Dynamic Protective Factors Relevant to Sexual Offending.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Focusing on protective factors rather than risk factors potentially better aligns assessment with strengths-based treatment. We examine research into the assessment of protective factors to see whether it can play this role relative to sexual offending. RECENT FINDINGS: Structured asses sment of protective factors is well developed relative to violent offending but only recently studied relative to sexual offending. Nevertheless, multiple measures of protective factors have now been trialed with men who have committed sexual offenses and shown to predict reduced recidivism. Although research into individual scales is limited, overlapping content between scales suggests that protective factors aligning with constructs of Resilience, Adaptive Sexuality, and Prosocial Connection and Reward are all relevant to sexual offending. Protective factors relevant to sexual offending are sufficiently well identified that they can usefully be used for treatment need assessment, treatment planning during therapy, and case management. They can also make some contribution to risk assessment. The Structured Assessment of PROtective Factors against Sexual Offending (SAPROF-SO) is currently the most comprehensive measure of protective factors relevant to sexual offending.

Facilitators and Barriers to Understanding and Accepting People with a Sexual Interest in Children: A Thematic Analysis.

The widespread conflation between having a sexual interest in children and engaging in sexually abusive behavior contributes significantly to elevated levels of stigma targeted at people living with a sexual interest in children. Stigmatization and societal punitiveness surrounding people living with these interests can impact their well-being, obstruct help-seeking, and potentially increase risk of offending behavior. Recent quantitative research employing stigma intervention strategies has produced encouraging results in reducing stigmatizing attitudes toward this population. The current study sought to expand on quantitative research findings to explore qualitatively the facilitators and barriers to understanding and accepting people living with sexual interest in children. Thirty participants were interviewed following completion of an online stigma intervention study. Participants were asked about their attitudinal responses to the earlier study and how personal and professional experiences contributed to shaping their attitudes surrounding people living with a sexual interest in children. Reflexive inductive thematic analysis was used to explore what factors promote understanding and what factors act as barriers to understanding people with sexual interest in children. The significance of experiences which challenged the dominant social narrative was identified across several themes which facilitated understanding and acceptance of people who have a sexual interest in children. Themes which reflected barriers to understanding included difficulty comprehending alternate narratives, parental concern, and reinforcement of current stereotypes. Implications for developing stigma-reduction interventions and future research are discussed.

Cognitive and Affective Impacts of Antistigma Interventions Surrounding People with a Sexual Interest in Children.

Prevalent conflation between having a sexual interest in children and engaging in sexually abusive behavior contributes greatly to elevated levels of stigma directed at people living with a sexual interest in children. Contemporary quantitative research employing stigma intervention techniques has produced promising results in decreasing stigmatizing attitudes toward this population. This study aims to expand on this research by qualitatively analyzing the impact of two antistigma interventions. Content and thematic analysis were used to examine N = 460 responses to two open-ended questions featured in an anonymous online survey, which explored the cognitive and emotional impact of the interventions, respectively. A total of nine themes were identified. Four themes pertained to positive/supportive views and emotional responses reflecting the challenging of stereotypes, gaining new perspective, personalized reflections, and recognizing the impacts of stigma. Three themes reflected negative views and emotional responses, which concerned minimization and normalization, adverse personal experiences, and disbelief and mistrust. Finally, two themes reflected mixed views and emotional responses, specifically the difficulty in reconciling emotional and cognitive responses. The data indicated that both interventions showed potential to impact participants' viewpoints positively. Findings offer insights into how future research can be designed and interventions can be developed more effectively.

Attending to the Positive: A Retrospective Validation of the Structured Assessment of Protective Factors-Sexual Offence Version.

Sexual recidivism risk assessment tools focus almost exclusively on risk factors associated with increased rates of recidivism and do not attend to protective factors that might mitigate reoffense risk. The present study investigated the predictive validity of the Structured Assessment of Protective Factors - Sexual Offence version (SAPROF-SO), developed to assess hypothesised protective factors against sexual recidivism in adult males. The SAPROF-SO pilot version contains 24 items across two domains: Personal and Professionally Provided Support. SAPROF-SO scores were rated retrospectively from a review of archived case files of 210 men with convictions for child sexual offenses, using the SAPROF-SO pilot manual and a supplementary retrospective scoring guide developed for the current study. SAPROF-SO Total and Personal domain scores were significantly predictive of sexual recidivism after an average follow-up period of 12.24 years (AUC = .81), and to a lesser extent, violent and general recidivism. SAPROF-SO Total and Personal scores additionally provided significant incremental validity over Static-99R scores in the prediction of sexual recidivism. Results support the predictive validity of protective factors for reduced sexual recidivism and invite future research examining how to integrate the SAPROF-SO alongside contemporary sexual recidivism risk assessment tools.

Balancing Political and Criminogenic Needs: Evaluating the New Zealand Department of Corrections' Response to Men Assessed With a Below Average Risk for Sexual Recidivism.

Current research provides little evidence for the effectiveness of treatment in reducing sexual offence recidivism amongst low-risk populations. However, in real-world correctional settings, program delivery rarely occurs in a vacuum, treatment may be politically mandated and unidimensional measures of program success may preclude recognition of broader benefits. The current study investigated the effectiveness of a low-intensity treatment program, both in terms of participants' recidivism outcomes and in terms of broader organizational/systems impacts. The results demonstrated low base rate recidivism across both program participants (n = 311) and a comparison group of men who were assessed as demonstrating similar static sexual offence recidivism risk (n = 391), and little evidence of reduced recidivism following treatment. However, program administration led to many potential participants being identified as demonstrating higher levels of dynamic risk and overridden to more intensive treatment options (n = 101). Given evidence that such options do effectively reduce recidivism in higher risk populations, these findings may suggest an overall positive net effect.

Exploring Risk for Sexual Recidivism and Treatment Responsivity Through the Lens of Early Trauma.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) are common in the histories of individuals who have sexually offended. Many risk factors for sexual recidivism resemble symptoms of early trauma, and early trauma may present a responsivity barrier to engagement in offense-focused treatment. Using the ACE scale, the current study aimed to (i) examine relationships between ACE scores and static and dynamic risk assessment scores, (ii) examine whether ACE scores differ between treatment completers versus noncompleters, and finally (iii) examine whether ACE scores predict treatment noncompletion. ACE scores were retrospectively coded from files of adult men receiving community-based assessment and/or treatment in New Zealand for sexual offenses against children (N = 491; n = 185-411 for individual analyses). Although effect sizes were generally small, static risk and general self-regulation dynamic risk factors correlated positively with ACE scores, ACE scores were higher for treatment noncompleters versus completers, and higher dynamic risk assessment scores and ACE scores increased the odds of treatment noncompletion. Implications for future research and enhancing treatment responsivity are discussed.

Primary Prevention of Sexual Violence in Aotearoa New Zealand.

The extensive and sometimes profoundly damaging effects of sexual violence and large numbers of victims necessitate dedicated attention to primary prevention efforts. Few studies have examined the scope of current prevention activities or their fit with empirical research into effective prevention strategies. The current article presents findings from a survey of primary prevention activities in non-Maori and bicultural communities within Aotearoa New Zealand. Forty-four respondents representing 42 agencies responded to a comprehensive survey that canvased types of sexual violence primary prevention activities undertaken, sexual violence primary prevention programs, and barriers and supports to sexual violence prevention work. Consistent with findings from previous international surveys, the focus of primary prevention work in New Zealand was on sexual violence education and increasing awareness. Findings are discussed in the context of the sexual violence prevention literature and what works in prevention more broadly to help identify promising initiatives as well as gaps in current practices. Recommendations for advancing sexual violence primary prevention research are also provided.

Obstacles to Help-Seeking for Sexual Offenders: Implications for Prevention of Sexual Abuse.

Persons with potentially harmful sexual interests such as attraction to minors are unlikely to seek or receive treatment before a sexual offense has been committed. The current study explored barriers to help-seeking in a sample of 372 individuals in treatment for sexual offending. Results revealed that the shame and secrecy resulting from stigma associated with pedophilic interests often prevented our respondents from seeking professional counseling, and only about 20% tried to talk to anyone about their sexual interests prior to their arrest. Barriers to seeking and receiving psychological services included concerns about confidentiality, fears of social and legal consequences, personal shame or confusion about the problem, affordability, and challenges finding competent therapists who were adequately equipped to help them. Understanding and ultimately reducing obstacles to help-seeking can improve the quality of life for people with harmful sexual interests and potentially prevent sexual abuse of children or other vulnerable individuals.

Adverse Childhood Experiences in the Lives of Male Sex Offenders: Implications for Trauma-Informed Care.

This study explored the prevalence of childhood trauma in a sample of male sexual offenders (N = 679) using the Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) scale. Compared with males in the general population, sex offenders had more than 3 times the odds of child sexual abuse (CSA), nearly twice the odds of physical abuse, 13 times the odds of verbal abuse, and more than 4 times the odds of emotional neglect and coming from a broken home. Less than 16% endorsed zero ACEs and nearly half endorsed four or more. Multiple maltreatments often co-occurred with other types of household dysfunction, suggesting that many sex offenders were raised within a disordered social environment. Higher ACE scores were associated with higher risk scores. By enhancing our understanding of the frequency and correlates of early adverse experiences, we can better devise trauma-informed interventions that respond to the clinical needs of sex offender clients.

Adverse childhood experiences in the lives of female sex offenders.

This study explored the prevalence of early trauma in a sample of U.S. female sexual offenders (N = 47) using the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) scale. Compared with females in the general population, sex offenders had more than three times the odds of child sexual abuse, four times the odds of verbal abuse, and more than three times the odds of emotional neglect and having an incarcerated family member. Half of the female sex offenders had been sexually abused as a child. Only 20% endorsed zero adverse childhood experiences (compared with 35% of the general female population) and 41% endorsed four or more (compared with 15% of the general female population). Higher ACE scores were associated with having younger victims. Multiple maltreatments often co-occurred in households with other types of dysfunction, suggesting that many female sex offenders were raised within a disordered social environment by adults with problems of their own who were ill-equipped to protect their daughters from harm. By enhancing our understanding of the frequency and correlates of early adverse experiences, we can better devise trauma-informed interventions that respond to the clinical needs of female sex offender clients.

