Men with intellectual disabilities who have attended sex offender treatment groups: a follow-up.
BACKGROUND
There have been a number of studies of treatment for men with intellectual disabilities and sexually abusive behaviour but few follow-up studies. Our aim was to follow up men with intellectual disabilities who had attended group cognitive behavioural treatment (CBT) for sexually abusive behaviour.


METHODS
Thirty-four men (from seven treatment sites) were followed up. All had attended SOTSEC-ID groups. The mean length of follow-up, since the end of the treatment group, was 44 months (SD 28.7, range 15-106 months).


RESULTS
The statistically significant improvements in sexual knowledge, empathy and cognitive distortions that occurred during treatment were maintained at follow-up. In all, 11 of the 34 (32%) men showed further sexually abusive behaviour, but only two of these men received convictions. Analyses of the variables associated with further sexually abusive behaviour indicated that a diagnosis of autism was associated with a higher likelihood of further sexually abusive behaviour.


CONCLUSIONS
This study provides some evidence of the longer-term effectiveness of group CBT for men with intellectual disabilities and sexually abusive behaviour.
Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, Community Services Bury, Bury, UK.
Kathryn M
KM
Heaton
Glynis H
GH
Murphy
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000523:psychology*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014888:Wechsler Scales; D055815:Young Adult
SOTSEC-ID; follow-up; group cognitive behavioural therapy; intellectual disability; recidivism; sexual offending