Empathy and Cognitive Distortions in Sex Offenders Participating in Community Based Treatment

• Published date: 01 December 2023
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/0306624X221133000
• Author: Angie D. Cartwright,Jessica Craig
• Date: 01 December 2023
• Subject Matter: Articles

https://doi.org/10.1177/0306624X221133000

International Journal of

Offender Therapy and

Comparative Criminology

2023, Vol. 67(16) 1599 –1614

© The Author(s) 2022

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DOI: 10.1177/0306624X221133000

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Article

Empathy and Cognitive

Distortions in Sex Offenders

Participating in Community

Based Treatment

Angie D. Cartwright1 and Jessica Craig1

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between empathy as measured by the Empathy

Index (EI) and the Cognitive Distortion Scale (CDS) among a sample (N = 151) of

individuals who committed sexual offenses who were receiving community-based sex

offender treatment in a large southern state. The extent to which the relationships

by age was also considered. The findings indicated a weak but significant positive

correlation between total empathy and each of the cognitive distortion scales, and

a similar positive correlation between the instrumental aggression empathy subscale

and the three cognitive distortion scales. Furthermore, these findings suggested that

those with lower empathy were more likely to have cognitive distortions than those

with higher empathy. Recommendations for future research and implications for

treatment are provided.

Keywords

empathy, cognitive distortions, sex offender treatment, sex offender, counseling

According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC,

2020), there are almost a million registered individuals who have committed sexual

offenses in the United States. That number does not include the number of individuals

who are not required to register, those who are actively disputing allegations, and

those who have yet to be discovered. Issues related to sexual offending, human traf-

ficking, and those who engage in problematic sexual behaviors are increasing

1University of North Texas, Denton, USA

Corresponding Author:

Angie D. Cartwright, University of North Texas, 1155 Union Circle, #310829, Denton, TX 76203-1277,

USA.

Email: angie.cartwright@unt.edu

1133000IJOXXX10.1177/0306624X221133000International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative CriminologyCartwright and Craig

research-article2022

1600 International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology 67(16)

annually. Counseling and treatment for people who commit sexual offenses is a niche

area that some helping professionals choose to specialize, and treatment providers

have differing views of what are the best and most effective approaches when working

with this population. Interventions and techniques to assist the client with accepting

responsibility for their offending behaviors, understanding healthy relationships,

healthy communication, empathy, and understanding cognitive distortions are often

the foundational constructs of a robust sex offender treatment program. Jones and Neal

(2019) called for research to strengthen and improve treatment programs for people

who commit sexual offenses and, in an effort, to address some of the gaps in the litera-

ture, the current study explored the relationship between empathy and cognitive dis-

tortions. As will be discussed, these two constructs are two of the foundational

constructs often explored in treatment programs for this population.

Empathy

Empathy is the ability to take the perspective of another individual and respond in an

appropriate and interpersonal manner (Elliot et al., 2011; Grady & Rose, 2011; Tudor,

2011). Morrow (2020) noted affective empathy and cognitive empathy are the two com-

ponents of empathy that most theorist agree upon. Cognitive empathy is the ability to

understand the thoughts and perspectives of another person and to draw conclusions on

their mental state. This form of empathy is one that as often described colloquially as

‘putting oneself in another’s shoes.’ Affective empathy is also referred to as emotional

empathy and is centered on an immediate response to observed emotions. Morrow

(2020) detailed general empathy as a combination of the components of cognitive and

emotional empathy. In clinical and non-clinical populations, empathy has been linked

to a reduction in aggressive and antisocial behaviors (Björkqvist et al., 2001) and is

widely discussed among mental health counseling populations and individuals who

have sexually offended (Levenson et al., 2010; Wastell et al., 2009). Addressing empa-

thy deficits in treatment programs may help offender clients with developing the ability

to take the perspective of others with the clinical and treatment goal of reducing recidi-

vism rates (Grady & Rose, 2011).

Empirical studies centered on individuals who have sexually offended, and empa-

thy are limited and somewhat dated but researchers differ on their opinions about

empathy and its impact on recidivism. Researchers contend that victim empathy has

no significant impact on sexual reoffending (Hanson & Morton-Bourgon, 2005) and

that sexual violence is minimally linked to empathy (Jolliffe & Farrington, 2004;

Levitan & Vachon, 2021). Other researchers contend that empathy is multidimensional

in nature and is integral to the counseling and treatment of sexual offenders (Barnett &

Mann, 2013; Cartwright et al., 2022; Fisher et al., 1999; Gladstein, 1983; Grady &

Rose, 2011). Fisher et al. (1999) compared the results of psychological measures of

141 sex offenders to 81 non-offenders and found the sex offender population to be

more deficient in victim empathy than the non-offender sample. Levenson et al. (2010)

surveyed 88 adult male sex offenders who were attending outpatient sex offender

treatment programs about their experiences in treatment and discovered that