Sexual risk assessment for people with intellectual disabilities

Abstract

Given that sexually offensive behavior on the part of people with intellectual disabilities has been identified as a significant problem, we developed a risk assessment questionnaire, that takes not only various static and dynamic factors into account but also environmental risk variables. Psychologists and staff members completed this Risk Inventarization Scale on Sexually Offensive Behavior of Clients with Intellectual Disabilities for 56 intellectually disabled clients with sexually offensive behavior problems. The scale contains static client variables (rated using two- or five-point likert scales and open questions) and both dynamic client and environmental variables (rated using a five-point likert scale). Factor analyses of the dynamic client and environmental variables revealed three subscales: quality of supervision, offending behavior and emotional and social stability. Reliability analyses showed sufficient to good reliability for both the total scale ( r = 0.82) and the identified subscales (quality of guidance r = 0.94; offending behavior r = 0.75, and emotional and social stability r = 0.58). Correlational analyses of the quality of guidance subscale showed high positive correlations with such static variables as values and norms, living conditions, and criminal offenses in early youth. Because both dynamic and environmental variables can be altered, the implications for treatment of the sexually offensive behavior of clients with intellectual disabilities are discussed further.