The evaluation of olfactory aversion for a bisexual pedophile with a single-case multiple baseline design

Although a number of studies have examined the effects of olfactory aversion, the results have been donfounded with other treatments. The present expriment attempted to assess the unique effects of this treatment technique in the reduction of deviant sexual arousal using a single-case multiple baseline design. The subject was a young male having a history of sexual aggression against both male and female children. Assessment, using measures of penile tumescence, indicated high levels of sexual arousal to sexual and nonsexual violence with children of both sexes. When treatment was directed toward arousal to male children, penile responses to this stimulus category quickly decreased to below 20% of a full erection; arousal to female children remained at almost maximal levels until directly targeted in treatment. The results at posttreatment assessment indicated that olfactory aversion was effective in reducing deviant sexual arousal; these effects were maintained at one-year follow-up. The findings are discussed in terms of their experimental and clinical implications.