Frotteuristic Disorder 693
10%–14% of adult males seen in outpatient se ttings for paraphilic disorders and hypersex-
uality have a presentation that meets diagnost ic criteria for frotteuristic disorder. Hence,
whereas the population prev alence of frotteuristic disorder  is unknown, it is not likely that
it exceeds the rate found in selected clinical settings. 
Development and Course
Adult males with frotteuristic disorder often re port first becoming aware of their sexual in-
terest in surreptitiously touching unsuspecting persons during late adolescence or emerging
adulthood. However, children and adolescents may also touch or rub against unwilling oth-
ers in the absence of a diagnosis of frotteuris tic disorder. Although th ere is no minimum age
for the diagnosis, frotteuristic disorder can be difficult to di fferentiate from conduct-disor-
dered behavior without sexual motivation in individuals at younger ages. The persistence of
frotteurism over time is unclear. Frotteuristic disorder, however, by de finition requires one
or more contributing factors that may change over time with or without treatment: subjec-
tive distress (e.g., guilt, shame,  intense sexual frustration, loneliness); psychiatric morbidity;
hypersexuality and sexual impulsivity; psycho social impairment; and/ or the propensity to
act out sexually by touching or  rubbing against unconsenting persons. Therefore, the course
of frotteuristic disorder is like ly to vary with age. As with other sexual preferences, advanc-
ing age may be associated with decreasing fr otteuristic sexual preferences and behavior. 
Risk and Prognostic Factors
Temperamental. Nonsexual antisocial behavior and sexual preoccupation/hypersexuality