Illinois Administrative Code › Title 20 - CORRECTIONS, CRIMINAL JUSTICE, AND LAW ENFORCEMENT › Part 1905 › Subpart C - APPROVAL AND REMOVAL PROCEDURES › Section 1905.150 - Psychophysiological Tools

Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 28, July 12, 2024
Treatment providers and evaluators shall recognize that the
				  usage of psychophysiological tools may be utilized in the assessment of
				  offenders in relation to treatment progress, compliance with supervision, and
				  support effective risk management and risk reduction. The following will detail
				  each type of psychophysiological tool.
a) Phallometry
1) Phallometry is a specialized form of
				assessment used in treatment with individuals who have committed sexual
				offenses. Responsible use of phallometry results requires at least a
				rudimentary understanding of how phallometry works and its advantages and
				limitations. As with any instrument or procedure, treatment providers are
				familiar with current literature and obtain appropriate training before using
				or interpreting phallometric testing results. Examiners receive training in
				phallometric testing in order to become knowledgeable about the technical
				aspects of the equipment and the appropriate protocols for conducting
				phallometric testing specific to the equipment being used. Examiners are also
				familiar with the research evidence on the reliability and validity of
				phallometric testing.
2)
				Phallometric testing using penile plethysmography involves measuring changes in
				penile circumference or volume in response to sexual and nonsexual stimuli.
				Circumferential measures (measuring changes in penile circumference) are much
				more common than volumetric measures (measuring changes in penile volume),
				which are used in only a few laboratories worldwide. However, there is good
				agreement between circumferential and volumetric measures once a minimal
				circumference response threshold is reached. Therefore, circumferential
				measures are the focus of this subsection (a).
3) Phallometric testing provides objective
				information about male sexual arousal and is therefore useful for identifying
				deviant sexual interests during an evaluation, increasing client disclosure,
				and measuring changes in sexual arousal patterns over the course of
				treatment.
4) Phallometric test
				results are not used as the sole criterion for determining deviant sexual
				interests, estimating risk for engaging in sexually abusive behavior,
				recommending that clients be released to the community, or deciding that
				clients have completed treatment programs. Phallometric test results are
				interpreted in conjunction with other relevant information (for example, the
				individual's offending behavior, use of fantasy and pattern of masturbation) to
				determine risk and treatment needs. Phallometric test results are not to be
				used to draw conclusions about whether an individual has committed a specific
				sexual crime. As well, there are limited data available regarding the use of
				plethysmography with clients who have developmental disabilities and clients
				with an acute major mental illness. Therefore, treatment providers need to
				exercise caution in using phallometry with these populations and in
				interpreting and reporting phallometric results.
5) Prior to testing, examiners screen clients
				for potentially confounding factors such as medical conditions, prescription
				and illegal drug use, recent sexual activity, and sexual dysfunction. Clients
				with active, communicable diseases, particularly sexually transmittable
				diseases, are not to be tested until their symptoms are in remission.
6) Specific informed consent for the testing
				procedure and release forms for reporting test results are obtained at the
				beginning of the initial appointment. Laboratories have a standard protocol for
				fitting gauges, presenting stimuli, recording data and scoring.
7) Examiners use the appropriate stimulus set
				to assess sexual interests that are the subject of clinical concern. For
				example, examiners use a stimulus set with depictions of children and adults to
				test clients who have child victims or who are suspected of having a sexual
				interest in children. At a minimum, examiners have at least two examples of
				each stimulus category. Stimuli that are more explicit appear to produce better
				discrimination between individuals who sexually offend and control subjects
				than less explicit stimuli. It is important to ensure that the stimuli are good
				quality and avoid any distracting elements.
8) Treatment providers are aware of the
				applicable legislation in their jurisdiction regarding the possession of
				sexually explicit materials. If permitted to use visual stimuli for testing of
				sexual interest in children, examiners use a set of pictures depicting males
				and females at different stages of physical development, ranging from very
				young, prepubertal children to physically mature adults. The use of neutral
				stimuli, such as pictures of landscapes without people present, may increase
				the validity of the assessment. The inclusion of the neutral stimuli serves as
				a validity check because responses to sexual stimuli that are lower than
				responses to neutral stimuli might indicate faking attempts. Faking tactics
				include looking away from or not listening to stimuli. Audiotaped stimuli may
				also be used to assess sexual interest in children; if used, these stimuli
				clearly specify the age and sex of the depicted individuals.
9) For testing of sexual arousal to
				nonconsenting sex and violence, examiners using audiotapes include stimuli
				describing consenting sex, rape and sadistic violence. Stimuli depicting
				neutral, nonsexual interactions are also included. Stimuli can depict males or
				females, children or adults.
10)
				The phallometric testing report includes a description of the method used for
				collecting data, the types of stimuli used, an account of the client's
				cooperation and behavior during the testing, and a summary and description of
				the client's profile of responses. Client efforts to fake or other potential
				problems with the validity of the data or the interpretation of results are
				also reported.
11) The three most
				common means of scoring plethysmograph data are standardized scores, percentage
				of full erection, and millimeter of circumference change. Those using
				phallometric assessment are aware of the advantages and disadvantages of each
				scoring method. Research has found that standardized scores (e.g., z scores)
				increase discrimination between groups. Transforming raw scores to standardized
				scores for subjects who show little discrimination between stimuli can,
				however, magnify the size of small differences between stimuli. Raw scores,
				millimeter of circumference change, or scores converted to percentage of full
				erection may be clinically useful in the interpretation of results.
12) Deviance indices can be calculated by
				subtracting the mean peak response to nondeviant stimuli from the mean peak
				response to deviant stimuli. For example, a pedophilic index could be
				calculated by subtracting the mean peak response to stimuli depicting adults
				from the mean peak response to stimuli depicting prepubescent children. Thus,
				greater scores indicate greater sexual arousal to child stimuli.
13) Because the sensitivity of phallometric
				testing is lower than its specificity, the presence of deviant sexual arousal
				is more informative than its absence. Results indicating no deviant sexual
				arousal may be a correct assessment or may indicate that a client's deviant
				sexual interests were not detected during testing.
14) Research indicates that initial
				phallometric assessment results are linked with recidivism. Repeated
				assessments can be helpful to monitor treatment progress and to provide
				information for risk management purposes.