A Brief History of Psychological Theory, Research, and Treatment With Adult Male Sex Offenders

The goal of this paper is to provide a history of psychological theories, research, and treatment of male sex offenders from the onset of modern approaches that emerged in the 1960s up to the present time. The questions addressed in this paper primarily concern the reasons and justifications for the observed changes. Current conceptualizations of the motivations of sex offenders are quite comprehensive with a central focus on deficits in attachment and coping skills. Research now provides an empirical foundation for the issues to be addressed in treatment and for the manner in which treatment is delivered. Advances in theory and research have brought the field of sex offender treatment to the point where the empirical bases point to a structure that, if followed, seem likely to achieve the goal of reduced recidivism.