Confidentiality: an ethical and legal conundrum for family therapists

• Published in: The American journal of family therapy Vol. 17; no. 4; p. 291
• Main Author: Watkins, S A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 1989
• Subjects: Confidentiality - ethics; Confidentiality - legislation & jurisprudence; Ethics, Professional; Family Therapy - ethics; Family Therapy - legislation & jurisprudence; Humans; Malpractice - statistics & numerical data; Privacy; Social Work - ethics; Social Work - legislation & jurisprudence; United States; United States; Legal Approach; Professional Patient Relationship; Mental Health Therapies
• ISSN: 0192-6187
• DOI: 10.1080/01926188908250776

There are several important issues influencing the holding of confidences in family therapy, among them are privacy, family secrets, confidentiality, and privileged communication. Clinicians need to be aware that breach of confidentiality is considered a high-risk area in clinical practice, which could be brought within a "low profile" malpractice configuration by adopting certain risk management techniques. Family therapists have an obligation to maintain their practice under the guidance of professional ethics, agency policies/procedures, and within emerging judicial parameters. The questions of confidentiality that confront family therapists have no clear and easy answers and the legal dilemma is ever present.