15 incarcerated child molesters (mean age 43.6 yrs), classified as preferential (PRE) or situational (SIT) type, and familial (F) or nonfamilial (NF), reported causal beliefs concerning their most typical or recent offense-related behavior. Assessment was carried out at 4 points in a 35 wk relapse prevention based treatment program. All Ss made clinically positive changes in their causal ascriptions. Causes of offending were judged by PRE Ss to be less controllable, and more stable at the time of offense, and more global than SIT offenders. Compared with NF Ss, incestuous Ss evaluated the cause of their offending to be less stable at the time of their offence and less global across all the assessment points. Results are discussed in terms of the utility of attributional assessment as an interim measure of progress, particularly with respect to motivation to avoid reoffending. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)