Sexual Offense Treatment Programming and Recidivism Reduction: A Meta-Meta-Analysis of Program Outcomes and Sources of Effect Size Heterogeneity
- Forfatter(e)
- Olver, M. E., Stockdale, K. C.
- År
- 2025
- Tidsskrift
- Current Sexual Health Reports
- Volum
- 17
- Sider
- 10
- Kategori(er)
- Atferdsproblemer, antisosial atferd og atferdsforstyrrelser
- Tiltakstype(r)
- Kognitiv atferdsterapi, atferdsterapi og kognitiv terapiNettverksbaserte tiltak
- Abstract
Purpose of Review
We review the methodological issues, controversies, and main findings from the sexual offense treatment program (SOTP) outcome literature through a meta-meta-analysis (MMA) of SOTP meta-analyses with sexual offense recidivism as the primary outcome variable.
Recent Findings
The results of MMA of 21 meta-analyses demonstrated a broad treatment effect for the reduction of sexual recidivism relative to comparison controls by approximately 33% (OR = 0.67, 95%CI = 0.61, 0.73), as well as comparable effects for decreased violent and general (i.e., any, all) recidivism. Moderator analyses of sexual recidivism effects demonstrated that juvenile and community programs generally yielded larger effects than adult and custodial programs; however, treatment effects were generated across moderators. Further, programs that targeted high risk clientele and/or provided higher dosage (per the risk principle) generated the largest effects. Finally, rigorous designs yielded lower effects than weaker designs and MMA effects were consistent across four different decades of outcome research.
Summary
Thirty years of meta-analytic literature provides support for the efficacy of SOTP for decreasing future sexual violence relative to comparison controls by approximately one-third. Programs that adhere to the principles known to work in general correctional populations generally yielded the most promising results for decreasing sexual victimization.