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<p>Mental health practitioners have periodically surveyed their professions regarding ethical standards and potential violations. Pope et al. (<i>American Psychologist</i>, 42(11):993–1006, 1987) examined 83 potentially problematic behaviors related to ethical practices. This first study prompted subsequent surveys of mental health professionals. A careful search of published literature reveals a fundamental omission. To date, not a single study has considered therapy clients’ views on the ethics of mental health treatment providers. To address this gap, the present study investigates <i>potentially traumatic events</i> (PTEs) with intentional mistreatment increasing the risk of iatrogenic psychological injuries. Additionally, <i>likely client betrayals</i> (LCBs) represent experiences where basic trust in the therapeutic process is often compromised. A sample of 259 therapy clients completed a 160-item ethics scale that included Pope’s and latest surveys of ethically questionable practices. About one-fifth (21.2%) of respondents reported at least one ethically uncomfortable experience during their own therapy. Regarding PTEs, they believed that at least 5% of therapists often subjected their current clients to erotic activity as well as coercive practices such as forced religious conversions. For LCBs, the majority of therapy clients believed, sometimes or more often, that practitioners denied clients access to even their own diagnoses and progress notes. The Discussion addressed the troubling disconnect between therapists’ idealistic principles and clients’ perspectives of self-serving practices.</p>

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Ethically Problematic Practices on Potential Traumas and Betrayals: Perspectives of Therapy Clients

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年5月23日

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  • Richard Rogers,
  • Yi-Ting Chang,
  • Eric Y Drogin,
  • Kamar Y Tazi,
  • Shannon R Williamson-Butler

摘要

Mental health practitioners have periodically surveyed their professions regarding ethical standards and potential violations. Pope et al. (American Psychologist, 42(11):993–1006, 1987) examined 83 potentially problematic behaviors related to ethical practices. This first study prompted subsequent surveys of mental health professionals. A careful search of published literature reveals a fundamental omission. To date, not a single study has considered therapy clients’ views on the ethics of mental health treatment providers. To address this gap, the present study investigates potentially traumatic events (PTEs) with intentional mistreatment increasing the risk of iatrogenic psychological injuries. Additionally, likely client betrayals (LCBs) represent experiences where basic trust in the therapeutic process is often compromised. A sample of 259 therapy clients completed a 160-item ethics scale that included Pope’s and latest surveys of ethically questionable practices. About one-fifth (21.2%) of respondents reported at least one ethically uncomfortable experience during their own therapy. Regarding PTEs, they believed that at least 5% of therapists often subjected their current clients to erotic activity as well as coercive practices such as forced religious conversions. For LCBs, the majority of therapy clients believed, sometimes or more often, that practitioners denied clients access to even their own diagnoses and progress notes. The Discussion addressed the troubling disconnect between therapists’ idealistic principles and clients’ perspectives of self-serving practices.