The problem behavior model: the development of a stalkers clinic and a threateners clinic

Abstract

Traditionally, forensic mental health services have focused on the assessment and treatment of offenders with serious mental disorders. In recent years, there has been growing recognition that forensic clinicians have an important role to play for those offenders who engage in criminal acts driven by psychological or/and social problems, which may, or may not, occur in conjunction with a major mental disorder. This is especially true for specific offenses such as stalking and threatening. This article describes the innovation of the problem behavior model. This model uses a reductionist approach and the nexus between psychiatry and psychology to address the complex phenomena associated with specific problem behaviors that often culminate in offenses. The model is illustrated by describing the development of specialist clinics for the problem behaviors of stalking and threatening.

The Psychological Basis of Threatening Behaviour

“…Skill development programmes for the intellectually impaired, such as positive behaviour support (Carr et al, 2002), are conceived in a more accessible way, but may need to be coupled with specific strategies to manage identified risks for escalation to violence (Gendreau, Little, & Goggin, 1996;Mullen & Ogloff, 2009;Quinsey et al, 2006). It has been our experience that multiple treatment techniques are needed that include challenging the distorted attitudes which have served to justify, minimise or deny the problem behaviour of threatening (Warren et al, 2005).…”

“…The tests were administered as part of a clinical assessment conducted by a clinical/ forensic psychologist (Warren, MacKenzie, Mullen, & Ogloff, 2005). Administration occurred only when the threateners' consented, they spoke English fluently and they had sufficient literacy to read and understand the tests' instructions and questions.…”

Dialectical Behavior Therapy for the Treatment of Stalking Offenders

“…Although previous reports have described treatment approaches for stalking offenders (Mullen, Pathé, & Purcell, 2000;Warren et al, 2005), none have reported any effectiveness data. Despite the small, non-randomized sample, participants who completed treatment were significantly less likely to re-offend compared to either those who failed to complete treatment or published recidivism data (Rosenfeld, 2003).…”

The epidemiology and characteristics of stalking

“…In particular, training the medical staff and law enforcement professionals about stalking behaviour and the particular needs of stalking victims may be a promising approach [55]. Therapeutic interventions directed to the stalking behaviour itself primarily focus on a problem-behaviour model, and in Australia the concept of a specialized stalkers' clinic is currently the subject of scientific evaluation [56]. Considering the high prevalence rates and the tremendous psychosocial and economic consequences of stalking, however, it has to be stated that there is still a formidable lack of scientific research on treatment strategies and intervention programmes.…”