM)