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Clinical Model for the Treatment of Personality Disordered Sexual Offenders: An Example of Theory Knitting

NCJ Number
201266
Journal
Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment Volume: 15 Issue: 3 Dated: July 2003 Pages: 183-199
Author(s)
Jos Buschman; Daan van Beek
Date Published
July 2003
Length
17 pages
Annotation
This article presents a clinical model for the treatment of personality disordered sexual offenders.
Abstract
The clinical model presented is based on the theoretical assumption that cognitive distortions emerge from more general explanatory theories. This departs from the view of most researchers and clinicians that distortions are simply general distorted beliefs. The concept of cognition as a pervasive characteristic of an individual suggests that the underlying structure of cognition is an enduring, integrated, and functional part of the individual, such that it can be defined as a trait. As predicted by the clinical model, in the case of offenders with a personality disorder, the type of explanatory cognition that underlies their sexual offenses is the same as the one that underlies their general explanatory theories. After reviewing and evaluating the recent literature, the authors adopted the self-regulation model of Ward and Hudson (1998a,b) as the rationale for assessment and treatment at the Forensic Psychiatric Hospital Center (FPC)Veldzicht in the Netherlands. With the self-regulation model, analysis of differences in the underlying associated affective, cognitive, and behavioral mechanisms can be determined. This model creates new possibilities to view the content of cognitive distortions as an integrated set of beliefs held by the offender, a suggestion that fits well with the cognitive-behavioral tradition of FPC Veldzicht. The model's framework proved to be a promising clinical method for collecting information about the offender's motivation for sexual abuse and for tailoring sex offender treatment. The authors advise, however, that the findings are preliminary due to a lack of empirical evidence. Still, the preliminary treatment results indicate that it is possible to use "knitted" explanatory types of theory about social-emotional development and personality types together with the more practical, descriptive model proposed by Ward and Hudson. 55 references