Doing cognitive distortions: A discursive psychology analysis of sex offender treatment talk

Abstract

Theories of sex offending have for several years relied upon the notion of cognitive distortions as an important cause of sexual offending. In this study we critique this notion and suggest that the sort of phenomenon addressed by cognitive distortions is better understood by adopting a discursive psychology approach. In this approach, talk is regarded as occasioned and action oriented. Thus 'cognitive distortions' are conceptualized as something people do rather than something that people have. Sessions from a prison-based sex offender treatment programme were taped and transcribed. A discursive psychology analysis was conducted on those sessions relating to offenders' first accounts of their offences. Our analysis suggests that offenders utilize a particular narrative organization to manage their blame and responsibility for the offence. This organization is based on a first part which is oriented to quotidian precursors to the offence and an immediately following second which is oriented to a sudden shift in the definition of the situation. The implications of this analysis are discussed, in relation to the status of cognitive distortions and treatment.

‘I’m not gonna hit a lady’: Conversation analysis, membership categorization and men’s denials of violence towards women

“…The majority of research reviewed above involves researchers interviewing men who have admitted the violent or sexual assault of a woman, often their partner (e.g., Adams, Towns & Gavey, 1995;Anderson & Umberson, 2001;Boonzaier, 2008;Bostock, Plumpton & Pratt, 2009;Cavanagh, Dobash, Dobash et al, 2001;Eisikovits, Goldblatt, & Winstok, 1999;McKenedy, 2006;Pogrebin, Stretesky, Unnithan et al, 2006;Wood, 2004). While participants are often drawn from the prison population, or domestic violence programmes, very few analyse, say, the encounters between men and the professionals that deal with them (notable exceptions include Auburn & Lea, 2003;Auburn, Drake & Willig, 1995;Schrock & Padavic, 2007).…”

Stance-shifting in language used by sex offenders: Five case studies

“…In their discussion of the discourse and ideology surrounding coercion, they distinguish between the language of rape, which 'embraces terms, metaphors and tropes that might commonly be associated with rape' (p. 23) and a second discourse of mutuality, which includes terms, metaphors and tropes suggesting consensual sex. Auburn and Lea (2003) look even more closely at how offender's talk indices distorted thinking, such as the use of minimizers ('just,' 'a little'). Our own focus on stance, with an emphasis on how stance-shift analysis can identify agentive talk and reported behaviours, is at a microlinguistic level.…”

Hypnotic Psychotherapy With Sex Offenders

“…This connection is generally absent prior to treatment (Auburn & Lea, 2003;Launay, 2001;Priest & Smith, 1992).…”

“…Integrated with cognitive behavior therapy, hypnosis has been used to improve relaxation, generate imagery, intensify expectation of success, alter self-defeating thoughts, and initiate new behavior (Auburn & Lea, 2003;Cooney, 1999;Spencer, 2000;Zimberoff & Hartman, 1998). Hypnosis can assist the sex offender with reinforcement for change wherein the offender imagines a reward after imagining the desired action.…”

“…Sex offenders who are arrested and incarcerated are in need of therapeutic interventions to decrease the possibility of reoffending (Auburn & Lea, 2003;Kennedy & Hume, 1998;McMackin, Leisen, Cucask, LaFratta, & Litwin, 2002;Miranda & Fiorello, 2002).…”