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Avoiding Common Ethical Missteps in Therapy

This document discusses common ethical missteps in clinical practice and how to avoid them. It notes that most situations that result in licensing board action begin gradually as clinicians act in perceived client interest, not misconduct. Three common risks are working outside one's scope, not documenting suicidality/violence, and privacy breaches, but not unethical billing. Getting pulled into court without training can result in working outside one's scope or improper billing. Assessing suicidality at every session is recommended. Duty to Warn standards can vary by state. Technology issues are challenging due to rapid changes, but the most common problem is with client-initiated online communications. Practitioners cannot respond to public client posts due to

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Iza Abid
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87 views2 pages

Avoiding Common Ethical Missteps in Therapy

This document discusses common ethical missteps in clinical practice and how to avoid them. It notes that most situations that result in licensing board action begin gradually as clinicians act in perceived client interest, not misconduct. Three common risks are working outside one's scope, not documenting suicidality/violence, and privacy breaches, but not unethical billing. Getting pulled into court without training can result in working outside one's scope or improper billing. Assessing suicidality at every session is recommended. Duty to Warn standards can vary by state. Technology issues are challenging due to rapid changes, but the most common problem is with client-initiated online communications. Practitioners cannot respond to public client posts due to

Uploaded by

Iza Abid
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Common Ethical Missteps and How to Avoid Them

1. According to Lindsay Childress-Beatty, JD, PhD, most situations that land clinicians in front of
licensing boards

a. Begin as acts of pre-meditated misconduct


b. Are anchored in clinician self-interest rather than client welfare
c. Start off gradually by clinicians who believe they are acting in their client’s best interests
d. None of the above

2. Three of the most common ethical risks include all of the following EXCEPT

a. Working outside your scope of practice


b. Not documenting suicidality or violence
c. Failing to protect client privacy
d. Unethical billing practice

3. Getting pulled into court cases without forensic training can risk putting psychologists in the position
of

a. Over- or undercharging fees


b. Working outside their scope of practice
c. Charging their clients, rather than the court, for their services
d. Billing insurance for court appearances or consultations, which is not permissible

4. Another example of a practitioner providing services outside of their scope of practice is

a. Describing the principles of CBT


b. Discussing psychoeducational or bibliotherapeutic options with clients
c. Offering medication advice to patients
d. All of the above

5. In the United States, suicide now ranks as the _____ leading cause of death for 10-34-yr olds

a. Second
b. Fifth
c. 10th
d. None of the above

6. A good rule of thumb when it comes to suicidal assessment is

a. “What’s good for the goose is good for the gander”; assess every client, every session
b. “A stitch in time saves nine”; assess it at the very beginning of the first session because it
becomes more difficult and more time intensive with the passing of each session
c. “If it’s not written down, it didn’t happen”; so document everything
d. None of the above
7. When it comes to Duty to Warn, it’s fair to say that

a. There are universal standards


b. It only applies to psychologists if they are primary or sole providers
c. The specific nature of the duty can vary by state
d. The courts have consistently vacated any actions that required psychologists to break
confidentially in the protection of their clients or the welfare of others

8. Technology-related issues concerning privacy are challenging in part because

a. Technology platforms themselves are changing so rapidly


b. Most psychologists do not use technology or electronic communications
c. Clients want to post images of their therapist and therapy on Instagram
d. None of the above

9. The most common area where psychologists can run into problems with technology is when

a. Psychologists records a session on his or her cell phone to send to their client so that they can
watch the session again
b. A patient initiates a communication with their therapist through text or email.
c. A client invites the therapist to partner with them in online gaming
d. The psychologist becomes involved in online gambling or pornography in order to better
understand their client’s addictive behavior

10. According to Dr. Huben-Kearney, “Clients and families have a right to post anything they want about
you, no matter how absurd or ludicrous or false it might be- but practitioners cannot respond due to
patient confidentiality concerns.”

a. True
b. False

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