Relapse Prevention with Sexual Aggressors: A Method for Maintaining Therapeutic Gain and Enhancing External Supervision (From Handbook of Sexual Assault: Issues, Theories, and Treatment of the Offender, P 343-361, 1990, W L Marshall, et al, eds. -- See NCJ-125290)

• NCJ Number: 125298
• Author(s): W D Pithers
• Date Published: 1990
• Length: 19 pages
• Sale Source: Plenum Press
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Relapse prevention represents a structured method for enhancing the self-management skills of sexual aggressors and for supervising sex offenders by treatment professionals.

Abstract

Relapse prevention was originally devised as a way of facilitating change maintenance in substance abusers. It was intended to strengthen self-control by providing clients with methods for identifying problematic situations, analyzing decisions that affect the resumption of substance abuse, and developing strategies to avoid or cope more effectively with situations affecting relapse. Relapse prevention proposes that various factors influence whether a sexual offender will avoid committing another abusive act. The interaction of these factors affects the probability of relapse. A relapse prevention model known as the Internal Self-Management Dimension is described, along with relapse prevention assessment and treatment procedures. Recidivism data from a 5-year followup of 20 rapists and 147 pedophiles treated using the model showed a 4-percent relapse rate. While this recidivism rate is likely to increase over time, the initial data suggest that relapse prevention is an effective means of enhancing change maintenance in sexual aggressors. 31 references.