Article2004

Approach Versus Avoidance Goals in Relapse Prevention With Sexual Offenders

Ruth E. Mann · Stephen D. Webster · Caroline Schofield · William L. Marshall

154 citations0/0 files storedSexual Abuse

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Psychopathy, Forensic Psychiatry, Sexual Offending Crime Patterns and Interventions Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications

Abstract

Relapse prevention (RP) plays a major role in the vast number of treatment programs for sexual offenders. However, despite its widespread application, questions have been raised regarding the uncritical adoption of the approach (R. K. Hanson, 1996). More specifically, the way in which it is presented to sexual offenders has been criticized for being unhelpfully negative in focus (Mann, 2000) and it has been suggested that treatment should adopt a broader focus on improving quality of life (T. Ward and C. A. Stewart, 2003), with the expectation that recidivism would reduce as a side-effect. The current study evaluated two orientations to relapse prevention, comparing a deliberately positively-focused orientation, focusing on creating a "good life," to the more traditional approach that focuses on avoiding and controlling risk factors. Twenty-four participants completed an approach-focused RP intervention and 23 completed an avoidance-focused RP intervention. Results indicated that participants who completed the approach-focused intervention had a greater engagement in treatment as measured by homework compliance and willingness to disclose lapses. Furthermore, participants within the approach-focused intervention were rated by therapist to be more genuinely motivated to live life without offending by the end of treatment. However, differences between the groups in terms of self-esteem change following treatment were not very marked. These results are discussed in terms of their implications for treatment delivery.

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2002Good lives and the rehabilitation of offenders 1996Striving and feeling: Personal goals and subjective well-being.1988Predictors of dropout and outcome in cognitive therapy for depression in a private practice setting

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2011The Good Lives Model and the Risk Need Responsivity Model 2009Examining the process of offender change: the transition to crime desistance 2011Treatment gain for sexual offenders against children predicts reduced recidivism: A comparative validity study.2007The Utility of the Random Controlled Trial for Evaluating Sexual Offender Treatment: The Gold Standard or an Inappropriate Strategy?2008Women’s regulation styles for eating behaviors and outcomes: The mediating role of approach and avoidance food planning 2012How to Integrate the Good Lives Model Into Treatment Programs for Sexual Offending 2012Does intra-individual change predict offender recidivism? Searching for the Holy Grail in assessing offender change 2012Evaluation of a Community-Based Sex Offender Treatment Program Using a Good Lives Model Approach

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