Treatment needs and change among minor-attracted and non minor-attracted child sexual offenders
| dc.contributor.author | Britt, Francesca | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-01-12T23:07:07Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-01-12T23:07:07Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2024 | |
| dc.description.abstract | Child sexual abuse poses a significant social and public health issue worldwide, with the immediate and long-term effects for victims often being both severe and long-reaching. Effective treatment programmes for perpetrators of sexual abuse are crucial for reducing the likelihood of sexual reoffending and further victimisation. The term ‘Minor-attracted Person (sometimes referred to as ‘MAP’) is a relatively new term used to characterise individuals who are sexually oriented towards one or more of the following chronophilia’s (variations in sexual age interest): nepiophilia (attraction to toddlers), paedophilia (attraction to pre- pubescent children), hebephilia (attraction to pubescent children) or ephebophilia (attraction post-pubescent youth who are not yet sexually mature;) (Lievesley & Harper, 2021). Previous research indicates that minor-attracted offenders are likely to have pre-treatment needs in most treatment variables and be more difficult to treat (Beech & Ford, 2006). However, there is limited research to date on whether treatment needs to be modified for minor-attracted offenders. This study contributes to the literature on the treatment of minor-attracted persons who have perpetrated sexual abuse, focusing on how they differ from non minor-attracted sexual offenders in terms of criminogenic needs and treatment outcomes. Data from 522 men who attended prison-based child sexual offender treatment programmes in Aotearoa New Zealand were used in the current study. Minor attraction among these men was identified by their scores on the dynamic risk item D17 Deviant Sexual Preference of the Violence Risk Scale Sexual Offence Version (VRS:SO) to separate the men into minor-attracted (n = 226) and non minor-attracted (n = 293) subgroups. These subgroups were then compared in terms of pre-treatment criminogenic needs as measured by the Violence Risk Scale Sexual Offence Version (VRS:SO), and patterns in treatment change as measured by comparing pre- and post-treatment change measured using the VRS:SO. The findings indicated that minor-attracted offenders had significantly higher pre-treatment needs and risk levels compared to non minor-attracted offenders. Additionally, minor-attracted offenders exhibited significantly lower levels of treatment progress in certain areas, including offence planning and sexual compulsivity. However, there were no significant overall differences in treatment progress between the two groups once pre-treatment levels were controlled for. These findings suggest specialist child sexual offending treatment programmes are meeting the needs for both minor-attracted and non minor-attracted sexual offenders but underscore the need for tailored interventions that address the specific risk and need factors of minor-attracted offenders. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/10092/107941 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://doi.org/10.26021/15625 | |
| dc.language | English | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.rights | All Rights Reserved | |
| dc.rights.uri | https://canterbury.libguides.com/rights/theses | |
| dc.title | Treatment needs and change among minor-attracted and non minor-attracted child sexual offenders | |
| dc.type | Theses / Dissertations | |
| thesis.degree.discipline | Psychology | |
| thesis.degree.grantor | University of Canterbury | |
| thesis.degree.level | Masters | |
| thesis.degree.name | Master of Science | |
| uc.bibnumber | in1382263 | |
| uc.college | Faculty of Science | en |