Acceptance of a Web-Based Intervention in Individuals Who Committed Sexual Offenses Against Children: Cross-Sectional Study (Preprint)

Abstract

Individuals who have committed sexual offenses against children often have difficulties finding treatment, despite its potential effectiveness. Although the development of web-based interventions could enhance therapeutic supply, up to now the acceptance thereof among this target group is unknown.

For the first time, this study assesses the acceptance of a web-based intervention among individuals who committed sexual offenses against children and analyzes variables that predict acceptance. Following the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), it is assumed that acceptance of web-based interventions in individuals who have committed sexual offenses against children follows the same mechanisms as for individuals in general psychiatry.

This cross-sectional study is based on the data from an ongoing clinical trial (@myTabu) evaluating the effectiveness of a web-based intervention in individuals who committed sexual offenses against children (N=113). Acceptance level was measured using a questionnaire based on the UTAUT and modified for the target group. Furthermore, predictors of acceptance from the UTAUT (performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and social influence [SI]), attitudes toward web-based interventions, and internet anxiety were assessed at baseline.

Most participants (61.1%, 69/113), reported high acceptance, while 36.3% (41/113) of them indicated moderate acceptance, and 2.7% (3/113) of them expressed low acceptance. In a linear regression model, the predictors explained 41.2% of the variance (<i>F</i>_11,101=9.055; <i>P</i>=.01). Attitudes toward web-based interventions (<i>B</i>=0.398, 95% CI 0.16-0.64; <i>P</i>=.001) and SI (<i>B</i>=0.183, 95% CI 0.03-0.38; <i>P</i>=.04) significantly predicted acceptance. Post hoc explorative analysis showed that the participants’ belief that people close to them would recommend the use of a web-based intervention is a predictor of acceptance. In contrast, the belief that their community supervisor would recommend the use thereof was not predictive in this respect.

For the participants of this study, we identified high acceptance of web-based interventions for the majority of participants. SI and the participants’ attitudes toward web-based interventions were important in predicting acceptance.

German Clinical Trial Registration (DRKS, Deutsches Register Klinischer Studien) DRKS 00021256; https://drks.de/search/de/trial/DRKS00021256