A qualitative exploration of changes in family relationships throughout the course of juvenile sex offender treatment

This phenomenological qualitative study will examine how parental relationships with male juvenile sex offenders change throughout the course of juvenile sex offender treatment. The study will recruit participants through a non-profit agency that provides treatment services to juvenile sex offenders and their families. All research participants will be male juvenile sex offenders between the ages of 10 and 18 years currently involved in individual, group, family or a combination of the three, sex offender treatment. Participants will engage in a semistructured interview that will identify recurring minor and major themes. Results of this study will provide knowledge to providers of juvenile sex offender treatment. Therapists will be given a sense of what aspects of the parent and juvenile relationships have changed since being involved in sex offender therapy. This is important information to have, because it provides the therapist with insight as to where the focus of treatment should be for the juvenile sex offender and his family.