Pedophilia is defined as a disorder in which an adult obtains erotic gratification through fantasies or sexual contact with children (DSM-IV, 1994). It is when actual contact occurs that a crime has been committed and the pedophiliac becomes a sex offender.
There are, according to Groth, Hobson and Gary (1992), two basic types of pedophiliac sex offenders (commonly termed "child molesters." These are: (1) the fixated offender whose primary sexual orientation is toward children and (2) the regressed offender whose sexual involvement with a child is a clear departure, under stress, from a sexual orientation toward peers. However, regardless of type, the authors report that treatment is based on either one of four models or an intervention that incorporates elements from more than one of these models. These treatment models are: chemotherapy, behavior modification, psychotherapy, and psychosocial education.
According to Sue, Sue and Sue (1994), child molesters may victimize their own children, stepchildren, and/or those outside of their families; although most pedophiles prefer girls, some molest young (prepubertal) boys. While there have been many programs developed to treat pedophiliac sex offenders (e.g Hucker, Langevin & Bain, 1988; Enright, 1989), Sue, Sue and Sue (1994) report that the recidivism rate is still quite high and that continued research is imperative if the disorder is ever to be understood and successfully treated.
This study constitutes part of the continuing effort to more fully understand and treat pedophiliac sex offenders. Specifically, the study examines whether recidivism rates of a sample of first-time sexual offenders on probation for a ten year period significantly differs as a function of whether or not they attended a psycho-social support group.
In addition, the study examines whether the effects of the group significantly interacted with one or more of several variables which the ...