Semester

Fall

Date of Graduation

2009

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Type

PhD

College

Eberly College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Psychology

Committee Chair

William Fremouw.

Abstract

The present study examined factors associated with acceptance and completion of treatment among incarcerated male sex offenders. The files of 156 sex offenders who had been offered treatment at a medium-security state prison were reviewed. Participants were divided into three groups: those who refused treatment from the outset (n = 59); those who began treatment, but later dropped-out or were expelled due to non-compliance ( n = 61); and those who completed treatment or were in an advanced stage of treatment and had never been non-compliant (n = 36). Data were collected for the following variables: age, education, race, marital status, plea, offense denial, parole eligibility, victim age, victim gender, relation to victim, prior sexual offenses, prior felony incarcerations, psychiatric disorders, mental health treatment, childhood sexual victimization, IQ, reading ability, neurological impairment, and personality assessment scores. Significant differences were found between groups on years to parole eligibility; plea; relation to victim; childhood sexual victimization; and MMPI-2 VRIN, L, and Mf scale scores. Logistic regression analyses revealed that significant predictors of treatment refusal include: increased time until parole eligibility and lower VRIN and Mf scores (vs. non-compliant), and no history of childhood sexual victimization and higher L scores (vs. compliant). Having entered a not guilty plea was the only significant predictor of non-compliance among those who initially accepted treatment. These findings are discussed in relation to previous studies of sex offender treatment compliance and directions for future research.

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