Specialized Assessment of Sexual Behavior and Risk
A psychosexual evaluation is a comprehensive, evidence-based assessment that explores an individual’s sexual development, history, preferences, and potential risk factors related to sexual behavior. This evaluation is often used in legal, clinical, and correctional settings to guide treatment, inform legal decisions, or assess risk.
What the Evaluation Covers
The assessment addresses:
- Sexual development and history
- Healthy vs. problematic sexual interests (including paraphilic interests)
- Patterns of sexual adjustment
- Potential risk for inappropriate or illegal sexual behavior
The evaluation includes:
- Review of relevant legal, clinical, and historical records
- A comprehensive clinical interview
- Psychological testing and objective risk assessment tools
- Application of current research and forensic best practices
Duration
The face-to-face portion of the evaluation typically lasts between 2 to 6 hours, depending on the complexity of the case and the referral questions.
What Makes Our Approach Unique
Our office incorporates gold-standard assessment tools to ensure accuracy, reliability, and depth in evaluating sexual interests and behaviors.
The ABEL Assessment
We are one of the few providers who utilize the ABEL Assessment, a highly specialized, non-invasive, computer-based tool used to measure sexual interest. The ABEL takes approximately 2 hours to complete and provides data essential for differentiating between individuals with:
- No sexual interest in minors
- Denied or concealed interest in children
- Sadistic or violent sexual interests vs. opportunistic offending
- Arousal to children or sexually violent material
Additional Measures Administered
We also utilize validated psychological assessments including:
- MMPI-3 (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory – 3rd Edition)
- PAI (Personality Assessment Inventory)
- Other risk and personality measures relevant to the referral concerns
These tools help create a comprehensive psychological profile and assess risk factors that may contribute to sexually problematic behaviors.
Who May Benefit from a Psychosexual Evaluation
Psychosexual evaluations may be requested for:
- Individuals facing sexual misconduct or abuse allegations
- Court-ordered assessments in criminal or family law cases
- Risk assessment for treatment planning or release decisions
- Clarification of diagnosis and treatment needs
- Parole or probation-related evaluations