ARTICLE REVIEW 1
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"ASolution-Focused Approach to Frotteurism" is a journal articlethat proposes a clinical model or approach to frotteurism. Accordingto Guterman, Martin and Rudes (2011), frotteurismisan atypical disorder characterized by recurrent and intense sexualbehavior, a strong urge or fantasy that results to unwelcometouching, groping or rubbing against an unwilling client that resultsin distress and interpersonal difficulty for the individual. It ispredominantly common in males, especially after adolescence. Peoplesuffering from this condition usually pick out unsuspecting targets,mostly females in crowded areas and rub their body parts againstthem. In many jurisdictions, this act is considered a sexual offenseand crime. It is neither reported, prosecuted nor treated, due tolack of research on the topic. Frotteurism has been found to becomorbid with other mental conditions such as paraphilia and anxiety.The behavior is especially widespread in Japan, and as a result,women-only transport vehicles have been introduced. Various theoriesand treatments have come up and been developed for this condition.The most common treatment approaches are psychoanalytic andcognitive- behavioral. The psychoanalytic approach aims at assistingclients to recall how experiences and other factors affected theirsexual behaviors. The cognitive-behavioral approach focuses oncontrolling dysfunctional feelings and behaviors. In solution-focusedtherapy, every problem is understood to have an exception. A solutionis arrived to at by identifying these exceptions and applying them tothe problem. The case study of David illustrates the five stages ofdealing with frotteurism. The first stage is reconstructing theproblem and negotiating an attainable goal. The therapist togetherwith the client define the problem and an appropriate goal that fitsinto the client`s perspective. The second stage involves theidentification and amplification of the exceptions. Throughpresuppositional questions, the therapist helps the client toidentify exceptions. This step is significant in helping to createexpectancy for change. Amplifying the exceptions helps the client inthe identification of the differences between the times they had theproblem and when they did not. Assigning of tasks is the third stage.This is aimed at expounding and developing the problem, the goal, andthe exceptions that have been identified in the preceding stages.Researchers have identified a decision tree that is useful to aclient by delivering on tasks that are solution focused and are basedon the limit to which a client can detect and amplify theirexceptions, define the problem and set goals. The fourth stage ischaracterized by the evaluation of the effectiveness and reliabilityof the assigned tasks. During this stage, the therapist ensures thatthe clients are capable of identifying and amplifying the exceptionsthat have been derived from the previously assigned tasks. Finally,the last stage is the re-evaluation stage. This is the stage wheretreatment is either continued or terminated. The concluding remarkssuggest that this solution-focused therapy provides an efficientapproach to dealing with people suffering from frotteurism.
Thisarticle on frotteurism is related to the subject of human sexualitycovered in the text in that it addresses the issues that affect andshape human sexuality, especially among male adolescents. Guterman,Martin, & Rudes (2011) state that frotteurism is mostlycharacteristic of the male sex and it first develops duringadolescence. Human sexuality in most cases is usually characterizedby males engaging in various sex offenses against women as is thecase with frotteurism. Most victims of this condition areunsuspecting females in crowded areas such as transport vehicles,shopping malls, subways and elevators (Guterman, Martin, & Rudes,2011). In most jurisdictions, human sexuality is defined according tothe generally accepted aspects and those that are regarded asoffenses. In most jurisdictions, this aspect of frotteurism as anaspect of human sexuality is considered to be a crime liable toprosecution if found guilty (Guterman, Martin, & Rudes, 2011).Just like human sexuality in general, Guterman, Martin, & Rudes(2011) acknowledge that frotteurism is a least understood concept dueto lack of research, prosecution or treatment for this conditionproving there is a research gap. Most victims fail to report anyincidences while those suffering from this condition do not seektreatment. There is a lack of research on solution-focusedapplications to the human sexuality aspect of sexual disorders likefrotteurism (Guterman, Martin, & Rudes, 2011).
Afterreviewing this article, my reaction was to agree with much of thefindings of this research. I support the fact that frotteurism isrampant in the contemporary world and yet, it is a relatively lessunderstood concept. There is a need to conduct more research on thistopic to either confirm or disapprove the various theories that havebeen discussed in this article ranging from definition to thetreatment approaches. I realized that those who suffer from thiscondition should be given special treatment because just as thisarticle states, they are suffering from other mental andpsychological conditions that are comorbid with frotteurism.
David`s,case study, however, showed me that this condition is manageable andpatients can receive treatment from professional therapists andimprove their mental conditions. Improved mental conditions willgreatly assist the patients to deal with their problem in acontrolled and self-aware manner. The stages of the solution-focusedtherapy, through further research, can be fine-tuned to improve theoutcome of this therapy based treatment procedures for frotteurism.
References
Guterman,J.T., Martin, C.V., Rudes, J. (2011). ASolution-Focused Approach to Frotteurism