Grooming Behaviors in Adult Sex Offenders: Safety, Prevention, and Recovery
Credit Available - See CEs/Contact Hours tab below.
Total Credits: 2.75 NYSED LMSW & LCSW CEs/Contact Hours, 2.75 NYSED LMHC CEs/Contact Hours, 2.75 NYSED LMFT CEs/Contact Hours, 2.75 NYSED LCAT CEs/Contact Hours, 2.75 NYSED PSY CEs/Contact Hours, 2.75 UBSW - NYS OASAS
- Average Rating:
- 74
- Categories:
- Families and Couples | NYS OMH EBP Members
- Trainer:
- Doyle K. Pruitt, PhD, LCSW-R
- Course Levels:
- Beginning and Intermediate
- Duration:
- 2 Hours 22 Minutes
- Format:
- Audio and Video
- Original Recording Date:
- Sep 21, 2021
Description
Recorded webinar.
In understanding and addressing the grooming behaviors of adult sex offenders, professionals can work toward preventing future harm. This workshop provides the participant with an understanding of grooming behaviors by adult sex offenders as grounded in the empirical literature. To begin, the harmful impact grooming has on individuals (victim, family members of them and the offender), family systems, and communities will be discussed. From there, we will undergo an in-depth exploration into the methods sex offenders use to groom child victim’s, their family, and the environments the victim and offender are embedded within. Combined with a comprehensive review of the stages of grooming, participants will walk away with the knowledge necessary to recognize grooming behaviors when working with either a potential child victim or adult and skills to intervene across professional roles.
Learning Objectives:
- Describe the impact grooming has on individuals, family systems, and communities.
- Identify the types of grooming behaviors utilized by adult sex offenders.
- Recognize the various stages of grooming by adult sex offenders.
- Formulate effective intervention strategies to address grooming behaviors by adult sex offenders in a variety of professional roles.
Research: Research information about this program can be found on the following websites:
- Wolf, M. R., Linn, B. K., & Pruitt, D. K. (2018). Grooming child victims into sexual abuse: a psychometric analysis of survivors’ experiences. Journal of sexual aggression, 24(2), 215-224.
- Wolf, M. R., & Pruitt, D. K. (2019). Grooming hurts too: the effects of types of perpetrator grooming on trauma symptoms in adult survivors of child sexual abuse. Journal of child sexual abuse, 28(3), 345-359.
- Winters, G.M., & Jeglic, E.L. (2017). Stages of sexual grooming: Recognizing predatory behaviors of child molesters. Deviant Behavior, 38(6), 724-733.
- McAlinden, A.M. (2012). Grooming and the sexual abuse of children: Institutional, internet, and familial dimensions. Oxford University Press.
- Episode 132 - Dr. Doyle Pruitt: Understanding and Responding to Youth Who Engage in Sexual Harm. (2013, November 25). inSocialWork Podcast Series. [Audio Podcast] Retrieved from http://www.socialwork.buffalo.edu/podcast/episode.asp?ep=132
Target Audience: social workers, mental health practitioners, creative arts therapists, marriage and facility therapists, psychologists, addiction professionals, case managers, and other interested individuals.
Customer ServiceWe are happy to respond to any concerns or questions you may have. Please contact us at by email at sw-ce@buffalo.edu or by phone at 716-829-5841.
ADA Accommodations: If you require any support for your ADA needs in the United States, please contact us by email at least 3 weeks prior to the event by email at sw-ce@buffalo.edu or by phone at 716-829-5841.
CEs/Contact Hours
University at Buffalo School of Social Work, Office of Continuing Education is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0001. Continuing education contact hours: 2.75 Self Study
University at Buffalo School of Social Work, Office of Continuing Education is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors #MHC-0008. Continuing education contact hours: 2.75 Self Study
University at Buffalo School of Social Work, Office of Continuing Education is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0007. Continuing education contact hours: 2.75 Self Study
University at Buffalo School of Social Work, Office of Continuing Education is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed creative arts therapists #CAT-0003. Continuing education contact hours: 2.75 Self Study
University at Buffalo School of Social Work, Office of Continuing Education is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0062. Continuing education contact hours: 2.75 Self Study
NYS OASAS Provider #0045: 2.75 hours for CPP & CPS Initial Hours, Section 1; CASAC, CPP & CPS Renewal.
Handouts
Agenda (0.07 MB) | Download |
Grooming Behaviors Powerpoint 2 per page (1.34 MB) | Available after Purchase |
Grooming Behaviors Powerpoint 3 per page (0.82 MB) | Available after Purchase |
Grooming Behaviors References (0.12 MB) | Available after Purchase |
Participation Code & Evaluation Instructions (0.13 MB) | Available after Purchase |
Trainer

Doyle K. Pruitt, PhD, LCSW-R Related Seminars and Products
Dr. Pruitt is a psychotherapist in private practice with 19years of experience. Her clinical practice has included a specialized focus on children, youth, and families; interpersonal trauma; and juvenile delinquency in both community based and residential settings. Dr. Pruitt serves as a forensic evaluator and expert witness for victims and perpetrators of sexual abuse, consultant on trauma informed care and intervention practices to child welfare organizations and adult treatment facilities, and clinical supervisor to graduate level practitioners and students. Dr. Pruitt’s research focuses on the grooming behaviors of adult sex offenders, differential impact trauma has on individuals, and various interventions intended to address this. She has presented at state, national, and international conferences, and has authored peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters related to trauma and sexual aggression.
