Confidentiality, Ethics, and Informed Consent

• Published in: The American psychologist Vol. 63; no. 7; pp. 623 - 624
• Main Authors: Pipes, Randolph B, Blevins, Teresa, Kluck, Annette
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Psychological Association 01-10-2008
• Subjects: Confidentiality; Confidentiality - ethics; Ethics; Humans; Informed consent; Informed Consent - ethics; Privileged Communication; Professional Ethics; Psychologists; Psychology; Psychology - ethics; Psychotherapy; United States; United States
• ISSN: 0003-066X; 1935-990X
• DOI: 10.1037/0003-066X.63.7.623

Comments on the article Protecting confidentiality rights: The need for an ethical practice model by Mary Alice Fisher (see record 2007-19520-001). In Fisher's excellent and much-needed article, she rightly implied that when discussing ethical dilemmas, psychologists may find themselves saying "consult an attorney" almost as often as they find themselves saying, "consult a fellow psychologist." Fisher's article was meant to turn the ship so to speak, by providing psychologists with a foundation for thinking clearly about confidentiality issues--a foundation that does not use legal arguments as primary building blocks. The above being said, we offer comments about four issues that we hope will add to the fine ideas expressed by Fisher. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)