Child sex offenders with an intellectual disability: a descriptive model of the offence process
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2006
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Melbourne Authors
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Department of Psychology
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Doctorate
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Waterman, B. (2006). Child sex offenders with an intellectual disability: a descriptive model of the offence process. Doctorate, Department of Psychology, The University of Melbourne.
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Ā© 2006 Dr. Barry Waterman
Abstract
Grounded theory methodology was utilised to develop a preliminary descriptive model of the offence process of thirteen child sex offenders with an intellectual disability. In recent times, there has been increased interest around treatment issues relating to specific sexual offender populations, however little is known about the offence process of child sex offenders with an intellectual disability. The aim of this research project was to first investigate the offence process for this population of offenders and then establish their offence pathways to assist in the development of treatment programs.
The project was conducted in two stages. The first stage incorporated two separate studies. Study one involved interviewing the thirteen participants and utilising theā¢information to develop a model of the offence process. The model contained four phases which described a sequence of psychological, behavioural and environmental factors, including mediating variables that contributed to the sexual abuse of prepubescent children. Study two aimed to further validate the developed model by investigating archival offence chains of eleven anonymous child sex offenders to establish if their offence pathways corresponded to the pathways developed in model. These offence pathways conformed to the pathways established in the developed model. Stage two of the research project analysed the offence pathways established in study one in relation to the self-regulation model pathways (Ward & Hudson, 1998, 2000). All the participants in study one were able to be reliably allocated to the approach pathways of the self regulation model.
Checks were undertaken by an independent researcher for both the model development and the pathway allocation to ascertain reliability, suitability and content validity throughout the process. The results indicated that the model has provisional validity and adequate inter-rater reliability, and received a high level of saturation with respect to the model development and pathway analysis. The model and its relationship to the self-regulation pathways are discussed in detail, as are the clinical and research implications.
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child molesters, offenders with mental disabilities, rehabilitation, grounded theory, child sexual abuse, sexually abused children