Assessing sexual interest in clients with learning disabilities using a card-sort task

Abstract Attention has turned in recent years to the assessment and treatment of sexual offenders who have a learning disability. Information gained from assessment is crucial in the formulation and evaluation of any treatment, and one aspect of this is assessing the client's sexual interest and arousal patterns. However, assessment methods currently available have significant drawbacks when used with this population. The present work describes how to create and administer a card-sort task that provides qualitative data about sexual interest as well as other information. The task overcomes many of the objections against currently available methods of assessment when used with this population. It places low demands on a client's verbal memory and comprehension skills, requires no reading ability, is easily administered and avoids problems of acquiescence by using open-ended questions. The task has been piloted across 20 clients living in both community and residential settings. Two case studies are present...