Abstract
The nature of sexual offending is considered and it is concluded that offenders are more like other people than they are different. It is concluded that they are neither monsters nor victims and should, as a consequence, be treated like all other clients. Treatment implications are considered and it is suggested that we shift our focus away from a preoccupation with procedures and instead give attention to process features of treatment. Various therapist styles are discussed and it is proposed that a style that enhances the offender's self-esteem may be best. The value of this approach is outlined and tentative data are offered suggesting its value. Considerations for future developments are noted.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change.Psychological Review, 84, 191–215.
Barbaree, H. E., & Marshall, W. L. (1989). Erectile responses amongst heterosexual child molesters, father-daughter incest offenders and matched nonoffenders: Five distinct age preference profiles.Canadian Journal of Behavioral Science, 21, 70–82.
Baumgardner, A. H. (1991). To know oneself is to like oneself: Self-certainty and self-affect.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 58, 1062–1072.
Beech, A., & Fordham, A. S. (1995).Therapeutic climate of sex offender treatment programmes (submitted for publication).
Blaine, B., & Crocker, J. (1993). Self-esteem and self-serving biases in reactions to positive and negative events: An integrative review. In: R. F. Baumeister (Ed.),Self-esteem: The puzzle of low self-regard (pp. 55–85). New York: Plenum Press.
Brockner, J. (1983). Low self-esteem and behavioral plasticity: Some implications. In L. Wheeler & P. Shaver (Eds.),Review of personality and social psychology (Vol. 4, pp. 237–271). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
Campbell, J. (1990). Self-esteem and clarity of the self-concept.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 59, 1–12.
Campbell, J. D., & Lavellee, L. F. (1993). Who am I? The role of self-concept confusion in understanding the behavior of people with low self-esteem. In R. F. Baumeister (Ed.),Self-esteem: The puzzle of low self-regard (pp. 3–20). New York: Plenum Press.
Charcot, J. M., & Magnan, V. (1882). Inversion du sens genital.Archives of Neurology, 3, 53–60.
Collins, N. L., & Read, S. J. (1990). Adult attachment, working models, and relationship quality in dating couples.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 58, 644–663.
Dhawan, S., & Marshall, W. L. (1996). Sexual abuse histories of sexual offenders.Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment, 8, 7–15.
Eysenck, H. J., & Rachman, S. (1965)The causes and cures of neurosis: An introduction to modern behaviour therapy based on learning theory and the principles of conditioning. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.
Frank, J. (1961).Persuasion and healing. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.
Goldstein, A. P., Heller, K., & Sechrest, L. (1966).Psychotherapy and the psychology of behavior change. New York: Wiley & Sons.
Hall, R. L. (1989). Self-efficacy ratings. In D. R. Laws (Ed.),Relapse prevention with sex offenders (pp. 137–146). New York: Guilford Press.
Harter, S. (1993). Causes and consequences of low self-esteem in children and adolescents. In R. F. Baumeister (Ed.),Self-esteem: The puzzle of low self-regard (pp. 87–116). New York: Plenum Press.
Hubbard, R., & Wald, E. (1993).Exploding the gene myth. Boston: Beacon Press.
Hugo, V. (1964).The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (W. J. Cobb, trans.). New York: Signet Classic Books. (Original work published in 1831).
Kazdin, A. E. (1978).History of behavior modification: Experimental foundations of contemporary research. Baltimore, MD: University Park Press.
Khanna, A., & Marshall, W. L. (1978).A comparison of cognitive and behavioral approaches for the treatment of low self-esteem. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for the Advancement of Behavior Therapy, Chicago, Nov.
Lambert, M., Shapiro, D., & Bergin, A. (1986). The effectiveness of psychotherapy. In S. Garfield & A. Bergin (Eds.),Handbook of psychotherapy and behavior change (pp. 157–212). New York: Wiley & Sons.
LaRonde, C., & Swann, W. B. (1993). Caught in the crossfire: Positivity and self-verification strivings among people with low self-esteem. In R. F. Baumeister (Ed.),Self-esteem: The puzzle of low self-regard (pp. 147–165). New York: Plenum Press.
Laws, D. R. (1994).Behavior therapy: Dead or alive? Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers, San Francisco, Nov.
Lawson, J. S., Marshall, W. L., & McGrath, P. (1979). The Social Self-Esteem Inventory.Educational and Psychological Assessment, 39, 803–811.
Lazarus, A. A. (1971).Behavior therapy and beyond. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Lightfoot, L. O., & Barbaree, H. E. (1993). The relationship between substance use and abuse and sexual offending in adolescents. In H. E. Barbaree, W. L. Marshall, & S. M. Hudson (Eds.),The juvenile sex offender (pp. 203–224). New York: Guilford Press.
Marshall, W. L. (1996). Assessment, treatment, and theorizing about sex offenders: Developments over the past 20 yeas and future directions.Criminal Justice and Behavior, 23, 162–199.
Marshall, W. L. (1995).Self-esteem in child molesters: Its significance in etiology and treatment (submitted for publication).
Marshall, W. L., & Barbaree, H. E. (1990). An integrated theory of sexual offending. In W. L. Marshall, D. R. Laws & H. E. Barbaree (Eds.),Handbook of sexual assault: Issues, theories, and treatment of the offender (pp. 257–275). New York: Plenum Press.
