Competitive Disorder: A Case Study Summary

Previous case studies demonstrate the effectiveness of medication for treating frotteuristic disorder. In addition, medication may be used with other treatment options like orgasmic reconditioning and behavioral therapy, which has also been useful in certain cases (Bhatia et al., 2010: Kalra, 2013). Just as other areas of research are lacking for frotteuristic disorder, treatment options are also limited to either psychoanalytic or cognitive-behavioral approaches. Guterman, Martin, and Rudes (2011) also highlight the psychoanalytic approach, specifically problem-focused therapy, for treating frotteuristic behaviors and offer an effective alternative called, solution-focused therapy. “Solution-focused therapy is a strength-based model that

Adapting the treatment to focus on his social anxiety is helpful in minimizing frotteurism because this may be the root of his behaviors. As David continued to progress through therapy, leading to the assignment of initiating two to five minute conversations with his female classmates. After two months David was able to hold conversations with both male and female classmates. Additionally, the therapist utilized three more months to help David abolish his frotteuristic behaviors. Concluding the therapy David identified appropriate ways to communicate with women outside of school, leading him to dating, and even to a steady girlfriend for a while. Following-up a year later, David’s relationship had ended, but he was not engaging in frotteurism or reporting any feelings of shyness (Guterman et al.,

Specifically, the authors identify three kinds of clients: the customer, the complainant, and the visitor. The customer is the ideal client, similar to David, this type of client plays an active role in the problem and the solution. Next, the complainant who is someone who does not believe they need to change, in this the therapist should aid the client in gathering a new perspective. Thirdly, the visitor is one who cannot reach a consensus on the problem or the goal. To adapt to these clients, therapists should focus on a different problem and demonstrate treatment results, in hopes of enhancing compliance in the sessions. Considering the flexibility of solution-focused therapy, all three distinct types of client’s needs can be adapted too (Guterman, 2011). As previous case studies indicate the effectiveness of medication over formal therapy, solution-focused therapy is seemingly an effective alternative for treating frotteuristic disorder because it combines unique approaches and a comforting therapeutic environment to identify individualized coping mechanisms. However, the clinical validity has not been fully established. Future research should utilize randomized controlled studies to “compare the effectiveness between the prevailing treatment approaches and solution-focused therapy for frotteurism,”