Assignment 1: Quantitative Journal Article Review

Assignment 1: Quantitative Journal Article Review

Bovard-Johns, R., Yoder, J. R., & Burton, D. L. (2015). Therapeutic alliance with juvenile sexual offenders: The effects of trauma symptoms and attachment functioning. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 54(4), 296–315. https://doi.org/10.1080/10509674.2015.1025179

Statement of the Problem

This study investigated the connection between therapeutic partnership with young sexual offenders, trauma indicators, and attachment functioning (Bovard-Johns et al., 2015). Specifically, how do these two variables affect therapeutic alliance? In addition, we examined whether there were any significant differences in therapeutic alliance by gender or ethnicity. The specific research questions were:

1. What consequences do depression signs and attachment functioning have on the therapeutic issues with young sex offenders?

2. Is there a relationship between trauma symptoms, attachment functioning, and therapeutic alliance?

3. Are there differences in therapeutic alliance by group membership (juvenile sexual offender vs. non-offenders) and gender?

Literature Review

The focus of the research was to investigate how trauma symptoms, attachment processes, and therapeutic partnership interact in therapy relationships with young sexual offenders. The theoretical framework is based on the attachment model, which suggests that stressors during early childhood can lead to insecurely attached adult social relations. These relations may be characterized by high levels of mistrust and negative adult expectations (the therapist). According to attachment theory, healthy attachments can prevent psychological problems such as sadness, mood disorders, and phobias (Baum and Moyal, 2020). Teenagers were admitted when their primary caregivers determined they posed a high risk of committing deviant acts due to a record of multiple violations or involvement in social groups that had committed sexual crimes (Baum and Moyal, 2020). Treatment consisted of individual therapy with a sex offender treatment specialist, family-based therapy with a family therapist, group, CBT, and relapse prevention skills development.

Hypothesis

1. Compared to avoidant, a stable attachment type would be related to better functioning and less psychopathology.

2. Depressed attachment behavior would be connected with more positive functioning and less psychopathology than the anxious attachment trait.

3. Juvenile pedophiles with imprisoned mums who were exposed to violence and those who were not molested as children by their mothers when they were born and raised have a connection between attachment and the therapeutic alliance.

The authors of this article are interested in the relationship between trauma symptoms and attachment functions in juvenile sexual offenders. Specifically, they wanted to know if there was a link between the two and, if so, what effect attachment functioning had on trauma symptoms.

Method

Participants

The participants were 18- to 24-year-old male and female sex offenders who had been adjudicated for their offenses. In addition, 81 percent of the sample’s participants were Caucasian (Bovard-Johns et al., 2015). They completed a self-report questionnaire regarding their experience with trauma symptoms and attachment functioning. The sample was recruited from a correctional facility in the United States.

Materials

The therapeutic alliance is critical in the therapeutic relationship with juvenile sexual offenders. The authors of this study used the Parental Bonding Instrument to assess parents’ attachment functioning and traumatic symptoms. They also measured their children’s attachment functioning and traumatic symptoms through the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire.

Procedure

The procedure was as follows:

Three conditions—trauma symptoms and attachment functioning, trauma symptoms and attachment functioning plus social skills instruction, or no intervention—were randomized to juvenile sexual offenders (Brown, Yoder, and Fushi, 2022). The three groups were compared on measures of the severity of childhood abuse and neglect, adult sexual offenses, psychological health, psychological adjustment, and treatment compliance.

Statistics

The primary statistical design employed was Multiple Regression Analysis. In addition, the data were analyzed using a variety of inferential statistical analyses, including Pearson’s Correlation, Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test, and Karlson-Yule Logistic Regression.

Results

The findings showed that trauma symptoms were inversely connected with therapeutic partnership regardless of attachment status. Additionally, trauma symptoms were related to the better therapeutic alliance in securely attached patients. Furthermore, after finishing a weekly therapy session, people with high CARS scores were much more inclined to feel at ease discussing their previous records of abuse (Brown, Yoder, and Fushi, 2022). The ability of securely attached males to disclose their pasts of abuse during therapy sessions may have been influenced by the fact that they showed reduced PTSD than males who were insecurely attached. This shows that teenagers who establish a therapeutic relationship with their therapist may be more willing to engage in healthy habits, such as making relationships with others, abstaining from risky conduct, and using support systems to cope with stressors.