The good lives model (GLM): an evaluation of GLM operationalization in North American treatment programs.

The good lives model (GLM) has become an increasingly popular theoretical framework underpinning sex offender treatment programs, and preliminary research suggests that the GLM may enhance the efficacy of programs that adhere to the Risk, Need, and Responsivity (RNR) principles. However, this potential rests on the appropriate operationalization of the GLM in practice. Operationalized appropriately, the GLM aims to facilitate risk reduction alongside equipping clients with the tools to live personally meaningful and fulfilling lives. However, misguided operationalization of the GLM could result in ineffective treatment and ultimately higher rates of reoffending. This article presents findings from a multisite study exploring how the GLM has been operationalized and the degree to which the GLM has been integrated in a sample of 13 North American treatment programs. A comprehensive coding protocol was developed that included items related to program aims and client induction/orientation, assessment, intervention planning, intervention content, and intervention delivery. Each site was visited and items were rated through a review of program documentation, interviews with program directors/managers, and observations of treatment groups. Findings from inductive (how the GLM was operationalized) and deductive (the extent to which the GLM was integrated) analyses are presented and GLM consistent and inconsistent practices are highlighted. The article concludes with suggestions for ways in which program responsiveness to the GLM could be enhanced.

How to integrate the good lives model into treatment programs for sexual offending: an introduction and overview.

The good lives model (GLM) represents a new theoretical framework informing sex offender treatment programs; however, substantial variation has been observed in terms of how GLM-related ideas and practices have been applied. Integrated appropriately, the GLM offers potential for improving outcomes of programs following a cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) approach and operating according to a narrow operationalization of risk, need, responsivity (RNR) principles. Conversely, misguided or otherwise poor integration could increase the very risk practitioners work to prevent and manage. The purpose of this article is to provide an introduction and overview on how to integrate the GLM into treatment using CBT and RNR. The authors describe clinical implications of the GLM as they relate to program aims and orientation, assessment and intervention planning, content, and delivery.

Understanding and Challenging Stigma Associated With Sexual Interest in Children: A Systematic Review.

The stigmatization of people with pedophilia was previously identified as a "blind spot" in stigma research. This systematic review updates and expands on Jahnke and Hoyer's 2013 review to understand (1) factors contributing to stigma toward people with sexual interest in children, (2) experiences of stigma, and (3) how stigma can be challenged and reduced. Thematic synthesis was used to analyze data from 35 studies from the United Kingdom, United States, The Netherlands, Germany, Canada, Norway, Australia, and New Zealand. Overarching themes were (1) misperceptions and stereotypes, (2) negative affective responses, (3) discrimination, (4) mental distress, (5) internalized public stigma, (6) negative effects of disclosure, and (7 and 8) informative and humanizing interventions. Findings highlighted substantial prevalence of stigma toward and amongst people with sexual interest in children, and methodological limitations of extant research. An agenda for future research is discussed, emphasizing how stigma can be challenged.

Beyond static and dynamic risk factors: the incremental validity of release planning for predicting sex offender recidivism.

Both desistance research and strengths-based approaches to offender rehabilitation suggest that attempts to reduce sex offender recidivism should attend to an offender's release environment. Recent research has demonstrated that better quality release planning is associated with reduced recidivism; however, whether release planning contributes significant incremental validity in predicting recidivism over and above static and dynamic risk factors is unclear. In the present study, release planning was retrospectively assessed for a sample of child molesters (n = 196) who had been released into the community following completion of a prison-based treatment program and its relative contribution to recidivism risk prediction was investigated. The average follow-up period was 11.08 years, during which 13.3% of the sample were convicted of a new sexual offence. Hierarchical Cox regression analyses showed that release planning contributed additional predictive validity for sexual recidivism after controlling for static and dynamic risk factors. Findings suggest that assessment of release planning might improve accuracy of sex offender risk assessments and that improved release planning should contribute to reductions in recidivism.

The quality of community reintegration planning for child molesters: effects on sexual recidivism.

Research on the causal factors underlying sex offender recidivism has not considered the success or failure of the reintegration process by which the offender rejoins the community after prison. The authors developed a coding protocol to measure the quality and comprehensiveness of reintegration planning for sex offenders. The protocol was retrospectively applied to groups of recidivists and nonrecidivists who were matched on static risk level and follow-up time. The protocol demonstrated adequate reliability. Compared to nonrecidivists, recidivists had significantly lower scores relating to accommodation, employment, and the Good Lives Model secondary goods, as well as lower total reintegration plan scores. ANCOVAs showed that when IQ and level of sexual deviance were controlled for, accommodation (a place to live) was significantly related to sexual recidivism and the Good Lives Model-secondary goods was significantly related to any recidivism. These results suggest that poor reintegration planning may be a risk factor for recidivism.