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Help for Adolescent Males with Sexual Behavior Problems: A Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment Program

Scientific Rating:
NR
Not able to be Rated
See scale of 1-5
Child Welfare Relevance Level:
Medium

See descriptions of 3 levels

Brief Description

The information in this program outline is provided by the program representative and edited by the CEBC staff. The Help for Adolescent Males with Sexual Behavior Problems: A Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment Program has been reviewed by the CEBC in the area of: Sexual Behavior Problems in Adolescents, Treatment of, but lacks the necessary research evidence to be given a Scientific Rating.

  • Type of Maltreatment: Sexual Abuse
  • Target Population: Adolescent males (13-18) with sexual behavior problems

Help for Adolescent Males with Sexual Behavior Problems: A Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment Program is a multi-modal cognitive-behavioral treatment of adolescent males with sexual behavior problems. Areas of intervention include:

  • Social skills training
  • Anger management
  • Impulse control
  • Healthy sexuality
  • Healthy masculinity
  • Empathy enhancement
  • Relapse prevention.

The goal of Help for Adolescent Males with Sexual Behavior Problems: A Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment Program is to reduce the risk of sexual re-offending in adolescent males based on address of dynamic risk factors.

Essential Components

The essential components of Help for Adolescent Males with Sexual Behavior Problems: A Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment Program include that it is a three-phase treatment for use in residential settings or outpatient clinics with young men who have perpetrated sexual crimes:

  • Phase I of treatment focuses on social skill development and impulse control.
  • Phase II of treatment focuses on helping the participating youth develop a healthy understanding of sexuality and sexual relationships. Youth are also taught anger management skills.
  • Phase III, the final phase of treatment, focuses on fostering the youth’s cognitive and emotional understanding of the negative physical, emotional and social consequences of sexually abusive behavior. Phase III presents relapse prevention strategies as well.
  • The concept of healthy masculinity is introduced at the start of the program and carried throughout.

Child Component

Help for Adolescent Males with Sexual Behavior Problems: A Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment Program was designed with a child component that addresses the following presenting problems and symptoms:

  • Sexual Behavior Problems

Age range: 13 – 18

Developmental Delays:

This program was not developed for children with developmental delays, and has not been tested for children with developmental delays.

Treatment Involves Family/Support Structures:

This program involves the family or other support systems in the individual's treatment: Parents are given a general understanding of the nature of sexual behavior problems in adolescent males—etiology, manifestation, and treatment. There is an emphasis on understanding relapse prevention and its application to their son and his particular problems.

Parent / Caregiver Component

Help for Adolescent Males with Sexual Behavior Problems: A Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment Program was not designed with a parent/caregiver component.

Group Format

Help for Adolescent Males with Sexual Behavior Problems: A Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment Program was designed to be conducted in a group setting; but has not been tested for use in a group setting.

Recommended group size:

6-8

Delivery Settings

This program is typically conducted in a(n):

  • Outpatient Clinic
  • Residential Care Facility

Homework

Help for Adolescent Males with Sexual Behavior Problems: A Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment Program includes a homework component:

Workbook exercises to reinforce individual/group work

Languages

Help for Adolescent Males with Sexual Behavior Problems: A Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment Program does not have materials available in a language other than English.

Resources Needed to Run Program

The typical resources for implementing the program are:

Space to do therapy

Minimum Provider Qualifications

Master’s level degree or higher in mental health field

Education and Training Resources

There is a manual that describes how to implement this program, and there is training available for this program.

