THE USE OF DEPO-PROVERA IN THE TREATMENT OF CHILD MOLESTERS AND SEXUALLY COMPULSIVE MALES.

Depo-Provera is an anti-androgen medication that has been approved by the FDA for use as an injectable contraceptive for women. It has also been used in the treatment of sex offenders. Exactly how this anti-androgen works is not completely known. This paper presents three clinical case studies in which Depo-Provera was an adjunct to the treatment of adult males with sexual behavior problems. A survey of 17 patients currently using DepoProvera in their treatment is outlined. A psychopharmacological explanation of the action of anti-androgens is followed by a study of some of the possible side effects on 61 patients using DepoProvera over a nine-month period. This paper suggests that side effects can be monitored and controlled during treatment, allowing a patient to gain from the benefits of an anti-androgen medication a "sexual vacation" from obsessions and dangerous behaviors during which significant cognitive-behavioral gains can be made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]