Clinical Practice SWES Practice Exam

Which treatment goal is least likely in clinical work with pedophiles?

1. Increase their heterosexual relationships

2. Increase their peer group relationships

3. Increase their homosexual relationships

4. Decrease their sexual impulse control

The correct answer is: Decrease their sexual impulse control

In clinical work with pedophiles, one of the primary treatment goals is to promote sexual impulse control and help the individual manage their urges appropriately and safely. Rather than decreasing sexual impulse control, which could lead to harmful behaviors, the treatment focuses on increasing awareness of these impulses and developing strategies to manage them effectively. Increasing heterosexual relationships, peer group relationships, or even homosexual relationships may be part of more comprehensive goals aimed at supporting the individual in forming healthy, non-offending connections with others. These relationships can provide social support and reduce isolation, which is beneficial for overall mental health. The focus remains on fostering healthy and consensual interactions that do not threaten others or violate legal and ethical boundaries. Thus, the least likely treatment goal in a clinical context would indeed be to decrease sexual impulse control, as this contradicts the fundamental aim of treatment, which is to protect both the individual and the broader community by promoting responsible behavior and preventing offending.