Deck 3: Values, Ethics, and Legal Obligations

Question 1

All of the following are unethical violations of confidentiality EXCEPT

A) Without the client's consent, you notify the police about a client who has just called your office stating that she is at home with a gun and will kill herself.
B) Without your client's consent, you call your 22-year-old client's mother to gather more information about her childhood history.
C) Without your client's consent, you bring your client's file to a local coffee shop to discuss with your supervisor, who is on sabbatical and unwilling to come to the office.
D) Without your client's consent, you share assessment results with your client's school when the assistant principal called regarding the educational assessment that you recently completed for the client.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Which of the following is a reason why knowledgeable professionals violate ethical standards?

A) They are ignorant or misinformed.
B) They are exploitative, irresponsible, or vengeful.
C) They are insensitive to the needs of their clients.
D) They believe they are doing good work and have good intentions.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Which of the following is an example of stigma?

A) The client does not believe that she has a mental illness.
B) The practitioner is required to file a child abuse report when the client tells the practitioner that her partner burns her child with cigarettes.
C) The client is hesitant to seek counseling for fear that a psychiatric diagnosis may affect his ability to obtain future employment.
D) The client enjoys sharing what he learns in sessions with his family members and friends.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Which of the following is NOT one of the three standards listed in the text that is important for minimizing ethical and legal challenges?

A) Being careful not to leave a "paper trail" through documentation.
B) Good documentation practices
C) Up-to-date practice methods
D) Maintenance of appropriate boundaries

Question 5

Most professionals choose to

A) not share personal values with clients.
B) share personal values with clients.
C) not share professional ethics with clients but share personal values.
D) not share anything with clients.

Question 6

It is essential that your ____ guide your behavior as a practitioner, even when your ____ clash with them.

A) professional ethics; licensing requirements.
B) personal values; professional ethics.
C) professional ethics; personal values.
D) personal values; licensing requirements.

Question 7

Which of the following is NOT one of the elements that must be proven in a malpractice suit?

A) Breach of duty through an act of omission or commission in the professional practice.
B) Client suffered actual damage.
C) The professional's conduct was the direct or proximate cause of the damage.
D) The professional reimbursed the client when the client initially complained about the treatment.

Question 8

To maintain boundaries, the practitioner needs to

A) explain the rules of a professional relationship to the client at the beginning of the relationship.
B) never touch the client.
C) refrain from disclosing personal information, even if it may be beneficial for the client.
D) assume the client is aware of the nature of the professional relationship.

Question 9

Which of the following is an example of a multiple relationship?

A) The client feels that the practitioner is not validating his experiences appropriately, therefore leading to a "dueling" conflict in the relationship.
B) The client is the practitioner's dentist, and their children are on the same swim team.
C) The client is seeing two different practitioners for therapy - one for individual therapy to deal with her anxiety, and one for group therapy to also deal with anxiety.
D) The client has several relationships with different people including his wife, his boss, his children, etc.

Question 10

Which of the following is NOT an ethical violation with regard to assessment?

A) Administering the WAIS-IV, an intelligence test, to determine whether your client has schizophrenia and major depression.
B) Administering, scoring, and interpreting the WAIS-IV at your practicum site with no training besides reading an extensive summary of its purpose in your textbook in one of your courses.
C) Giving photocopies of the test protocols, including questions, correct responses, raw scores, and standard scores to the client as part of the comprehensive interpretive report.
D) After informing the client that you are supervised by a licensed practitioner, you break confidentiality by sharing testing data, including raw scores and standard scores with your supervisor during your weekly supervision session.

Question 11

You are working with a client who has an alcohol abuse problem. Which of the following is NOT a good example of a way to enhance your competence as a professional in this case?

A) engaging in binge drinking to understand your client's experience.
B) attending a workshop on substance abuse.
C) seeking supervision from an experienced substance abuse counselor.
D) doing a literature search on effective treatments for substance abuse and reading the most recent articles.

Question 12

Your friend, who is dealing with depression, calls you and tells you that his therapist is suggesting cognitive-behavioral therapy CBT). You mention that you have read about CBT in class, and that it is an empirically-validated treatment. Your friend then asks if you would be willing to conduct phone therapy with him, and he would be willing to pay you to be his therapist. He feels that, because you have known him for a long time, you will be better able to understand his situation than his new therapist. Which of the following is NOT one of the ethical concerns evident in this situation?

A) Practicing without a license or without adequate supervision from a licensed practitioner.
B) Entering a dual relationship.
C) Using a treatment that has not specifically been validated for depression.
D) Practicing outside your scope of competence.

Question 13

Your friend calls you and tells you that his therapist is suggesting cognitive-behavioral therapy CBT). You mention that you have been learning CBT at your practicum, and that it is an empirically-validated therapy. Your friend then asks if you would be willing to conduct phone therapy with him, and he would be willing to pay you to be his therapist. He feels that, because you have known him for a long time, you will be better able to understand his situation than his new therapist. What would be an appropriate response?

