ULOGA RACIONALNOG I ISKUSTVENOG SUSTAVA PRI DONOŠENJU ODLUKE STUDENATA O SPREMNOSTI ZA RAD S POČINITELJIMA SEKSUALNIH KAZNENIH DJELA

Working with sex offenders is an extremely challenging and demanding task, and young helping professionals are reluctant to direct their professional development to this population. According to cognitive-experiential theory, people make decisions based on rational and experiential systems. Because previous research has generally neglected the role of the experiential system in working with sex offenders and cognitive-experiential theory has not been tested in the context of decisions of this nature, the purpose of this study was to examine significant predictors of the willingness of students in helping professions to work with sex offenders. The study was conducted online with a sample of 193 university students (psychology, social work and social pedagogy). Participants completed the Willingness to Work with Sex Offenders Scale, the Rational and Intuitive Decision Style Scale, the Perceived Competence to Work with Sex Offenders Scale, and the Perceptions of Sex Offenders Scale. Participants were also asked to rate the intensity of emotions they experience when they think about sex offenders. The results showed that both rational and experiential systems contribute to willingness to work with sex offenders. A higher perception of one’s own competence and a lower level of unpleasant emotions related to sex offenders contribute to a higher willingness to work with sex offenders. The results confirm the importance of both the rational and the experiential system for the professional decisions of future professionals. Key words: decision making, rational system, experiential system, sex offenders, students.