Juvenile sex offender\u27s perceptions of group treatment and iatrogenic effects

Little research has been done on the perceptions and experiences of juvenile sex offenders in regards to their treatment, in this case, specifically group treatment. This study looks at a sample of 191 incarcerated juvenile sex offenders in a Midwestern state and measures not only the juvenile sex offender\u27s thoughts, feelings and perceptions of their group treatment but also looks at what, if any iatrogenic affects may have resulted. This study also discusses the importance of assessing for other forms of recidivism separate from deviant sexual recidivism as well as the importance of offering treatment for non-sexual deviant crimes, either in conjunction with sexual recidivism treatment or as its own separate treatment. Overall the majority of participants found group to be useful, helpful and beneficial, however, one iatrogenic effect found that ten percent of participants identified group as being arousing. It appears that there is also a correlation between the amount of time spent in group and whether or not participants like group and find it to be beneficial. An additional correlation was found between the level of delinquency of the individual and a more negative view of group treatment. The results demonstrate a need for rethinking how treatment is provided to those juveniles with anti-social personalities, sexual offenses and non-sexual offenses, in addition to those that found group to be arousing, all of this in an effort to provide the most appropriate form of treatment to each individual in the hope that is will reduce or prevent recidivism