Predictors of psychological treatment noncompletion among sexual offenders

Abstract

Research indicates that sexual offenders who do not complete their treatment are more likely to reoffend than are those who do complete it (Hanson et al., 2002; Losël & Schmucker, 2005). Several investigators have attempted to identify the characteristics of those individuals who do not complete treatment, most likely with the aim of preventing recidivism and the disastrous consequences that offenders' behavior has for their victims and for society at large. The objective of the present article is to review studies of treatment noncompletion among sexual offenders. We found that between 15% and 86% of sexual offenders do not complete treatment. In addition, results of the 18 studies reviewed diverge to the point where it is difficult to draw unequivocal conclusions about the variables related to the phenomenon. Only antisocial personality disorder and certain features of antisocial personality disorder appear to be related consistently and significantly to the discontinuation of treatment. These features are conceptualized under the three principles of effective treatment for general offenders. We present an analysis of the methodological limitations common to all of the studies reviewed in order to explain why confusion seems to reign supreme in the literature in this area at the present time, and we offer recommendations for future research in light of these limitations.