Treatment acceptability ratings for sexual offenders: effect of diagnosis and offense

Case description methodology was used to obtain treatment acceptability ratings for mentally retarded and nondisabled (normal) sex offenders across three different offenses (masturbation, rape, and child fondling) and eight interventions. For both diagnostic groups, social-sexual skills training (SST) was the most acceptable treatment except in cases of rape, fondling of a minor, and public masturbation. For these offenses, SST was as acceptable as aversive treatments and incarceration. The addition of a positive treatment component to a preexisting aversive intervention did not result in significantly different acceptability ratings relative to ratings of aversive interventions alone. Respondent's history as a victim of sexual abuse did not affect treatment acceptability ratings for prison, medication, or use of noxious odors.