Why Therapy Fails With Some Sex Offenders: Learning Difficulties Examined Empirically (from Sex Offender Treatment: Biological Dysfunction, Intrapsychic Conflict, Interpersonal Violence, P 143-155, 1996, Eli Coleman, S. Margretta Dwyer, et al., eds. - See NCJ-174052)

• NCJ Number: 174060
• Author(s): R Langevin; D Marentette; B Rosati
• Date Published: 1996
• Length: 13 pages
• Sale Source: Haworth Press, Inc
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article examines treatment options for sex offenders with learning difficulties.

Abstract

A total of 203 men accused of sexual offenses were compared on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, the Halstead-Reitan Battery, school grade repeats and therapy outcome measures that included desire for treatment, attendance, and attitude to treatment. There were 75 intrafamilial and 54 extrafamilial child sexual abusers, 41 sexual aggressives and 43 miscellaneous sex offenders. Fifty-two percent were school dropouts and 53 percent had failed at least one grade in school. Although the group's intelligence was in the average range, 33 percent scored in the impaired range of the Halstead-Reitan Battery. Of the therapy outcome measures, only attitude to therapy was related to the Reitan Impairment Index, with more impaired individuals evincing a more negative attitude to therapy. Sex offenders with and without learning problems did not differ in desire for treatment, but those with learning problems had better attendance. Tables, figures, references, notes