Addressing the Motivation to Sexually Abuse

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Addressing the Motivation to Sexually Abuse

• J. Michael Adler, Ph.D.
• TSOTB
• Annual Sex Offender Treatment Conference

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Experience

• 1985 developed adult and adolescent Sex Offender
  treatment program
• Have assessed and/or treated approximately 3,000
  sex offenders
• Developed Adolescent Sex offender Treatment
  Continuum

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• Developed Adolescent Sex offender Treatment
  Continuum
• Completed over 4,000 Plethysmograph Assessments
• Developed Behavior Modification Technique for
  addressing sexual arousal re-conditioning with
  low functioning offenders

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• Compared three different methods of evaluating
  deviant arousal (raw change, standard score,
  percentage of full arousal) as they related to
  deviant sexual history confirmed by polygraphs

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• Cross-validated Plethysmograph results (strongest
  response) to identified deviant behavior verified
  through polygraph
• Tested effect of technician Gender on arousal
  responses of male sexual offenders (N 69)
  Presented to ATSA Annual Research Conference San
  Francisco, 1994

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• Completed Test-Re-test (7 to 10 days) Reliability
  of Plethysmograph (N 23)
• Developed Comprehensive Risk to Re-offend Scale
  utilizing dynamic static risk factors
  identified in 48 adult offenders who had
  re-offended in treatment.

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• Presently involved in double blind study
  comparing LVA to the polygraph regarding truth
  verification with adolescent and adult sex
  offenders.

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Facts concerning Re-Offending

• In assessing/treating approximately 3,000 sex
  offenders, every one had multiple offenses
• Over 125 child pornographers, 122 have had hands
  on sexual offenses
• The likelihood of getting arrested for child
  molestation is approximately 3 (Abel et. al.,
  1987)

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• According to Marshall Barbaree (1989)
  re-offending rates based on official records
  was 42 lower than unofficial records
• Of 52 offenders who have re-offended either
  during the assessment or first year in our
  treatment program, two were arrested or convicted
  of a second offense

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• While the re-arrest rate of sexual offenders may
  be low (6 to 40), based on our experience sex
  offenders continue to engage in sexually
  offensive behavior at a high rate

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Sexual Offensive behavior

• is defined as any sexual behavior that denies
  another person the opportunity to decline without
  consequence. (violates any of the four conditions
  of consent)

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Sexual Offender

• Clinically defined as a person who engages in
  sexual activity in such a manner that some of or
  all of the sexual satisfaction/fulfillment is
  related to

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• the person not wanting to be sexual or is unable
  to consent
• the sexual activity requires manipulation,
  coercion, and/or force and/or
• harms or has a negative impact on the persons
  emotional, social, or physical well-being

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Problem Behavior

• defined as repeatedly engaging in activity in
  which the expected outcome is undesirable or
  unwanted
• Differs from mistake in which the negative
  outcome is not desired or expected (determined
  from a known and expected outcome)

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Motivation to Sexually Offend

• Behavior is motivated by needs
• Needs cause an internal state/feeling called a
  drive to develop
• The drive activates a response or series of
  responses designed to attain a goal that relieves
  the need temporarily.

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• Needs are in a hierarchy basic needs followed by
  secondary needs
• Secondary needs do not become expressed until
  basic needs are satisfied and there is a basic
  amount of order and stability in meeting the
  lower needs
• Secondary needs (love, belonging, acceptance,
  worth, esteem, etc.) require intimate
  relationships with others to meet

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• Poor relationships result in inconsistent need
  fulfillment.
• This results in insecurities and internal anxiety
  in which the person seeks temporary relief
  through manipulation, coercion, and force in
  relationships.

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• The need to belong, experience acceptance, and
  unconditional love is considered as important as
  the need for food.
• Satisfaction of these needs requires consistent
  positive emotionally pleasing interactions in a
  stable enduring relationship (Ward, et. Al., 1997)

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• The quality of a persons early interpersonal
  relationships has been found to be a predictor of
  sexually inappropriate behavior in later life.
  (Prentky et. al., 1989)

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Interpersonal Social Skills Deficits

• Early Interpersonal Relationships
• 8 out of 10 offenders report feeling different
  and less than others by the age of six. These
  feelings remained through high school and
  adulthood. Most common theme inferior.

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• 55 of our offenders reported sexual abuse
  average age of first sexual experience is 6.7
  years old.
• Two-thirds report loss of contact with a parent
  through divorce or separation.

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• Almost 75 report social isolation, few or no
  close friends and difficulty developing
  relationships
• 60 report difficulty with dating

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Negative Self-Image

• Repeated negative evaluations of self through
  interactions and relationships result in a poor
  Internal picture of self (condition of worth)
• As a result of the repetitive negative
  experiences, offenders develop numerous
  irrational thoughts and distortions resulting in
  fears of being unlovable and worthless

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• The offenders inadequacy in developing stable
  healthy intimate relationships results in
  inconsistent satisfaction of secondary needs.
• Offenders internal fears about themselves result
  in an external focus (to avoid facing fears).

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• Self deception leads to interpersonal deception.
  Since they do not believe they are worth love, do
  not believe or accept love from others.
• Instead believe to get what they need must
  manipulate, trick, bribe, or coerce others to
  temporarily satisfy needs.

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• Targets (victims) are individuals that the
  offender perceives to be more vulnerable than
  himself or in some cases those individuals they
  perceive to be responsible for their
  dissatisfaction.
• Sex or sexual contact is substituted for the lack
  of intimacy.

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• Because the sexual offense relieves the internal
  discomfort, it (the sexual offense) is a negative
  reinforcer, thus the behavior is learned and
  repeated.
• The sexual response is learned and reinforced
  resulting in conditioned arousal responses.

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• Conditioned sexual arousal results in cycle of
  ongoing sexualization of others and sexual
  objectification.

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Deviant Sexual Arousal

• Deviant Sexual Arousal is the best predictor of
  recidivism (Hanson Bussiere Rice et.al.1990)
• 48 of 52 offenders who re-offended demonstrated
  deviant arousal responses (the remaining
  demonstrated no arousal response to adults)

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Conditioned Deviant Arousal

• Conditioned arousal responses are triggered by
  stimuli (such as a child present)
• Body begins responding to conditioned responses
• Thoughts, fantasies and/or masturbation are
  likely elicited

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Positive Reinforcer

• Sexual objectification, grooming, and sexual
  acting out are consistent with the conditioned
  arousal response resulting in experiencing
  positive reinforcement
• Difficulties in adult relationships may result in
  extinguishing conditioned sexual arousal to
  peers.