“You Have to Separate the Sinner From the Sin”: Clinician’s Approaches to Psychological Assessments With Men who Have Sexually Offended

Abstract

Men who have sexually offended are often referred for presentence psychological assessments to determine factors which contributed to offending, identify risk of recidivism, and develop treatment recommendations. The accuracy of assessments is largely reliant on the cooperation of the assessee. Despite the significant legal and emotional consequences, how clinicians approach these assessments, attempt to engage assessees, and overcome resistance have not been investigated. This research sought to develop an understanding of the clinicians’ experience of conducting the assessment. How clinicians approach interviews with men who have sexually offended and the techniques they use were explored. Six interviews were conducted with qualified psychologists, at a private practice, whose role included conducting psychological assessments across a range of forensic matters. The findings, reached using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, highlighted the relational/social nature of the interaction and the clinicians’ experience of a somewhat blurred line in practice between forensic assessments and therapeutic endeavours.

Evaluator empathy in risk assessment interviews.

“…There is a small but growing body of qualitative (Chawke et al, 2020, 2021) and experimental (Vera et al, 2019) research examining evaluator empathy in forensic evaluations, all focusing on risk assessment interviews. Findings from one small qualitative study of court-ordered, presentence risk assessments of individuals convicted of sexual offenses suggested that evaluators ( N = 6) may have purposefully used empathy to encourage openness from evaluees, believing that failing to do so could lead evaluees to withdraw and leave evaluations lacking detail and depth (Chawke et al, 2020). These evaluators’ beliefs about empathy were supported by findings from evaluees ( N = 6), who reported that empathy from evaluators made them feel “at ease,” “free,” and “open” (Chawke et al, 2021, p. 12).…”

“…These evaluators’ beliefs about empathy were supported by findings from evaluees ( N = 6), who reported that empathy from evaluators made them feel “at ease,” “free,” and “open” (Chawke et al, 2021, p. 12). The evaluators did not believe they should be detached during evaluations and described a “therapeutic component” to their risk assessment interviews (Chawke et al, 2020, p. 1525). In the evaluators’ view, the risk assessment interviews provided evaluees with an opportunity to discuss uncomfortable issues (e.g., their own victimization) and the opportunity to gain insight into their offending behavior.…”

“…Together, findings from these forensic evaluator empathy studies provide compelling, but limited, evidence about evaluators’ use of empathy in forensic assessment. For example, both the qualitative and experimental studies included only a small number of evaluators ( N = 6 in Chawke et al, 2020; N = 4 in Vera et al, 2019). Evaluators in the experimental study purposefully used or did not use empathy as part of experimental manipulation, and evaluators in the qualitative study came from a context in which it appears that those conducting evaluations could also later be treatment providers for the same individuals (Chawke et al, 2021).…”

Remote video interface psychological assessment during the COVID‐19 pandemic: Experiences of consultants and clients

“…According to Chawke et al., the therapeutic relationship that the patient achieves with the clinician can significantly influence the information shared with him (Chawke et al., 2021 ). Thus, from the point of view of the clinician who performs the FPA, obtaining a good rapport with the patient is essential to achieve a good clinical interview (Chawke et al., 2020 ). It is also of relevance to collect the information from the perspective of those evaluated in order to learn from their experience and thereby maximise the success of FPAs performed in this way.…”

“…Covid-19 pandemic, psychological assessment, qualitative research, remote assessment rapport with the patient is essential to achieve a good clinical interview (Chawke et al, 2020). It is also of relevance to collect the information from the perspective of those evaluated in order to learn from their experience and thereby maximise the success of FPAs performed in this way.…”