The INSIGHT program: Promoting sexual violence reduction alongside sustainable cognitive change and well-being

Evidence supports the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral programs in reducing sexual recidivism rates among adults with sexual convictions. However, research indicates that treatment outcomes for individuals who have committed sexual offenses against children (ISOCs) are less promising. Considering the literature in this field, the need for specific intervention programs, and the shortcomings of existing proposals, we have developed a new program: the INSIGHT Program. INSIGHT is a multimodal, structured individual program aimed at rehabilitating ISOCs. Three Portuguese prisons and one community service currently implement the program, which consists of 25 weekly sessions. The program uses a cognitive-behavioral approach, gathering inspiration from schema therapy, with the primary objective of modifying dysfunctional core beliefs that underlie deviant behavior.