An Evaluation and 1‐Year Follow‐Up Study of a Community‐Based Treatment Program for Sex Offenders

Abstract The Psychosexual Treatment Program (PTP) is a 35-week community-based group treatment program for sex offenders, based on a cognitive-behavioural approach. An evaluation and follow-up study of this program indicates that the offenders have gained and maintained significant treatment effects for 12 months at the completion of the program: a reduction in the frequency and arousal of offenders' deviant sexual fantasies, an increase in the acceptance and control of their sexual problems, an enhancement of their social and assertiveness skills, an improvement of their sex knowledge, and a decrease of their cognitive distortions associated with deviant sexual behaviours. The national recidivism rate for the 37 treated sex offenders who completed the program was 8.1%. (n = 3), which compares favourably with those for other similar programs. Treatment efficacy, assessment of treatment needs, recidivism rates, the value of short-term evaluation, and drop-out rates are discussed.