Voyeuristic Disorder 687
In full remission:  The individual has not acted on the urges with a nonconsenting per-
son, and there has been no distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other ar-
eas of functioning, for at least 5 years while in an uncontrolled environment.
Specifiers
The “in full remission” specifier does not address the continued presence or absence of
voyeurism per se, which may still be present af ter behaviors and dist ress have remitted. 
Diagnostic Features
The diagnostic criteria for voyeuristic disorder can apply both to individuals who more or less
freely disclose this paraphilic interest and to those who categorically deny any sexual arousal
from observing an unsuspecting person who is na ked, disrobing, or engaged in sexual activity
despite substantial objective evidence to the cont rary. If disclosing individuals also report dis-
tress or psychosocial problems because of thei r voyeuristic sexual pref erences, they could be
diagnosed with voyeuristic disorder. On the ot her hand, if they declare no distress, demon-
strated by lack of anxiety, obse ssions, guilt, or shame, about these paraphilic impulses and are
not impaired in other im portant areas of functioning because of this sexual interest, and their
psychiatric or legal histories indicate that they  do not act on it, they could be ascertained as
having voyeuristic sexual interest but should not  be diagnosed with voyeuristic disorder. 
Nondisclosing individuals include, for example, individuals known to have been spy-
ing repeatedly on unsuspecting persons who ar e naked or engaging in sexual activity on
separate occasions but who deny any urges or fantasies concerning such sexual behavior,
and who may report that known episodes of wa tching unsuspecting naked or sexually ac-