Implications for Counselors, Clients, and Counselling

The findings revealed that trauma symptoms and attachment functioning impacted the therapeutic alliance, but only trauma symptoms influenced the therapeutic connection quality. Discussions included specific implications for counselors, clients, and counseling and recommendations for additional research. First, counselors must be aware that trauma symptoms may interfere with their ability to provide effective treatment for juvenile sexual offenders. Because of this, counselors need to remain mindful of their own emotions, such as anger or sadness, while working with this population (Brown, Yoder, and Fushi, 2022). Counselors should be aware that clients with attachment disorders may struggle to form a solid attachment with their therapist; this can influence how they socialize and negatively impact the therapeutic relationship. Finally, counselors must remain mindful of their emotions to identify better when these feelings interfere with clients’ treatment goals.

Discussion

Summary

The study’s results indicated a significant correlation across attachment behavior, the severity of traumatic symptoms, and the time since the offender’s most current cases of sexual violence. Specifically, Psychological symptoms and the amount of time of the most current sexual harassment were lower in individuals with a steady attachment pattern. The findings support the theory that trauma indicators, post-assault trauma, and prolonged duration without touch with the attacker are all associated with unstable attachment styles (Brown, Yoder, and Fushi, 2022). On the other hand, those with avoidant attachment traits reported more trauma symptoms and had experienced more time since their most recent sexual attack. The findings support the idea that insecure attachment behaviors are associated with less time spent apart from their perpetrator, fewer trauma symptoms, and less post-assault distress.

Interpretation

For adolescent sex offenders, the study employed a quasi-experimental method to assess the relationship between trauma symptoms and attachment functioning. The authors also looked at the connection between trauma symptoms and attachment functioning for young sex offenders with different sexual offenses. The authors hypothesized that traumatic events would be associated with a decrease in attachment security and an increase in hyper-reactivity. They also hypothesized that there would be a linear connection between trauma symptoms and attachment functioning. The results showed a significant relationship between trauma symptoms and attachment functioning, indicating that more severe trauma levels negatively impacted attachment security and hyper-reactivity (Brown, Yoder, and Fushi, 2022). The study found that attachment functioning was not related to the type of sexual offense. This means that even though more child victims in the group had more severe trauma symptoms, this did not affect the results found in this study. The strength of this study is that it tested its hypotheses using a priori hypotheses and both independent and dependent variables. This allowed researchers to draw conclusions based on data collected from their sample, comprised of young sex offenders (Bovard-Johns et al., 2015). The weaknesses and limitations of this study would include that it was conducted with only one site and only one group of participants (juvenile sex offenders). However, the small sample size may have been enough information to support or refute the authors’ conclusions regarding their hypotheses.

The ethical considerations are substantial. The study required the participants to submit to physical and psychological examinations and participate in therapy sessions with staff. The study also required that they provide written consent before participating, which involved explaining the nature of the research and how it would be conducted. The researchers also explained that they were not seeking personal information about the participants and that their participation was voluntary. Thus, there is a very low likelihood that any participant will feel coerced into participating in unethical research practices, which would raise additional ethical concerns. The reliability/validity of measures is high because all actions were identified through pilot testing and subsequent development with expert psychometrists.

For Further Study

The study has several significant implications for public policy. First, the results suggest that therapists working with sexual offenders must be aware of patients’ attachment histories and the impact of trauma on their functioning. This can help clinicians identify and address attachment-related issues that may prevent patients from moving forward with treatment. Second, the findings highlight the significance of paying attention to the therapeutic alliance and its role in the treatment process (Bovard-Johns et al., 2015). Therapists should work hard to establish trusting relations with their patients and use this relationship as a foundation for further therapeutic work. Third, this study needs follow-up to see if the results are sustained over time and if they can be extended to other types of offenders. This will require additional research, which may include follow-up interviews with participants. Finally, the results of these interviews should be analyzed further to determine how the relations between trauma symptoms and attachment functionings relate to the therapeutic alliance process.

References

Baum, N., & Moyal, S. (2020). Impact on therapists working with sex offenders: A systematic review of gender findings. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 21(1), 193-205.

Bovard-Johns, R., Yoder, J. R., & Burton, D. L. (2015). Therapeutic alliance with juvenile sexual offenders: The effects of trauma symptoms and attachment functioning. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 54(4), 296–315. https://doi.org/10.1080/10509674.2015.1025179

Brown, A., Yoder, J., & Fushi, K. (2022). Trauma and maternal caregivers as risks for executive function deficits among youth who have been sexually harmed. Sexual Abuse, 34(1), 24-51.