Moral Agency, Cognitive Distortion, and Narrative Strategy in the Rehabilitation of Sexual Offenders

Abstract

Employing a framework at the intersection of psychological anthropology and narrative theory, I provide a critique of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) approaches to sexual offender rehabilitation. I demonstrate that what forensic psychologists refer to as a “cognitive distortion” or “thinking error” is often embedded within a broader narrative, and that these narratives reveal the existence of identifiable strategies designed to communicate something salient, enduring, and moral about the offender. Through the examination of narratives offered by imprisoned sexual offenders, several such narrative strategies containing the seeds of moral agency are identified. It is suggested that CBT's current focus on cognitive distortions effectively eliminates this narrative context and thus serves to disguise and even eradicate the positive, moral notions of self that most offenders exhibit in some form or another. A rehabilitative approach that works with narrative, facilitating development of shared narratives among offenders and therapists, would allow for the emergence of a plan for morally agentive living, transcending what is currently possible within the hostile, challenging framework of CBT. [narrative theory; cognitive behavior therapy; moral agency; sexual offenders; prisons]

Psychotherapy Experiences of Perpetrators of Child Sexual Abuse

“…The confrontational nature of much therapy provided to sex offenders has sometimes been criticized (e.g., Waldram, 2010). Yet participants in the present study spoke of the importance of pretense, lying, and manipulation being "stripped away" (theme 1), even though this sometimes felt like "the group really pounding me like bulldogs."…”

“…In his ethnographic study of CBT delivered by psychiatric nurses and social workers, Waldram criticized the leaders' focus on criminogenic factors and their emphasis on asking the men to relate their stories in a "neat, chronological way" (p. 431) which was difficult or impossible for many. He also criticized the hostile, challenging nature of CBT as delivered in this prison setting (Waldram, 2010). He argued that sex offenders' own personal narratives may be negated or changed as a result of CBT, as offenders attempt to display the self-perceptions and personal narratives that the treatment staff deem more desirable.…”

“…Although a few nurse researchers have conducted explorations of sex offender characteristics (Hulme & Middleton, 2013;Jones & Lawson, 2012), we could not locate any nursing literature on therapeutic interventions with sex offenders. Waldram's (2008Waldram's ( , 2010 ethnography shed unflattering light on nurses as CBT therapists with incarcerated sex offenders.…”

Stories of crime, stories of suffering: A narrative perspective on ethical issues in criminal justice counselling

“…Recently, the utility of narrative theory for forensic settings has obtained increasing attention too Maruna, 2001;McKendy, 2006;O' Connor, 1995;Presser, 2004Presser, , 2009Ward, 2012;. A few studies focus on the potential of narrative theory for offender treatment (Waldram, 2008(Waldram, , 2010Ward & Marshall, 2007). Waldram (2010) points out how complementing dominant approaches to offender rehabilitation, based on cognitive-behavioural therapy, with a narrative approach has a humanizing effect.…”

“…And when suffering from past life events and circumstances is addressed during treatment, the focus usually is on preventing future criminal actions and not necessarily on the well-being of the offender (McKendy, 2006;Waldram, 2008Waldram, , 2010Ward & Moreton, 2008). Indeed, when offenders point to suffering in their past, this is easily interpreted in terms of denying responsibility and taking a 'victim stance' (McKendy, 2006), and associated with pathology and cognitive distortion (Maruna & Mann, 2006;Waldram, 2010).…”