Showing papers by "Tony Ward published in 1999"

Child Molesters' Implicit Theories

Abstract: In this article, the authors argue that child molesters' cognitive distortions emerge from underlying causal theories about the nature of their victims, the world, and themselves. These implicit theories function like scientific theories and are used to explain empirical regularities (e.g., other people's actions) and to make predictions about the world. They are relatively coherent and constituted by a number of interlocking ideas and their component concepts and categories. Drawing on recent work in the cognitive distortions area, the authors identify five core implicit theories. Each theory is described in detail and its relationship to cognitive distortions discussed. Finally, the clinical and research implications of the implicit theory perspective are outlined.

Offense Pathways in Sexual Offenders

Abstract: In recent years, the development of models of the offense process, relapse prevention in particular, have provided frameworks for the implementation of treatment. However, relapse prevention suffers from some conceptual problems, and therefore we have developed a descriptive model that attempts to provide a more satisfactory account of the offense process. This model contains a number of distinct points of individual differences, which create the possibility of different pathways. The current study examines these pathways, evident in offense transcripts from 86 sexual offenders. The majority of offense profiles were classifiable as belonging to three major pathways. Approximately one third reflected an appetitive, positive affect pathway. One quarter of the sample reflected the traditional covert planning, negative affect, restraint pathway. The third major pathway reflected a negative restraining process but with explicit planning. The clinical significance of these pathways is described and some suggest...

Competency and deficit models in the understanding and treatment of sexual offenders

Abstract: The majority of etiological models of sexual offending have tended to adopt a deficiency perspective and stressed the absence of core skills or competencies in offenders. They are based on the plausible assumption that men who sexually abuse children or rape women lack the necessary skills to meet their needs in more socially acceptable ways. In this paper the utility of adopting a competency or expertise model to complement deficit models is explored. It is argued that many sexual offenders skillfully control the behavior of women and children, and have developed an extensive knowledge base and a range of strategies in the service of the goal of sexual offending. The literature on expertise and its application to different domains is reviewed and then applied to the area of sexual offending. Finally, the research and treatment implications of the expertise perspective are considered.

Abductive Method and Clinical Assessment in Practice

Abstract: Clinical reasoning is one of the central components of psychological assessment. The identification of a client's psychological difficulties and the subsequent depiction of their onset, development, and interrelationships enables clinicians to plan treatment in a systematic and effective manner. In a recent paper (Ward & Haig, 1997), we presented an abductive theory of method and showed how it offered a useful framework for highlighting and integrating the major phases of psychological assessment. These phases involve detecting clinical phenomena, postulating psychological mechanisms, developing a case formulation, and evaluating a case formulation. In this paper we outline the abductive theory and elaborate on the related clinical dimensions of assessment, while illustrating them with an ongoing case example.

A Descriptive Model of the Relapse Process in Disqualified Drivers

Abstract: Driving-while-disqualified (DWD) offenders represent a significant proportion of the driving offender population, and contribute to a significant drain on governmental and societal resources. The reoffence or relapse process of recidivist DWD offending has been somewhat neglected in the past, and this paper represents a first attempt at developing an empirically generated model of this phenomenon. In this study, we undertook a grounded theory analysis of offence chain information obtained from 28 male recidivist DWD offenders. The grounded theory analysis resulted in the development of a 15-stage model of the relapse process of recidivist DWD offenders. The model identifies and describes the sequence of psychological, behavioural, and environmental factors, including mediating variables that contribute to DWD reoffending. The model was then applied to 14 new offence chains to examine its level of saturation, content validity, and inter-rater reliability. The results suggest that the model has provisional validity and adequate inter-rater reliability, and achieved a high level of saturation. The strengths and value of the model are discussed, as are its clinical and research implications.

Method, Judgement, and Clinical Reasoning

Abstract: Researchers have tended to take one of two mutually exclusive positions concerning the nature and status of clinical decision-making. On the one hand, clinicians are urged to be more rigorous and analytical when assessing a client, to disregard their intuitions and instead utilise explicit rules and algorithms. On the other hand, they are counselled to regard their “gut feelings” as valuable sources of knowledge about clients. As a way of reconciling these two perspectives, it is important to acknowledge that clinical psychologists are confronted with a wide range of assessment and clinical tasks that vary in their degree of structure. Therefore, in order to effectively manage the diverse tasks they face during a typical assessment, they need to possess a wide range of cognitive skills. These skills, and their associated cognitive tasks, will span the cognitive continuum from the intuitive to the analytical poles (Hammond, 1996).