Predicting dropout from a residential programme for adolescent sexual abusers using pre-treatment variables and implications for recidivism

Abstract

This study addresses the prediction that dropout from a UK specialized residential treatment program for adolescent sexual abusers can be determined from pre-treatment variables. Participants were 49 adolescents aged 12 Á/16 years, who had sexually abused children, peers/adults or both. Of the variables examined, 25 showed a significant association with treatment dropout. A scale, consisting of 20 items, was designed to predict treatment dropout. As a measure it showed internal consistency (alpha 0/0.84) and predictive validity. Treatment dropout was linked to a greater risk of recidivism: offences of a general; violent; and combined violent or sexual nature. Missing data confounded the overall small sample size; therefore, a brief checklist of factors associated with dropout was produced as a guide for treatment managers and clinicians.

Improving therapeutic engagement with adolescent sexual offenders

“…Previous studies have consistently found conduct and antisocial behavior problems to be associated with treatment non-completion with adolescent clinical (Baruch et al, 1998;Kaminer et al, 1992;Wise et al, 2001) and adult forensic samples (Chamberlain & Rosicky, 1995). Previous studies with ASOs have similarly found greater impulsivity and antisocial behavior problems to be associated with treatment non-completion (Kraemer et al, 1998;Edwards et al, 2005). We did not find family-level variables to be associated with engagement (cf.…”

“…Perhaps of greatest concern is the consistent observation in both adolescent and adult samples that sexual offenders who begin but do not complete treatment are at higher risk for recidivism than both treatment completers and those who do not begin treatment in the first place (Hanson & Bussiere, 1998). This latter observation is all the more concerning in light of the extraordinarily high rates of treatment non-completion for ASOs, which have typically been reported to be as high as 50-70% (Becker, 1990;Edwards, Beech, Bishopp, Erikson, Friendship, & Charlesworth, 2005;Hunter & Figueredo, 1999;Kraemer, Salisbury, & Spielman, 1998;Seabloom, Seabloom, Seabloom, Barron, & Hendrickson, 2003).…”

“…parental monitoring or support; peer relationships; school engagement; relationships with mental health or youth justice services) may be as important as individual-level factors in promoting TE, but these have received less attention in research with ASOs. Edwards et al (2005) found that school problems (exclusion and truancy) and having an unemployed father were associated with treatment non-completion, and Seabloom et al (2003) found that ASOs who were living with their parents during the treatment period had better treatment attendance. Programs for ASOs that target multisystemic factors tend to report much lower rates of treatment non-completion than those typically reported for conventional individual-level, group-based programs.…”

“…The limited research on TE in ASO treatment programs has found older age (Kraemer et al, 1998), greater impulsivity (Kraemer et al, 1998), conduct and antisocial behavior problems (Edwards et al, 2005), and higher levels of sexual maladjustment (Hunter & Figueredo, 1999) to be associated with treatment noncompletion. Systemic factors (e.g.…”

Prediction of adolescent sexual reoffending: A meta-analysis of the J-SOAP-II, ERASOR, J-SORRAT-II, and Static-99.

“…Six studies were excluded because they did not examine whether the tool predicted reoffending (Chavez, 2010;Costin, 2005;Fanniff & Letourneau, 2011;Rombouts, 2006;Schoenfeld, 2008;White, Cruise, & Frick, 2009). Two studies were excluded because they examined single items or unique combinations of items rather than total or subscale scores (Edwards, Beech, Bishopp, Erikson, Friendship, & Charlesworth, 2005;Young, 2006). One study was excluded because it used a case study methodology and relied primarily on qualitative data for 3 participants (Fleming, 2004), and one study was excluded because it focused on adults (Soothill, Harman, & Kirby, 2005).…”