title: First report of the collaborative outcome data project on the effectiveness of psychological treatment for sex offenders.
abstract: This meta-analytic review examined the effectiveness of psychological treatment for sex offenders by summarizing data from 43 studies (combined n = 9,454). Averaged across all studies, the sexual offence recidivism rate was lower for the treatment groups (12.3%) than the comparison groups (16.8%, 38 studies, unweighted average). A similar pattern was found for general recidivism, although the overall rates were predictably higher (treatment 27.9%, comparison 39.2%, 30 studies). Current treatments (cognitive-behavioral, k = 13; systemic, k = 2) were associated with reductions in both sexual recidivism (from 17.4 to 9.9%) and general recidivism (from 51 to 32%). Older forms of treatment (operating prior to 1980) appeared to have little effect. Future directions for improving the quality of sex offender treatment outcome evaluations are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of the Solicitor General of Canada, 340 Laurier Avenue West, Ottawa, Canada K1A 0P8. hansonk@sgc.gc.ca
authors.forename: R Karl
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Hanson
authors.forename: Arthur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.forename: Andrew J R
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Janice K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Marques
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: Vernon L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Quinsey
authors.forename: Michael C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Seto
mesh_terms: D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D011613:Psychotherapy; D012008:Recurrence; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome