Exam Preview for 2433: Honest to Goodness in Mental Health Practice

Honest to Goodness in Mental Health Practice: Ethical Challenges to Transparency and Integrity

Please note: exam questions are subject to change.

1. A couples therapist meets separately with Joy and Flint, a married couple. Joy asks the therapist if she can share something that should not be shared with Flint. The therapist says, “Yes.” Joy discloses that she is having an affair. In a separate individual session, Flint asks, “Do you think my wife is having an affair?” This situation presents the therapist with an ethical conflict between honesty and: self-determination. informed consent. confidentiality. cultural competence.
2. A social work researcher is recruiting adults to participate in a study on impulse controle. To prevent participants from providing biased responses in the study, the research withholds certain information about the purpose of the research when inviting them to participate. This situation raises an ethical conflict between principles of integrity, informed consent, and: maintaining the integrity of the research. protection of life. equality. privacy.
3. A clinical psychologist is concerned that her client, Horatio, is at risk for suicide. Given this concern, the social worker decides to withhold information that might lead Horatio to act on his plans for suicide. This situation raises a conflict between the ethical principles of honesty, full disclosure, and: dual relationships. protection of life. conflict of interests. cultural humility.
4. Which of the following is the most effective way for a group of mental health professionals to brainstorm options to resolve an ethical dilemma related to honesty and integrity? Just follow the law. Write down several different possibilities for responding to the conflict, and do not evaluate them until you have generated many possibilities to consider. Every time a person suggests an option, evaluate it right away and choose the first option that seems good enough. Determine which mental health professional is most experienced and let them decide what to do.
5. One of your supervisees asks what you mean by “weighing the consequences of different options” to as a strategy resolve an ethical conflict related to honesty and integrity. Which of the following is the best way to explain this strategy? Determine whether you need to consult an attorney or a clinical expert for advice. Identify the cause of the ethical dilemma. Ask your clients what they think about the ethical dilemma and how they would like you to respond. Evaluate the pros and cons of each option, and then determine which option is likely to provide the best results.
6. A student tells a school social worker that she is lesbian. State laws require the social worker to disclose this information to the student’s parents. The social worker wants to respect the student’s wishes. The student does not want the social worker to share this information with her parents. This situation raises an ethical dilemma related to integrity, client privacy, autonomy, and: following the law. dual relationships. sexual harassment. equitable fees.
7. When engaging clients in a “constructive conversation” about an ethical dilemma, a mental health professional should: inform the client that mental health professionals, not clients, are in the best position to resolve the dilemma. listen to the client, validate their concerns, and try to engage the client in joint problem solving. agree with whatever the client says. let the client know that anything they say can and will be used against them in a court of law.
8. A psychotherapist works for a treatment center that requires her to provide a specific therapy for all clients with generalized anxiety disorders, even though she believes a different therapy would be more effective for a particular client. This situation creates an ethical dilemma because her duty to act with integrity conflicts with her duty to follow the agency's policy. Which of the following is the most ethical course of action for the psychotherapist? Follow the agency's policy without question, as it is her absolute responsibility to comply with her employer's rules. Ignore the agency's policy and provide the treatment she believes is more effective for the client. Discuss her concerns with her supervisor, explaining why she believes a different treatment is more suitable, and seek permission to use her preferred approach. Provide both therapies at the same time to avoid violating the agency's policy while also adhering to her professional judgment, and do not document the second therapy in the client’s records.
9. A client admits to selling illicit drugs to adults at local football games. The psychotherapist wants to engage the client in a constructive conversation about the ethical issues raised by this admission. Which of the following options fits best with engaging the client in a constructive conversation? Advise the client that their behavior is unethical and let them know that you will report them to the police unless they cease trafficking immediately. Ask the client how they feel about selling drugs, whether it aligns with their personal values, and how it might impact others [using a respectful tone]. Provide the client with a list of 20 reasons explaining why they should stop selling drugs. Agree with everything the client says, even if the psychotherapist strongly disagrees [using a sarcastic tone].
10. Which of the following strategies fit best with the concept of having a “constructive conversation” with clients about how to deal with a challenging ethical dilemma? Focusing on just two options, rejecting creative options, and insisting on a quick solution (so time will not be wasted) Having a rigorous debate where the person with the strongest arguments and best anecdotes wins. Cross examining the client with direct questions to demonstrate that the client’s thinking is all wrong. Active listening, transparency, open-mindedness, balancing objectivity with sensitivity.