Changes in physiological and verbal responses of child molesters during aversion therapy.

Abstract

Ten child molesters were each given 20 classical conditioning type aversion therapy sessions and three assessment (generalization) test sessions (before, after 10, and after 20 treatment sessions). Shock was the unconditional stimulus. Larger skin conductance responses were made to child slides than to adult slides in all sessions. Penile circumference responses indicated a small positive shift in sexual preference in the assessment tests when averaged over subjects. Pre-and post-treatment semantic differential and slide ranking sexual preference measures also showed increases in sexual preference for adults relative to sexual preference for children.

Child molesters' construal of themselves, other adults, and children

“…They concluded that their version of the semantic differential provided "useful indicators of clinical progress" (p. 448) and recommended a six-scale differential on the basis of their work. Quinsey et al (1976) used this brief semantic differential as part of their test battery in a study of change in child molesters over the course of an aversion therapy program. Along with significant posttreatment changes in penile circumference and skin conductance responses, Quinsey et al found that the general evaluative and sexual evaluative scales of the differential showed, as they had expected, more positive descriptions of adults and less positive descriptions of children.…”

Sexual recidivism among child molesters released from a maximum security psychiatric institution.

“…Others had been sent for treatment after being certified as mentally ill (n = 32), following a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity (n = 9), or for another reason (n = 8). Fifty subjects participated in a behavioral program designed to alter sexual preferences (Quinsey, Bergersen, & Steinman, 1976;Quinsey et al, 1980), as well as in the regular institutional activities. Eleven subjects who did not participate in the behavioral program for sex offenders did participate in other programs in the institution.…”

The treatment of sexual paraphilias: A review of the outcome research

“…Eight of the 11 studies used multiple outcome measures. Positive results were reported in all studies, although not for all subjects (e.g., Marshall & McKnight, 1975;Van DeVenter & Laws, 1978), and not on all measures used (e.g., Quinsey et al, 1976). Only the study by Tennent et al (1974) included a control condition.…”

“…Quinsey et al (1976) investigated the effectiveness of aversion therapy with 10 inpatient heterosexual and homosexual pedophiliacs (aged 19 to 33). All subjects acknowledged previous sexual involvement with children; nine had experienced confinement for at least one such crime.…”