Behavioral Reconditioning

Anna C. Salter
 Behavioral Reconditioning
Easy to Do Wrong

Hard to Do Right

(Steve Jenson, personal communication 11/30/09)

 Behavioral Principles: 1
Don’t let person become highly aroused

Use minimal arousal conditioning

Being highly aroused is reinforcing

(Steve Jenson, personal communication 11/30/09)

 Two Components to Deviance
 Sexual urge

 Cognitions that support it

(Steve Jenson, personal communication 11/30/09)

 Normal and Deviant
 Normal Deviant

 Some urges Intense & frequent

Controlled by urges supported
cognition by deviant
cognitions
 Minimal Arousal Conditioning
1. Aversive conditioning
2. Minimizing victim contact
3. Dealing with spontaneous arousal
4. Cognitive restructuring
5. Peer relationships
Minimal Arousal Conditioning
Punish at first signs of minimal arousal

Do not wait

Until full arousal

 Instructions
“We would like you to write a two to three page
description of one of the most exciting sexual
encounters you had with your victim. The
description should include: a) where you were,
b) how you approached your victim, c) how
you got your victim to cooperate, d) what you
did sexually, e) how your victim responded,
(what did they say or do) and f) how the sexual
contact concluded.”
(Jensen 2002, p. 2)
 1) Aversive Conditioning
 At home
 Every day for 12 weeks
 Ammonia simplest
Wide mouth jar
Lid on
Read scenario to point of first arousal
(well before sexual behavior)
Open jar – close enough for startle
Repeat 20 times
 Every day 12 weeks
 If Working
Dramatic reduction

2 weeks

(Steve Jensen, personal communication, 11/30/09)

 1) Covert Sensitization
 Two to three weeks after starting

 No irrational punishers

 Develop 10 to 20 punishers
“My wife walks in . . . “
“I’m at work and the police come to
arrest me. . .”
 Where and When
Aversive Conditioning
& Covert Sensitization

In the morning
Place that is private, comfortable
Rate their arousal as they do it from 1-10
 “Write a two to three page description of any
other deviant behavior or fantasies not
previously represented.”

 Write a list of at least 10 consequences of your

sexual behavior to your victim.”

 Write a list of at least 10 consequences of your

sexual behavior to your victim and others.”
 “Write a list of at least 10 consequences to
you if you were to reoffend.”

 “Write a list of all the reasons that you

used to make it OK to sexual abuse your
victim.”

(Jensen, 2002, p. 2)
 Combining Techniques
 After arousal is controlled by aversive

 10 repetitions of aversive
 Read 10 different consequences to the victim
 10 repetitions of aversive
 Read 10 different consequences to self
 Time Line
 Takes 8 to 10 weeks to develop clear lists
of faulty cognitions (risky thinking)
 1) Covert Sensitization
 After 2 months make a decision – working
or not?

 If not working, ammonia every other day

and slowly reduce
 1) Covert Sensitization
 If doesn’t work, use maintenance
ammonia – 10 repetitions a month

 If fantasies more than once a month, go

back to aversive
 Behavioral Principles: 2
Aversive conditioning = phobic response

Being around victim ages will desensitize

(Steve Jenson, personal communication 11/30/09)

 Behavioral Principles: 2
Do not permit nonaversive contact with
victim ages

Exit situations with victim ages

Could not be in home with victims

(Steve Jenson, personal communication 11/30/09)

 Behavioral Principles: 2
Nonaversive contact is re-enforcing

Punishment or aversive conditioning

Only works
If consistent

(Steve Jenson, personal communication 11/30/09)

 Behavioral Principle:2
Single arousal or deviant masturbation

Can undo

Months of work

(Steve Jenson, personal communication 11/30/09)

 2) Minimize Contact with
Sources of Arousal
 No going to places where victims
congregate

 Hanging around kids sports, etc.

 Playing with victims

 Living in home if victims there

(Steve Jensen, personal communication, 11/30/09)
3) Dealing with Spontaneous Arousal
 Whenever begins to have inappropriate
sexual thoughts
 Punish within 10 seconds – Ammonia wipes
 Remove from situation
 Before sexual arousal
 Report to support person
Had this encounter
Recognized it
This is how I handled it
 4) Cognitive Restructuring
 Not enough to look at consequences

 Above works for “dumb decision”

 Doesn’t work for deeply held beliefs

 What Does Work
 Deep relaxation (similar to hypnosis) – tapes

 Generate as many faulty cognitions as

possible – may have 50 excuses

 Pick 10 to 20

 Identify why they are faulty

 Write out appropriate responses

 Appropriate Responses
 3 to 6 words

 Faulty Cognition: “Some children really

enjoy sex with older kids.”

 Counter: “It’s hurtful for young kids to

have sex with older kids.”
 4) Cognitive Restructuring
 Add appropriate response to tape
“There are some thoughts I want to
change about myself.”

 Do not record faulty responses

 Every day play tapes – 3 to 4 months

 4) Cognitive Restructuring
Universal Cognitive Distortions

 “I won’t get caught.”

 “It really doesn’t do any harm.”

 Plethysmograph
 Used to monitor change or no change