NCJ Number
173676
Journal
Journal of Offender Rehabilitation Volume: 27 Issue: 1/2 Dated: 1998 Pages: 137-147
Date Published
1998
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This study investigates whether asking sex offenders and their support persons about offenders' strengths and barriers in therapy would yield clinically useful information.
Abstract
Questionnaire responses from 21 offenders and 21 support persons attending an educational seminar component of an outpatient sex offender treatment program yielded 299 comments regarding offenders' strengths and barriers in therapy. Intraindividual factors were most commonly cited as both strengths and barriers, followed by interindividual attributes and external-to-individual comments. These data appear to characterize offenders, as a group, as intelligent and motivated to change, yet focused on negative emotions. Offenders valued support persons, and a support system was seen as critical to breaking isolation and resistance in therapy. Judging by these findings, cognitively based outpatient therapy programs should focus on reinforcing offenders' strengths and addressing the barriers to improve therapy efficiency and efficacy. Programs should reinforce motivation, capitalize on offenders' self-concept of intelligence, help offenders explore both negative and positive feelings, and use conjoint, family, and group therapy to strengthen communication and develop support systems. Tables, references