NCJ Number
168190
Date Published
1997
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This paper describes the treatment of a patient who engaged in voyeuristic behavior, and implications are drawn for the treatment of those who manifest this behavior.
Abstract
The case presented illustrates the depth of hostility and fear that can belie voyeurism's often benign appearance. This case study highlights some of the practical problems in working therapeutically with a highly disturbed patient once a week and how issues of safety and containment are an essential part of forensic assessment. The patient terminated his treatment prematurely after 1 1/2 years, perhaps because his disturbance had been underestimated; however, in the course of treatment, both therapist and patient reached some understanding of the conflict underlying his fantasies and behavior. There was some evidence from the outset that the patient's wish for treatment had more to do with wanting concrete care than enhanced self- awareness and behavioral change. Also, his tendency to feel persecuted by interpretations of his experiences was not immediately evident. His response to an earlier attempt at focused cognitive-behavioral treatment had been to become morose and noncompliant. Overall, the resources of a forensic mental health service justified an attempt at exploratory treatment in this case. The extent to which the patient's premature termination of treatment might be seen as a therapeutic failure, or whether it might turn out to have been helpful contact, remains an open question. Feedback from the day center, however, did not indicate an escalation of offending by the patient.