Training Contact:
  • John A. Hunter, PhD
    phone: (434) 987-0390
Training is obtained:

On-site or video teleconference

Number of days/hours:

Tailored to meet the needs of the agency, but typically 18-20 hours

Relevant Published, Peer-Reviewed Research

This program has been reviewed and it was determined that this program lacks the type of published, peer-reviewed research that meets the CEBC criteria for a scientific rating of 1 – 5. Therefore, the program has been given the classification of "NR - Not able to be Rated." It was reviewed because it was identified by the topic expert as a program being used in the field, or it is being marketed and/or used in California with children receiving services from child welfare or related systems and their parents/caregivers. Some programs that are not rated may have published, peer-reviewed research that does not meet the above stated criteria or may have eligible studies that have not yet been published in the peer-reviewed literature. For more information on the "NR - Not able to be Rated" classification, please see the Scientific Rating Scale.

Child Welfare Outcomes: Not Specified

Show relevant research...

Hunter, J. A. & Figueredo, A. J. (1999). Factors associated with treatment compliance in a population of juvenile sexual offenders. Sexual Abuse:  A Journal of Research and Treatment, 11(1), 49-68.

Type of Study: One-group pretest-posttest design
Number of Participants: 204

Population:

  • Age range — 5 to 18 years
  • Race/Ethnicity — 53% African American, 43% Caucasian, and 4% Other (Hispanic and Asian).
  • Gender — Males
  • Status — Participants were males who had sexually offended who were referred for community-based treatment between 1991 and 1995 by juvenile court, social services, schools, or another individual.

Location / Institution: Pines Treatment Center in Portsmouth, Virginia

Summary: (To include comparison groups, outcomes, measures, notable limitations)
The study evaluated the effectiveness of a cognitive-behavioral therapy program for young males who had sexually offended. Participants age 13 years or older completed the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI or MMPI-A) and the Multiphasic Sex Inventory (MSI) at baseline. Youths participated in weekly specialized group therapy, biweekly family therapy, and weekly individual therapy. 121 youths were accepted into the treatment program and 60 remained in the program at 12 months and were making satisfactory progress. 28 youths had completed the program at the time of the current study, with an average treatment length of 21.9 months. Program failure during years 1 and 2 was attributable largely to expulsion for failure to comply with attendance requirements and/or therapeutic directives. Youths failing to comply were found to have higher overall levels of measured sexual maladjustment and may be at greater long-term risk for sexual recidivism. The major study limitations were lack of randomization and lack of a control or comparison group.

Length of post-intervention follow-up: None.

Hunter, J. A., Gilbertson, S., Vedros, D., & Morton, M. (2004). Strengthening community-based programming for juvenile sexual offenders: Key concepts and paradigm shifts. Child Maltreatment, 9(2), 177-189.

Type of Study: One group pretest-posttest design
Number of Participants: 25

Population:

  • Age range — 12 to 19 years
  • Race/Ethnicity — 52% African American, 36% Caucasian, and 12% Other
  • Gender — Males
  • Status — Participants were males placed on probation and parole who were referred to the Norfolk Juvenile Sex Offender Program.

Location / Institution: Norfolk, Virginia

Summary: (To include comparison groups, outcomes, measures, notable limitations)
The study evaluated the effectiveness of a treatment program for adolescent males who have sexually offended. Participants were on probation or parole for sexual offenses at the time of the study. The integrative treatment model combined working with probation and parole officers as well as participating in individual, group, family therapy, and in-home services. Treatment ranged from 1 to 8 months and 17 out of 25 youth were still enrolled in treatment at the time of follow-up. Results indicated that none of the youth committed a new sexual offense from the point of intake to follow-up. Major study limitations included small sample size, lack of randomization, and lack of a control or comparison group.

Length of post-intervention follow-up: None.

References

Hunter, J. A. (2010). Help for adolescent males with sexual behavior problems. A cognitive-behavioral treatment program, therapist guide. Oxford University Press: New York.

Hunter, J. A. (2010). Help for adolescent males with sexual behavior problems: A cognitive-behavioral treatment program, Workbook (Treatments That Work). Oxford University Press: New York.

Contact Information

Name: John A. Hunter, PhD
Email:
Phone: (434) 987-0390
Fax: (504) 301-0890

Date Reviewed: June 2011