Treating paedophilic disorder and paedophilic ideation : current interventions among psychologists in South Africa

Abstract

The study was motivated by the need to understand paedophilic disorder and paedophilic ideation as these are highly stigmatised, directly impacting treatment. It is ethical and pragmatic to support those suffering from paedophilic disorder and paedophilic ideation and to offer treatment free from stigma. The study was located in the theoretical framework of social constructionism utilising a qualitative approach. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with six South African psychologists who treat these individuals. Thematic analysis was used to analyse emerging themes. The main findings were that stigma at various levels severely impacts the management and treatment of paedophilia disorder and ideation. There is a lack of training around paedophilia and no standardise psychometric assessments for a South African population to test paedophilic disorder and paedophilic ideation, resulting in psychologists using and adapting international therapeutic approaches. In the private setting, long-term therapy is viewed as effective in preventing reoffending, initially focusing on gaining a holistic understanding and the evolution of clients’ attraction to children. In a correctional services context, cognitive behavioural therapy is indicated to be effective, given the contextual lack of resources. Female paedophiles remain largely invisible and are treated differently from their male counterparts when they are diagnosed with paedophilia. This is linked to the social construction of women as mothers and nurturers. Further, systemic change is needed to overcome the severe stigma cast over professionals who treat people with paedophilic tendencies and reduce the stigma toward individuals who are attracted to minors seeking therapeutic assistance.

Hierdie studie was gemotiveer deur die nood om pedofiele versteuring en pedofiele ideasie te verstaan omdat dit hoogs gestigmatiseer is en behandeling direk afekteer. Dit is eties en pragmaties om diegene wie onder ‘n pedofiele versteuring en pedofiele ideasie lei, te ondersteun sowel as behandeling aan te bied wat vry is van stigma. Hierdie studie was gefokus in die teoretiese raamwerk van sosiale konstruksionisme met die gebruik van ‘n kwalitatiewe benadering. Data was versamel deur semi-gekonstrukteerde onderhoude te voer met ses Suid Afrikaanse sielkundiges wie hierdie individuele behandel. Tematiese analise was gebruik om opkomende temas te ontleed. Die hoof bevindinge was dat stigma op verskeie vlakke die hantering en behandeling van pedofiele versteuring en ideasie grootliks beinvloed. Daar is ‘n gebrek in die opleiding rondom pedofilie en daar is geen standaard psigometriese assesserings vir ‘n Suid Afrikaanse populasie om te toets vir pedofiele versteuring en pedofiele ideasie nie, wat beteken dat sielkundiges aanpas en gebruik maak van internasionale terapeutiese benaderinge. In die private instelling word lang termyn terapie beskou as effektief in die voorkoming van heroortreding, wat oorspronklik gefokus is om ‘n hollistiese begrip te kry en die evolusie van kliente se aantrekings tot kinders beter te verstaan. In die regstellings dienste konteks, word kognitiewe gedragsterapie aangedui as effektief – gegewens die kontekstuele gebrek aan hulpbronne. Vroulike pedofiele bly grootliks onsigbaar en word verskillend behandel van hulle manlike eweknieë wanneer hulle wel gediagnoseer word met pedofilie. Hierdie is gekoppel aan die sosiale konstruksie van vrouens as moeders en koesterers. Verder, sistemiese verandering is nodig om die ernstige stigma wat oor die professionele wie individuele met pedofiliese neigings te behandel, te oorkom, en om die stigma te verminder teenoor individu wie aangetrokke is tot minerjar iges en wat terapeutiese hulp wil benader.

Lolu cwaningo lugqugquzelwe isidingo sokuqonda kabanzi ngesifiso nemidlinzo yenkanuko yocansi ebhekiswe ebantwaneni njengoba lokhu kuvezwe njengento enokucwaswa okukhulu futhi okungaba nomthelela ongemuhle kwezokulashwa. Kubalulekile kakhulu ukuseka nokungacwasi labo abanelesi sifo kanye nale midlinzo. Ulwazi luqoqwe ngokwenza inhlolokhono kodokotela abayisithupha abahlola ingqondo baseNingizimu Afrika, bahlole abantu abanesifiso nemidlinzo yenkanuko yocansi ebhekiswe ebantwaneni. Isihlaziyo sokuqoqa ulwazi i-thematic analysis sisetshenziswe ukudibanisa izigaba. Imiphumela iveze ukuthi ukucwaswa ezigabeni ezihlukene kube nomthelela ongemuhle ekulawuleni nokwelashwa kwesifo nemidlinzo yenkanuko yocansi ebhekiswe ebantwaneni. Kunokuntuleka kwezoqeqeshwa mayelana nesifo senkanuko yocansi ebhekiswe ebantwaneni futhi alukho uhlelo olugunyaziwe lokuhlolwa ngokwengqondo kubahlali baseNingizimu Afrika ukubheka lesi isifo nemidlinzo, okuholela ekutheni odokotela abahlola ingqondo bagcine besebenzisa baphinde benze okuhlobene nezindlela ezisetshenziswa emazweni aphesheya. Ezindaweni zangasese, ukuhlinzekwa ngokululekwa ngokwengqondo okuthatha isikhathi eside kuvezwa njengokuyikho okufanele ukugwema isigameko ukuthi singanzeki ngokuphindelela, ekuqaleni ebesigxile kakhulu kukho ukuqonda nokwazi izizathu eziholela ekutheni kungani abanalengcizi behehwa izingane ezincane. Okuqhukethwe kwezokuqondiswa izigwegwe, ukululekwa ngokwengqondo kuvezwe njengokusemqoka, nakuba kunokuntuleka kwezinsiza. Isibalo sabesifazane abanezinkanuko zocansi ezibhekiswe ebantwaneni asivezwa ngokucacile futhi baphathwa ngokuhlukile kunabelisa abakhungethwe ilesi sifo. Lokhu kuhambisana ngendlela abesimame ababukwa ngayo emphakathini njengoba bethathwa njengomama kanye nabafukameli. Okunye, kudingeka ushintsho ukubhekana nokucwasa okunzulu okuvela kubasebenzi abangabelaphi ngokusemthathweni kulolu hlobo labantu kanye nokunciphisa ukucwasa kulabo abahehwa izingane ezincane ngoba bandinga usizo lokulashwa ngokwengqondo.