Forensic healthcare workers working with sex offenders: treatment outcomes and staff well-being

Wheeler, Chloe (2024). Forensic healthcare workers working with sex offenders: treatment outcomes and staff well-being. University of Birmingham. Foren.Psy.D.

Preview

Wheeler2024ForenPsyD_Redacted.pdf
Text - Accepted Version
Available under License All rights reserved.
Download (6MB) | Preview

Abstract

The purpose of the current thesis is to explore how working with individuals convicted of a sexual offence impacts treatment outcomes amongst this client population and the well-being of staff involved in their care. Underlying psychological mechanisms such as attitudes and perceptions, workplace factors and the therapeutic relationship are focal points. Within the first chapter, background literature relevant to theories of sex offending, risk reduction through therapeutic interventions, and the well-being and attitudes of forensic staff is discussed. The second chapter presents a Systematic Literature Review exploring how the therapeutic relationship between therapists and individuals convicted of a sexual offence impacts treatment outcomes. The findings from the review conclude that a positive therapeutic relationship is related to desirable short-term treatment outcomes. Specifically, individuals convicted of a sexual offence in positive alliances demonstrate desirable changes in attitudes and behaviours related to their risk. The review highlighted the need to explore further the psychosocial concomitants of working with sex offenders. Chapter three critiques the Perception of Sex Offenders Scale (PSO). The critique proved that the PSO is a valid and reliable measure for assessing perceptions and judgements of sex offenders and is more efficient than most of its counterparts. It is also proposed that the scale is complementary to measures exploring other psychological processes, such as attitudes towards sex offenders. Chapter four describes a research project exploring psychosocial concomitants of forensic healthcare workers without professional qualifications working with sex offenders. Specifically, the study explores how forensic healthcare workers’ attitudes and perceptions towards sex offenders, as well as workplace arrangements such as environmental safety, quality of supervision, and co-worker support, predict workplace well-being. The results suggest favourable attitudes towards sex offenders and advantageous workplace arrangements increase workplace well-being. Contrastingly, certain negative perceptions of sex offenders are also shown to increase well-being. The complexity of findings emphasises the usefulness of exploring attitudes and perceptions as separate constructs when predicting well-being amongst forensic healthcare workers without professional qualifications. Additionally, the findings highlight the importance of maintaining adequate levels of environmental safety as well as providing good quality supervision. The final chapter provides a synthesis of the findings from each of the preceding sections and an overall conclusion of the thesis.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Doctorates > Foren.Psy.D.)

Award Type:

Doctorates > Foren.Psy.D.

Supervisor(s):