Completion Requirements
No partial credit is given for partial attendance.
Self-Study Completion Requirements
In order to receive a certificate of completion for this course participants must complete the following.
Please note all requirements can be found in your UBCE21 portal
- Watch the video(s) in it's entirety.
- After the training, take and pass the quiz with a score of 80% or higher. Participants have three chances to pass the quiz. You can access the quiz by clicking on the "Evaluation and Certificate" button for this course.
- After the training, complete the evaluation by clicking on the "Evaluation and Certificate" button for this course.
- The certificate of completion will be immediately generated in your account upon verification of completion of all course requirements listed above. Certificates may be downloaded, printed, or left in your account.
Self-Study Course Access
Upon successful registration of the course, including receipt of payment, you will be able to access the course materials.
How do I test my system / access the online training?
To access the program, please log into your account. Click on the Launch Viewer button next to your program title.
How do I access the course materials
To download course materials, log into your account. Under the seminar name click on the Handouts button.
Cancellation and Refund Policy
Cancellation Policy:
Live (In-Person, Online, and Hybrid) Trainings
The cancellation and refund policy below applies to individual courses. If you purchased multiple courses at one time they may be subject to individual processing fees. Participants can make payment or refund inquiries by contacting the Office of Continuing Education by phone 716-829-5844 or by email at sw-ce@buffalo.edu. Standard business hours for the Office of Continuing Education are Monday – Friday 9:00am to 4:30pm. Any requests made outside of these days and times will default to the next business day.
Up to 3 CEs/Contact Hours
- Up to 30 days prior to the training date refund will be issued in the form of (1) a gift card in the full payment amount OR (2) a refund to the original method of payment minus a $25 processing fee
- 29 days to 2 days prior to the training date refund will be issued in the form of (1) a gift card minus a $15 processing fee OR (2) a refund to the original method of payment minus a $25 processing fee
- 24 hours or less prior to the training no gift cards or refunds will be issued
3.25 - 5.75 CEs/Contact Hours
- Up to 30 days prior to the training date refund will be issued in the form of (1) a gift card in the full payment amount OR (2) a refund to the original method of payment minus a $25 processing fee
- 29 days to 2 days prior to the training date refunds will be issued in the form of (1) a gift card minus a $25 processing fee OR (2) a refund of 50% to original method of payment
- 24 hours or less prior to the training no gift cards or refunds will be issued
6-11.75 CEs/Contact Hours
- Up to 30 days prior to the training date refund will be issued in the form of (1) a gift card in the full payment amount OR (2) a refund to the original method of payment minus a $50 processing fee
- 29 days to 2 days prior to the training date refunds will be issued in the form of (1) a gift card minus a $50 processing fee OR (2) a refund of 50% to original method of payment
- 24 hours or less prior to the training no gift cards or refunds will be issued
12 or more CEs/Contact Hours
- Up to 60 days prior to the training date refund will be issued in the form of (1) a gift card in the full payment amount OR (2) a refund to the original method of payment minus a $50 processing fee
- 59 to 6 days prior to the training date refund will be issued in the form of (1) a gift card minus a $50 processing fee OR (2) a refund of 50% to original method of payment
- 5 days or less prior to the training No gift cards or refunds will be issued
- Visit ubswce.ce21.com and refer to the "CEs/Contact Hours" tab on the respective training page to confirm the number of approved CEs/Contact Hours. There may be instances where a special workshop has additional cancellation rules that will be stated in the workshop description.
Online Self-Study Training
- Participants have up to 72 hours from purchase to contact the Office of Continuing Education by phone or email and request a refund for an online course.
Gift Cards
Gift cards can be used as payment toward future trainings. Gift cards never expire.
Loyalty Reward Points
- Participants who request a refund will forfeit any Loyalty Reward Points they may have received from that purchase.
- Participants who request a refund on a purchase paid for with Loyalty Reward Points will have those rewards credited back to their account within 5 business days of the refund being processed.
Substitute Attendance
If a registered participant is unable to attend a training and would like another individual to attend in their place the Office of Continuing Education must be called or emailed at least one full business day before the training. Substitution decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis.
Check Refund
Any refund requests for a check payment may take up to 4 weeks to process.
UB Cancelled Trainings
- If the Office of Continuing Education cancels a training, participants will be notified via email and refunds will be paid in full.
- Please be aware that if the University at Buffalo is closed trainings and workshops may still be taking place.
- Please contact the Office of Continuing Education at sw-ce@buffalo.edu or 716-829-5841 if you have any questions or concerns regarding whether or not a training is still being held.
Additional questions and support?
Please email sw-ce@buffalo.edu or call 716-829-5841.
Self-Study Equipment Requirements
Required Hardware
- A computer (desktop/laptop) or mobile device (smartphone/tablet).
- Speakers/headphones/earbuds
Internet Connection
- A stable Internet connection of 56K or greater is required. (However, please note that a 56K connection may degrade the quality of your experience.)
Any questions about these requirements or other technical questions can be directed to sw-ce@buffalo.edu.