Psychology Article Presentation k3
psmth6
660_wk_draft_notes_pptx.pptxArticle Analysis Presentation
By:
Psych/660
INSTRUCTOR
Heather Joppich
COLLEGE
DATE
Please just used this as a guide do not copy
Plagiarism FREE PLEASE
Agenda
Rural and small communities often have more challenges in avoiding Dual-Relationships. Here are some steps that professionals can do to help protect themselves as well as their patients from these relationships.
Outline of article
Exploration- Measurement/Method
Overlapping Business or Professional Relationships
Overlapping Relationships on Members of the Psychologist’s own family
Working with more than one family member as clients or with others who have friendships with individual clients
Conclusions and Implication
Outline of Article Continued
Issues across small communities
Examining the content of ethical practice
Safeguards to minimize risk
Ethical issues presented
Overlapping Business of Professional relationships
Overlapping Relationships on Members of the Psychologist’s own family
Working with more than one family member as clients or with others who have friendships with individual clients
12 of the 16 psychologists identified overlapping business or professional relationships as being an area of concern. Specifically if the psychologist was entering a business contract with a client or a client’s family member. This is challenging as if there is only one landscaper in the area who would you have landscape your yard or business grounds. Or as in the example that was mentioned in the article, having clients coming to the psychologists home as the electrician. The professional did not know that they were calling the company their client worked for.
12 of the 16 psychologists also answered that having overlapping relationships on member of the psychologist’s own family was another area of ethical concern. This is defined as when going to an event where because of family members, as in the professional and clients children, are on the same team or go to the same school, and having to be in a social event with the client. This is difficult because it can blur treatment lines between social friendship and professional/client relationships.
Nine of the 16 psychologists also highlighted working with more than one family member as clients or mutual friends as clients. When living in small communities it is very common to know multiple people and their lives often overlap, including the areas of therapy.
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Conclusion from article
Issues Across Small Communities
Examining the Content of Ethical Practice
Safeguards to minimize risk
Issues with dual-relationships are bound to happen with small communities. Professionals are not separated from the community quiet as far as in larger communities. The struggle to keep professional boundaries are ever-lasting in comparison to those in large cities.
Some of the largest safeguards to minimize risk is to be comfortable with dual-relationships happening. Not that it is sought after, but knowing that it will happen will allow for the professional to be able to see.
Having clear expectations for the boundaries and relationships is another area needed to safeguard against issues.
Having ongoing review of the sessions, and relationship progress is very important.
And finally having a life outside of work and making social connections with others in the community helps minimize the risk of gaining a friendship relationship with clients.
Rural and small-community professionals have to be able to maintain flexible limits that are not normal for those in urban areas. And though may be viewed as breaking the APA ethical guidelines these scenarios and struggles are being discussed within APA committees to be further reviewed.
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Implications of the ethical issues
Personal
Professional
Social
Personally the implications of breaking the ethical issues and not having safe boundaries in place is that to much of the professional’s life is exposed to the client causing possibly confusion from the client with family and or friends of the psychologist.
Professionally it could lead to a suspension or loss of their license to practice.
Socially the psychologist runs the risk of losing friendships based on direct or possibly indirect treatment of friends causing confusion of the relationship or hurt feelings on the client’s end.
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Conclusion
Though dual relationships are difficult to avoid in rural or small-communities having the expectation that it will happen will help with the professional to be prepared with an understanding of what to do when it does happen. As with providing treatment preparation is a major part of the professional’s job, it is equally important with handling dual-relationships. Having the expectations and the checks-and-balance will help protect the client, psychologist and all others connected with the two.
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Reference
Schank, J. A., & Skovholt, T. M. (1997). Dual-Relationship Dilemmas of Rural and Small-Community Psychologists. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 28(1), 44-49.