A) I would, but I'm not licensed yet. Ask me again after I become licensed.
B) Sure! My hourly rate is $35.
C) It's actually against my code of ethics to enter into professional relationships with friends. I think you should work with your current therapist, and I would be happy to support you as a friend.
D) I'd be happy to do therapy with you, but I won't accept payment since you are my friend.

Question 14

Licensure as a practitioner may be affected by all of the following EXCEPT if

A) you have not completed your continuing education credits in the past 3 years.
B) you are charged with assault.
C) you are given a parking ticket.
D) you have a romantic relationship with a client.

Question 15

Commonalities among all the ethical codes in the various helping disciplines include all of the following EXCEPT

A) assessment.
B) informed consent.
C) confidentiality.
D) payment.

Question 16

Which of the following is NOT considered a multiple relationship?

A) You and your client are members of the same small, local church.
B) You and your client live in the same city.
C) Your client is your dentist.
D) Your client is a co-worker of your spouse.

Question 17

With regards to your profession, your personal values affect all of the following EXCEPT

A) the types of interventions you choose for your clients.
B) licensing requirements.
C) the population on which you concentrate.
D) how you handle therapeutic power.

Question 18

Which of the following self-disclosure statements is appropriate?

A) Telling the client that you know exactly how she feels!
B) Telling a client about what you did to grieve the loss of a loved one and suggesting that he tries the same thing.
C) Telling a client who is going through a difficult divorce about your own recent divorce, how your ex-spouse "sued you for all you're worth", and how much you hate your partner's guts.
D) Telling a client that you are of the same faith after ascertaining that the reason he is asking is that he only feels safe speaking to those who understand his faith and faith-related terminology.

Question 19

_____ includes full disclosure of the purposes, goals, techniques, rules of procedure for assessment and counseling approaches used, in language that is understandable to the client.

A) Professional liability
B) Informed consent
C) Malpractice
D) Assessment

Question 20

Cultural competence is

A) knowing about the various cultures and cultural activities that define different people groups.
B) the application of cultural knowledge to the standards, practices, policies, and attitudes in the helping process.
C) diversification of your treatment team and working with other professionals from various cultures and ethnicities.
D) only achieved through travels to countries other than your own where you can experience different cultures firsthand.

Question 21

You have just started as a practicum student and have been assigned your first client. When you enter the therapy room, you realize that this client is the sister of your current roommate, and she is in therapy to discuss her horrible relationship with her sister your roommate). What potential ethical violations/boundary issues are present, and what strategies would you apply to resolve this ethical conflict?

Question 22

The two principles that guide decision-making in ethical dilemmas are

A) beneficence and non-malfeasance.
B) benevolence and non-maleficence.
C) beneficence and malevolence.
D) benevolence and malevolence.

Question 23

One of your clients is a 19-year-old, homeless, recovering heroin addict who is seeing you for her substance abuse problems. She has also been assessed to have mild mental retardation, making her vulnerable to exploitation. In the past, she has prostituted herself for drugs or money. On several occasions, she has come to sessions unkempt; with black eyes, bruises, and cuts on her face; and high in a drug-induced psychosis). You have learned of a bed available in a secure locked) substance rehabilitation center. Due to her inability to maintain her own safety, you have the option to involuntarily admit your client to the center, but your client does not want to be "locked up" and would rather remain where she is while continuing to work with you. Use the ETHIC Model to resolve this ethical dilemma, and discuss and decide what you would do in this situation.

Question 24

Relationship rules involve protecting confidentiality, ensuring that the needs of the client take precedence over those of the practitioner, and clarifying assumptions that the client may have about any interactions outside of the professional one.

Question 25

With regards to ethical codes, practitioners are responsible for all of the following EXCEPT

A) knowing how to identify and advocate for adequate resources.
B) identifying relevant standards to help guide their actions.
C) recognizing ethical issues.
D) only following agency rules if there is a conflict between those rules and the ethical code.

Question 26

Your client is considering having an abortion, but you have firm beliefs in the value of an unborn life. How might you manage personal values in a way that allows professional values to guide practice? Discuss what you would do in this situation.

Question 27

What are some concerns regarding accepting gifts from clients?

Question 28

When personal and professional values conflict, _____ should be used in decision-making.

A) sometimes personal values and sometimes professional values
B) personal values
C) professional values
D) cultural values

Question 29

There is an imbalance of power or authority in the practitioner-client relationship, with the client wielding more power.

Question 30

Your 14-year-old client tells you in session that she sneaks out of the house at night to go hang out with her friends about 3 times a week. Upon further questioning, she reveals that "hanging out" involves going to her boyfriend's house, having unprotected sex and drinking several shots of hard liquor. She has asked you not to tell her mom. After the session, her mother, who pays for the sessions and is your client's legal guardian i.e., mother signed the consent forms), comes to pick her up and asks you for an update. What are some of the legal and ethical issues involved in this situation? What would you do in this situation?