Psychological Treatment in Adult Male Sex Offenders

Abstract

This study aimed to systematically review published empirical research on psychological treatment in adult male sexual offenders.  The study samples consisted of evidence-based studies which published within past 10 years from relevant electronic bibliographic databases.  Results showed that six studies (out of 1,581 studies) that met the selection criteria. All were the studies conducted in foreign countries (consisted of five quantitative studies and one qualitative study). The targeted population of the treatment were male sexual offenders aged 18 years or over who were detained in prisons, on probation, or released from prison and received treatment as specified by the court. The theoretical framework for psychological treatment in the studies included the risk-need-responsivity principle, the cognitive behavioral therapy, the prevention of recidivism, and the good life model. Types of the treatment program included group, individual, and mixed (i.e., individual combined with group) therapy.  Treatment program duration ranged from 18 to 250 hours, during four to 61 months. Treatment providers were sexual offender treatment professionals. The treatment outcome evaluations were based on rate of risk for recidivism, factors related to recidivism (e.g., attitudes supportive of sexual violence), and report on factors facilitating successful programs.