Cognitive-behavioural intervention in child sexual abusers behaviour: A case study
Davide Coradeschi, Iglis Innocenti, Davide Dèttore
One individual in three convicted of child sexual abuse, relapses in such behaviour within fi fteen years
after being released from prison (Harris and Hanson, 2004). The application of cognitive-behavioural
therapy protocols based on relapse prevention, empathy training and cognitive restructuring showed
a 43% reduction in the relapse rate (Hanson et al., 2002). This study illustrates the application of
cognitive-behavioural treatment to a 50 year-old inmate sentenced to seven years detention for
repeated sexual abuse on male children outside the family environment that occurred while working
as a dental technician. The treatment consists of two weekly group sessions over a six-month
period aimed at correcting cognitive distortions (denial of responsibility and damage minimisation),
enhancing empathic skills, in addition to building up an individualised relapse prevention manual. The
relapse prevention manual is based on the functional analysis of sexual abuse behaviour, and includes
a summary of the risk situations, stimulus control prescriptions and self-instructions to cope with
lapses.
Keywords
Aggressori sessuali, abuso di minori, caso singolo, terapia cognitivocomporta
mentale.
