How do people with intellectual disabilities experience the adapted sex offender treatment programme?A qualitative study using interpretative phenomenological analysis

Abstract

• Sometimes people commit crimes called sex offences. This is when someone does something sexual to someone who did not want it to happen or were not able to agree to it. A small number of sex offenders have an intellectual disability.• We interviewed five men with intellectual disabilities who had committed sex offences. These men had completed group treatment to stop them from committing sex offences in the future. All of the men were living in the community.• The men we interviewed talked about joining and being part of group treatment.• Most said that they did not feel like they had a choice about starting group treatment. Others said that group treatment reminded them of school. Some told us they felt anxious about talking to other members about their sex offences. When they overcame their anxiety and shared their sex offences with other group members, they felt relieved.• The findings of this study are important because they will help professionals make sure the treatment is as good as possible.