The goal of this patient preference randomized controlled trial is to investigate the efficacy of Talking for Change (TFC), an intervention for the secondary prevention of child sexual abuse and exploitation (CSA) perpetration. Blinded clinical raters will evaluate the primary endpoint-reductions in dynamic risk factors for sexual offending against children-and clients will provide self-reports to evaluate a second primary outcome-reductions in sexual contact with children, accessing online child sexual exploitation material (CSEM), and desire for sexual contact with children. Researchers will compare the following groups: (1) those receiving 20 weeks of the experimental TFC group psychotherapy; (2) those receiving 20 weeks of a control group psychotherapy targeting mental health and stress more broadly; and (3) those receiving no treatment.
Must be deemed to have capacity to provide informed consent;
Must sign and date the informed consent form;
Stated willingness to comply with all study procedures;
Be 18 years of age or older upon study commencement;
Inability to engage meaningfully in group psychotherapy (e.g., due to intellectual disability, other neurodiversity, active psychosis or substance use)
Those who self-identify as at-risk for reasons better accounted for by non-risk-relevant factors per clinical assessment (e.g., those with obsessive-compulsive disorder including thoughts about CSA, who commonly fear that they are at-risk but are not).
Non-male sex.
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Lead sponsor
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Collaborator