Marshall, W. L., & Christie, M. M. (1982). The enhancement of social self-esteem.Canadian Counsellor, 16, 82–89.
Marshall, W. L., & Hall, G. C. N. (1995). The value of the MMPI in deciding forensic issues in accused sexual offenders.Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment, 7, 205–219.
Marshall, W. L., & Mazzucco, A. (1995). Self-esteem and parental attachments in child molesters.Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment, 7, 279–285.
Marshall, W. L., Christie, M. M., Lanthier, R. D., & Cruchley, J. (1982). The nature of the reinforcer in the enhancement of social self-esteem.Canadian Counsellor, 16, 90–96.
Marshall, W. L., Barbaree, H. E., & Fernandez, Y. M. (1995). Some aspects of social competence in sexual offenders.Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment, 7, 113–127.
Marshall, W. L., Champagne, F., Brown, C., & Miller, S. (1995).Self-esteem, empathy, loneliness and intimacy in child molesters. Unpublished manuscript. Kingston, Ontario, Canada: Queen's University.
Marshall, W. L., Sturgeon, C., Bryce, P., & Champagne, F. (1995).Enhancing the self-esteem of sexual offenders. Unpublished manuscript. Kingston, Ontario, Canada: Queen's University.
Marshall, W. L., Bryce, P., Hudson, S. M., Ward, T., & Moth, B. (1996). The enhancement of intimacy of the reduction of loneliness among child molesters.Journal of Family Violence (in press).
Marshall, W. L., O'Sullivan, C., & Fernandez, Y. M. (1996). The enhancement of victim empathy among incarcerated child molesters.Legal and Criminological Psychology (in press).
Mayo, L. G. (1978). The correlates of success in a behavioral weight reduction program.Dissertations Abstracts International, 38-8B, 3897.
Moll, A. (1911). Die Behandlung sexueller Perversioner mït Vesonderer Berüchsichtigung der Assoziations therapie.Zeitung Psychotherapie, 3.
Pithers, W. D., Beal, L. S., Armstrong, J., & petty, J. (1989). Identification of risk factors through clinical interviews and analysis of records. In D. R. Laws (Ed.),Relapse prevention with sex offenders (pp. 77–87). New York: Guilford Press.
Quinsey, V. L., & Lalumière, M. (1995). Evolutionary perspectives on sexual offending.Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment, 7, 301–315.
Rabailas, A. D., Boulougouris, J. C., & Perissaki, C. (1979). Therapist qualities related to outcome with exposure in vivo in neurotic patients.Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychology, 10, 293–299.
Roding, J., Elias, M., Silberstein, L. R., & Wagner, A. (1988). Combined behavioral and pharmacological treatment of obesity: Predictions of successful weight maintenance.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 56, 399–404.
Schrenck-Notzing, A. von (1985).The use of hypnosis in psychopathia sexualis with special reference to contrary sexual instinct [translated by C. G. Chaddock (1956)]. New York: Institute of Research in Hypnosis Publication Society and Julian Press.
Segal, Z. V., & Marshall, W. L. (1985). Heterosexual social skills in a population of rapists and child molesters.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 53, 55–63.
Segal, Z. V., & Stermac, L. E. (1990). The role of cognition in sexual assault. In W. L. Marshall, D. R. Laws, & H. E. Barbaree (Eds.),Handbook of sexual assault: Issues, theories, and treatment of the offender (pp. 161–174). New York: Plenum Press.
Shrauger, J. S. (1972). Self-esteem and reactions to being observed by others.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 23, 192–200.
Sloan, R. B., Staples, F. R., Cristol, A. H., Yorkston, N. J., & Whipple, K. (1975).Psychotherapy versus behavior therapy. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Spencer, S. J., Josephs, R. A., & Steele, C. M. (1993). Low self-esteem: The uphill struggle for self-integrity. In R. F. Baumeister (Ed.),Self-esteem: The puzzle of low self-regard (pp. 21–36). New York: Plenum Press.
Stermac, L. E., Segal, Z. V., & Gillis, R. (1990). Social and cultural factors in sexual assault. In W. L. Marshall, D. R. Laws, & H. E. Barbaree (Eds.),Handbook of sexual assault: Issues, theories, and treatment of the offender (pp. 143–159). New York: Plenum Press.
Tice, D. M. (1993). The social motivations of people with low self-esteem. In R. F. Baumeister (Ed.),Self-esteem: The puzzle of low self-regard (pp. 37–53). New York: Plenum Press.
Watson, J. B. (1919).Psychology, from the standpoint of a behaviorist. Philadelphia: Lippincott.
Wilson, G. T., & Evans, I. M. (1977). The therapist-client relationship in behavior therapy. In A. S. Gurman & A. M. Razin (Eds.),The therapist's contribution to effective psychotherapy: An empirical approach (pp. 133–161). New York: Pergamon Press.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Keynote address at the 14th Annual Research and Treatment Conference of the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers, New Orleans, October 1995.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Marshall, W.L. The sexual offender: Monster, victim, or everyman?. Sex Abuse 8, 317–335 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02260166
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02260166