Process evaluation of a group therapy component designed to enhance sex offenders' empathy for sexual abuse survivors

Pithers, William D.

doi:10.1016/0005-7967(94)90146-5

Cited by 119 publications

(64 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…The offender then writes a hypothetical response in which he is supposed to take full responsibility for his actions. Available evidence (Pithers, 1994;Marshall et al, 1996a) indicates that this type of empathy component successfully changes the offender's view of the harm he has done.…”

Section: Empathymentioning

confidence: 97%

Current issues in the assessment and treatment of sexual offenders

Marshall

Serran

2000

Clin. Psychol. Psychother.

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The present paper reviews what is currently known about sexual abuse and the treatment of the offenders. Sexual offending is primarily committed by males and as many as 50% of females and 33% of males are sexually victimized in some way during their life. While some of these acts involve minimally intrusive behaviours (e.g. exhibitionists), many involve forced vaginal or anal intercourse and varying degrees of associated physical violence and deliberate humiliation of the victim. The effects on the victim can be severe and long-lasting. Current theories of the aetiology of these behaviours incorporate biological and developmental factors occurring within a socio-cultural context that fails to discourage sexual abuse. Experience is said to create a vulnerability that in some men finds expression in sexually abusive behaviour. Appropriate assessment targets the issues that are addressed in treatment, including: cognitive distortions, sexual behaviours and attitudes, social functioning and substance abuse. In addition, treatment also attempts to generate a set of relapse prevention plans for each offender. NATURE AND PREVALENCE OF THE OFFENCESSexual offences include a variety of behaviours, such as exhibitionism, frotteurism, voyeurism, child molestation, and sexual assault. This article will be restricted to child molestation (both extrafamilial and incest) and sexual assault of women. Although women (Matthews, 1998) and children (Johnson, 1998) also commit sexual offences, males constitute the majority of offenders and will be the focus of this article.

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Section: Empathymentioning

confidence: 97%

Current issues in the assessment and treatment of sexual offenders

Marshall

Serran

2000

Clin. Psychol. Psychother.

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“…Such individual differences may help to explain why empathy deficits appear to be context-or victim-specific (e.g., Curwen, 2003;Fernandez & Marshall, 2003;Fernandez, Marshall, Lightbody, & O'Sullivan, 1999;Fisher, Beech, & Browne, 1999;Varker & Devilly, 2007) rather than a fixed trait, consistent over time and across individuals and situations. Individual differences can also help to explain how, for example, some paedophiles (e.g., and rapists (e.g., Pithers, 1994) seemingly use empathy, particularly cognitive empathy, in the commission of their offenses.…”

Section: What Is Empathy?mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Webster et al (2005), for example, in their evaluation of offense re-enactments in sex offender programs, concluded that the differences between treated and untreated groups were not marked, and limited by a lack of suitable measures to assess change. They also noted the potential for such procedures to be used in unethical and unprofessional ways by program providers (see Pithers, 1994).…”

Section: Interventions To Enhance Empathymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As described above, current conceptualizations depict empathy as a multicomponent construct (e. g., Davis, 1983;Marshall et al, 1995;Marshall et al, 2009) incorporating the affective, cognitive, and behavioral domains (Pithers, 1994). Accordingly, a complete empathic response means that the individual has the capacity to take another's perspective, to recognize and vicariously experience the other's emotional state, to experience sympathy for the other's distress, and to avoid focusing on his or her own feelings of anxiety and unease in response to the other's negative emotional state.…”

Section: Can Empathy Be Trained? the Empirical Evidencementioning

confidence: 99%

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Interventions to improve empathy awareness in sexual and violent offenders: Conceptual, empirical, and clinical issues

Day

Casey

Gerace

2010

Aggression and Violent Behavior

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Interventions that seek to increase empathy are a common feature of programs offered to sexual and violent offenders. Yet, there is little empirical evidence to suggest that they contribute positively to program outcomes. This paper explores the rationale for the delivery of empathy training with violent offenders, describes some of the most commonly used approaches, and reviews the current evidence base relating to effectiveness. It is concluded that while there are strong theoretical grounds for identifying empathy deficits as an important area of criminogenic need, there are considerable difficulties in establishing the extent to which the interventions offered in this area might be considered to be successful in reducing risk.

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“…Besonders die Entwicklung von Opferempathie sollte in allen Therapien mit Sexualdelinquenten eine Rolle spielen, wobei insbesondere bei Impulskontrollgestörten speziell zu diesem Zweck entwickelte Gruppenprogramme erfolgreich sein dürf-ten [Pithers, 1994] Hall, 1995;Schorsch et al, 1985]. Unser Plädoyer geht dahin, dass man die Wirksamkeitsrate erhöht, wenn man die Möglichkeiten einer fundierten psychologisch-psychiatrischen Diagnostik stärker nutzt und auf dieser Grundlage die «passenden», die störungsspezifischen Behandlungselemente heranzieht.…”

Section: Kognitive Umstrukturierung Und Modifikation Kognitiver Verzeunclassified

Diagnostik und störungsspezifische Therapie bei Sexualdelinquenten mit psychischen Störungen

Hoyer¹,

Borchard²,

Kunst³

2000

Verhaltenstherapie

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Background: Systematic work regarding the diagnostics and behavior therapy of violent sex offenders with mental disorders is mostly lacking in German publications. Therefore, this study presents the diagnoses which are mainly relevant for this small but particularly dangerous group of offenders on the basis of DSM IV (paraphilia and impulse control disorders) and describes specifically indicated interventions. Methods: Characteristic features are emphasized which differentiate paraphiliacs and offenders with an impulse control disorder with regard to learning history, sexual preferences, and the stimulus conditions which triggered the offense. Further, a validation study is presented which examined the differences between both disorders concerning impulsivity, social anxiety, avoidance of interpersonal conflicts, and dysfunctional self-conscious-ness. Results: Results showed that the proposed categorization is valid and that paraphiliacs and offenders with an impulse control disorder can be psychologically useful differentiated. Conclusions: In this framework, first conclusions can be drawn regarding the treatment elements which are considered to be relevant for disorder-specific therapy. Different procedures for the treatment of paraphiliacs and offenders with an impulse control disorder are described for the following areas: establishment of a therapeutic relationship, modification of sexual preferences, training of social and coping skills, conflict management, modification of cognitive distortions, and relapse prevention.

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Process evaluation of a group therapy component designed to enhance sex offenders' empathy for sexual abuse survivors

Cited by 119 publications

References 13 publications

Current issues in the assessment and treatment of sexual offenders

Current issues in the assessment and treatment of sexual offenders

Interventions to improve empathy awareness in sexual and violent offenders: Conceptual, empirical, and clinical issues

Diagnostik und störungsspezifische Therapie bei Sexualdelinquenten mit psychischen Störungen

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