An increasing number of offender rehabilitation programmes utilise the GLM as a guiding theoretical framework, a movement particularly evident in sex offender treatment programmes (McGrath, Cumming, Burchard, Zeoli, & Ellerby, 2010). Empirical research into the effectiveness of GLM based rehabilitation programmes is underway, and this page will soon be updated with references to empirical studies as these become available. Current research projects are summarised below.
Evaluation of treatment programme responsiveness to the GLM
Gwen Willis, Tony Ward, and Jill Levenson are currently exploring how the GLM has been integrated into sex offender treatment programmes in the United States and Canada, and evaluating programme responsiveness to core principles of the GLM. Evaluations are based on reviewing manuals and other programme documentation, interviewing therapists, reviewing client files, and observing treatment groups. Data collected will enable a longer term investigation into the relationship between programme responsiveness to the GLM and client outcomes in terms of treatment engagement, indicators of desistance, and, ultimately, recidivism.
Evaluation of treatment outcomes based on programming
Leigh Harkins is currently working on a multi-national research project looking at whether responses to treatment differ in terms of the treatment approaches used (e.g., GLM, Relapse Prevention). Response to treatment will be measured in terms of ratings on group process variables, participants’ satisfaction with treatment, facilitator ratings of treatment progress, and recidivism. The results of this study will allow for a comparison of treatment outcomes as a function of different approaches to treatment.
Development of Good Lives Approach evaluation tools and their use in measuring human good fulfilment
for adolescents who sexually abuse
Bobbie Print has recently contributed to a GLM evaluation study focused on the development of GLM evaluation tools and their application to therapeutic work with adolescents who sexually abuse. These tools consist of pre/post-treatment scoring manuals and an additional considerations booklet that acts as a guide to clinicians and researchers should they require additional help in scoring the manuals. The paper resulting from this study describes the development of these tools and introduces them as a means to evaluate the GLM as an appropriate model for intervention in the treatment of sexual abusers. Samples of youth general offenders and youth sexual abusers were assessed using the tools and significant differences were evident between the groups in the fulfilment of ‘Primary Human Goods’. This study can be reviewed in detail in the upcoming paper by Price, Griffin, Hutton, Print, & Bickley (see publications page).
Reference:
McGrath, R., Cumming, G., Burchard, B., Zeoli, S., & Ellerby, L. (2010). Current practices and emerging trends in sexual abuser management: The Safer Society 2009 North American survey. Brandon, Vermont: Safer Society Press.
