A literature review of current treatment models for child molesters and contemporary theories of etiology suggests a gap between theory and practice. Despite emerging recognition of the importance of addressing etiological issues in sexual offender treatment, many programs resist addressing the trauma sequelae of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) in those sex offenders where it is present. Adding trauma treatment to standard sexual offender treatment was identifi ed as a means to closing some of that gap. Ten child molesters with reported histories of CSA were treated with eye movement desensitization and reprocessing. Subsequent to adding this trauma resolution component, there was improvement on all six subscales of the Sex Offender Treatment Rating Scale as well as decreased idiosyncratic deviant arousal as measured by the penile plethysmograph. The current study reviews qualitative data collected during treatment and at posttreatment interviews.
This case describes the use of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) to reduce reactivity to childhood trauma in an incestuous sex offender. It explores the relationship between desensitization and reprocessing of traumatic memory and how this may promote sex offender treatment progress as an enhancement of, not a replacement for, the cognitive-behavioral or relapse prevention treatment of sexual offenders. Pretreatment and posttreatment self-report and other-report instruments and semistructured interviews are employed to explore the results of this intervention. Implications and suggestions for this treatment protocol are suggested.
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a psychological treatment method used primarily for people who have experienced trauma. This article provides a systematic research synthesis of EMDR studies targeting trauma symptomatology published between 1997 and 2003. This synthesis builds on the Revised Gold Standard (RGS) as a guide to evaluate empirical EMDR studies. Modifications and additions to the RGS criteria are proposed. The resulting standard is referred to as the Platinum Standard (PS). Sixteen EMDR studies are reviewed and critiqued using the PS criteria. None of the studies reviewed met full PS criteria. The mean score for the studies on the PS was 8.28, with 9 of the studies exceeding the mean. The review calls for researchers to employ more rigorous research designs for EMDR effectiveness using PS criteria. Implications for practice, policy, and research are discussed.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.