Preliminary results from a treatment group for men with intellectual disability who sexually offend

The present paper describes the application of a group cognitive-behavioural treatment approach for sex offender swith a learning disability. Sex offending in the general population has been a focus of clinical and forensic interest for some time, and recent theoretical and clinical advances have led to increasingly effective treatment programmes for mainstream offenders. This is especially so for group treatments based on a broad cognitive-behavioural model. This approach has recently been extended to sex offenders with learning disabilities. A 50-session, one-year group programme conducted from July 1999 to July 2000 is outlined in this paper. Details of the group members, facilitators and curriculum are presented. Measures include both mainstream sex-offender and specific intellectual disability measures. The results indicate that treatment is effective in impacting on cognitive and social skills measures. The discussion focuses on differences from and similarities to mainstream sex-offender programmes, risk management issues, and the problems of measurement and recidivism.