Question 1

The APA's guidelines on working with racial/ethnic minorities include which issue?

Accepted Answer

The APA guidelines emphasize the importance of respecting and considering traditional healing approaches intrinsic to a client's culture, recognizing the value of cultural practices in the therapeutic process.

Question 2

Lillian is considering going to a psychotherapist but has a fear that a male therapist might engage in sexual behavior with her. Then she reads the ethical principles of the national psychiatry, psychology, and social work organizations and finds that ___.

Accepted Answer

All professional organizations, including those in psychiatry, psychology, and social work, explicitly condemn and prohibit sexual behavior between a therapist and a client as a violation of ethical standards.

Question 3

A student asks her professor whether the American Psychological Association (APA) has ever taken a stand on the ethics of being culturally competent. The professor responds that the APA ____.

Accepted Answer

The American Psychological Association (APA) has indeed developed sets of guidelines for dealing with ethnic, linguistic, and culturally diverse populations, as well as for psychotherapy with lesbian, gay, and bisexual clients. These efforts reflect the organization's commitment to cultural competence and inclusivity in psychological practice.

Question 4

Which of the following is a primary legal, moral, or ethical issue affecting the therapist-client relationship?

Accepted Answer

Therapists have a primary legal and ethical obligation to avoid sexual intimacies with clients, as it can exploit the client's vulnerability and harm the therapeutic relationship.

Question 5

Mr. P. told his therapist that he intends to shoot his ex-wife's new husband, and the therapist kept this information confidential. Lawyers are now suing the therapist because Mr. P. did shoot the new husband, as well as his ex-wife. What legal precedents will the plaintiff's attorneys probably use in the case?

Accepted Answer

Tarasoff v. Regents of the University of California established the duty of mental health professionals to warn individuals who are being threatened with bodily harm by a patient. This case is relevant because the therapist was informed of a credible threat and did not take action to warn the intended victim.

Question 6

What is a cultural competency goal for mental health professionals identified by Sue and Sue (2008)?

Accepted Answer

Sue and Sue (2008) emphasize the importance of developing intervention strategies that are sensitive to the diverse backgrounds of clients, including their social, cultural, historical, and environmental contexts. This approach is crucial for effective and culturally competent mental health care.

Question 7

It is believed by many mental health professionals that current concepts of mental health are ____.

Accepted Answer

Current concepts of mental health are often considered culture bound because they can vary significantly across different cultures and societies, reflecting the values, beliefs, and practices of those cultures.

Question 8

The solution suggested in the text for dealing with the problem of homeless individuals having poor psychological adjustment, as well as high arrests and convictions, is to ____.

Accepted Answer

The solution of providing more and better community-based treatment facilities and alternatives addresses the root of the problem by offering support and resources in a more accessible and less institutionalized manner, which can help improve psychological adjustment and potentially reduce interactions with the criminal justice system.

Question 9

The guidelines on multicultural education, training, research, practice, and organizational change for psychologists" passed by the American Psychological Association makes it clear that mental health service providers ____.

Accepted Answer

The guidelines emphasize the importance of psychologists becoming aware of their own cultural influences and biases to provide culturally competent care.

Question 10

Dr. Johnson's patient Lou was distraught and mentioned several times when he referred to his mother that he was "going to kill the bitch." Dr. Johnson is required by law to ____.

Accepted Answer

Dr. Johnson is required by law to warn the potential victim due to the duty to warn, which is a legal obligation to inform individuals if they are in danger of being harmed by a patient.

Question 11

When working with culturally different clients, what is a specific concern?

Accepted Answer

The concern is that services might not be culturally sensitive or might inadvertently oppress or discriminate against clients based on their unique cultural backgrounds and life experiences. It's important for services to be adaptable and respectful of cultural differences.

Question 12

In the case of Youngberg vs. Romeo (1982), the court ruled that Nicholas Romeo had a right to ____.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In the case of Youngberg vs. Romeo...

Question 13

"Protective privilege ends where public peril begins" summarizes ____.

Accepted Answer

This statement summarizes the duty-to-warn principle, which holds that a mental health professional's obligation to maintain client confidentiality ends when the client poses a threat to themselves or others. This principle was established in the landmark case Tarasoff v. Regents of the University of California, where the court ruled that the therapist had a duty to warn an identifiable victim of threats made by a client.

Question 14

Dr. Sheffield has found that forcing his patients to take medication has caused a problem with being able to treat them effectively. This problem is likely to be that ____.

Accepted Answer

Forcing patients into treatment often leads to resistance, which can undermine the effectiveness of therapy. This resistance can manifest as a lack of engagement or outright opposition to therapeutic efforts, making it difficult to achieve positive outcomes.

Question 15

Dr. Jenkins has a client who is violent. Dr. Jenkins is concerned that his client may engage in dangerous acts against others. If the client does become violent, Dr. Jenkins could be held accountable for ____.

Accepted Answer

Dr. Jenkins could be held accountable for not warning potential victims if he believes his client poses a serious threat of harm to them. This is based on the "duty to warn" principle established in cases like Tarasoff v. Regents of the University of California, where mental health professionals have a duty to protect individuals who are being threatened with bodily harm by a patient.

Question 16

The duty-to-warn principle ____.

Accepted Answer

The duty-to-warn principle originated from the Tarasoff ruling, which established that mental health professionals have a duty to warn individuals who are being threatened with bodily harm by a patient.

Question 17

Dr. Warren is a European American psychotherapist who has moved her practice to a region of the country in which there are many Latin American clients. From an ethical perspective, she has a moral responsibility to ____.

Accepted Answer

Dr. Warren has a moral responsibility to develop intervention strategies that consider the cultural and environmental influences of her Latin American clients. This approach aligns with culturally competent care, which is essential in providing effective and respectful treatment across diverse populations.

Question 18

To bring a civil lawsuit against a therapist for professional malpractice, which condition is required?

Accepted Answer

To bring a civil lawsuit for professional malpractice, there must be negligence in the care provided by the therapist that resulted in harm to the client.

Question 19

A 13-year national study of client problems for undergraduates using counseling centers on campus shows that ____.

Accepted Answer

The correct answer is that students entering college today have more severe emotional problems than in earlier years, as indicated by the national study of client problems for undergraduates using counseling centers on campus. This suggests an increase in the severity of emotional issues among the student population over time.

Question 20

According to the Tarasoff case, a therapist who informs the police that a client intends to harm another person ____.

Accepted Answer

In the Tarasoff case, it was established that a therapist has a duty not only to inform the police but also to directly warn the potential victim if a client poses a serious risk of harm to them. This means that even after informing the police, the therapist could still be liable if they did not take reasonable steps to warn the intended victim.

Quiz 17: Law and Ethics in Abnormal Psychology