: Dual Relationships
Dual or multiple relationships may arise in a variety of situations in which psychological services are provided. Sometimes these relationships must be avoided, and at other times they must be managed. Therefore, psychologists must be aware of the nature of dual relationships, when they are likely to occur, the potential risks to consumers, and how to best avoid or manage them so that the consumer is adequately protected.
To prepare for this assignment:
- Select two professional settings: One setting from either Chapter 6 or 8 in Ethical Reasoning for Mental Health Professionals and the other setting from either Chapter 7 or 10 in the same textbook and think about where dual relationships or multiple relationship issues might arise.
- Review the Pope Web site, Dual Relationships, Multiple Relationships, & Boundary Decisions, and Chapters 16 and 17 in Ethics in Psychotherapy and Counseling, paying particular attention to the various ways that a psychotherapist can manage boundary issues that cannot be avoided.
- Review the APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct, paying particular attention to guidelines related to boundary issues in general and dual/multiple relationships specifically.
The assignment (1–2 pages):
- Choose and briefly describe two roles/settings in which psychologists may function/work (one from Chapters 6 or 8, and one other from Chapters 7, or 10 in Ethical Reasoning for Mental Health Professionals). You may include a role you have written about before or choose two new ones.
- Describe at least one situation in which dual relationships may arise in each role/setting.
- For each situation, explain the ethical issues related to dual or multiples relationships that might arise.
- For each example, identify the ethical standards associated with the dual relationship issues (use the title and number of pertinent standards)
- Describe at least one appropriate strategy for avoiding or managing the dual or multiple roles in each situation that you selected.
Support your Application Assignment with specific references to all resources used in its preparation. You are asked to provide a reference list only for those resources not included in the Learning Resources for this course.
Submit your assignment by Day 7 of Week 4.
Learning Resources
Please read and view (where applicable) the following Learning Resources before you complete this week’s assignments.
Readings
- Course Text: Ethics in Psychotherapy and Counseling: A Practical Guide
- Chapter 16, “Sexual Relationships with Clients” (pp. 209–2 34)
- Chapter 17, “Nonsexual Multiple Relationships and Other Boundary Issues” (pp. 235–258)
- Appendix A, “American Psychological Association Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct” (pp. 329–360)
- Course Text: Ethical Reasoning for Mental Health Professionals
- Chapter 7, “Organizational Settings and Special Populations” (pp. 131–154)
- Chapter 10, “Practice and Assessment in Organizational and Business Settings” (pp. 189–201)
- Article: Pope, K. S., & Keith-Spiegel, P. (2008). A practical approach to boundaries in psychotherapy: Making decisions, bypassing blunders, and mending fences. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 64(5), 638–652.
Use the Academic Search Premier database, and search using the article’s Accession Number: 31735122
Websites
- Dual Relationships, Multiple Relationships, & Boundary Decisions
http://kspope.com/dual/index.php
