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2.multiple Relationships

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31 views10 pages

2.multiple Relationships

Uploaded by

dakshayaeni.bharadwaj
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Multiple

relationships
in
Psychotherapy
In its definitions, the 2007 Code identifies four
conditions when multiple relationships can
occur:
… when a psychologist, rendering a
psychological service to a client also is or has
been:
(a) in a non - professional relationship with the
same client;
(b) (b) in a different professional relationship
with the same client;
(c) (c) in a non - professional relationship with
an associated party; or
(d) (d) a recipient of a psychological service
provided by the same client.
Introduction
• These occur when a psychologist has another
significant, non-therapeutic relationship with a client,
which could be social, financial, or professional (Pope
& Vasquez, 1998).
• Multiple relationships may happen concurrently or
consecutively (Koocher & Keith-Spiegel, 2008).
• Schank and Skovholt (2006) identified multiple
reasons why such relationships are problematic. They
can be difficult to recognize, sometimes unavoidable,
potentially harmful, and pose risks to clients and
professionals.
Challenges and Risks
• Conflicting Roles and Incompatible Goals: Multiple
relationships can create conflicts of interest when a
psychologist’s different roles are not aligned.
• Potential for Harm: Multiple relationships increase the risk
of harm to clients because they blur professional boundaries.
• When a psychologist assumes a non-therapeutic role with a
client, the power dynamics can shift, leading to exploitation or
damage to the client’s well-being.
• Difficulty in Recognizing and Avoiding Multiple
Relationships: These relationships are often subtle and may
not be immediately recognized as problematic. Psychologists
may unintentionally enter into multiple relationships because
they can develop naturally over time, complicating the
therapeutic process.
Challenges and Risks
• Conflicting Advice and Ethical Dilemmas: Multiple relationships
often present ethical dilemmas that involve conflicting advice from
various sources, such as supervisors, ethical guidelines, or personal
values. Deciding how to balance these competing demands can be
difficult, especially when the psychologist must weigh the potential
benefits against the risks of harm to the client.
• Impact on Professional Judgment: Engaging in multiple
relationships can impair a psychologist's professional judgment,
leading to biased decision-making, reduced effectiveness, or
compromised objectivity.
• Increased Vulnerability in Specific Settings
Understanding Dual or Multiple Relationships in
Psychology

• Not all dual or multiple relationships can


be anticipated.
• Instances of boundary violations or
multiple relationships - incidental or
accidental contacts.
Classifying Multiple
Roles and Conflict of
Interest
• Pearson and Piazza (1997) provide a
framework for classifying multiple roles
and conflicts of interest.
• Types of multiple relationships include
circumstantial relationships, structured
multiple relationships, shifts in professional
roles, personal and professional role
conflicts, and predatory relationships.
Circumstantial Multiple Roles Are co-incidental and likely to occur in small,
embedded or rural communities.
Structured multiple Involve the psychologist and the client having
relationships more than one role.
Shifts in professional roles May occur when psychologists move roles.
Personal and professional role Conflicts occur when personal relationships are
followed by professional ones or vice versa.
Predatory professionals Use their professional role to take advantage of
the client, including sexual relationships with
clients.
Zur (2008) asserts that multiple relationships
Conflictin are a common, inevitable, unavoidable,
normal, and healthy part of communal life.
g Views
on Despite clinical, ethical, and legal risks, some
blending of roles is unavoidable and not
necessarily unethical or unprofessional.
Multiple
Relationsh Nonsexual multiple relationships exist in
most settings and can be beneficial
ips in
Counselin Practitioners should monitor themselves and
examine their motivations for engaging in
g such relationships and avoid multiple roles
unless there is sound clinical justification.
Moleski and Kiselica’s Younggren and Gottlieb's
Graham and Liddle's
Perspective on Multiple Model for Multiple
Decision-Making Process
Relationships Relationships
• Multiple relationships can • They recommend an • They suggest clinicians
range from destructive to ethnically based, risk- evaluate the depth of
therapeutic. managed, and decision- existing relationships, the
• Some relationships can making model when therapist's objectivity, the
enhance the counseling analyzing multiple likelihood and frequency
relationship, while others relationships. of outside contact, and the
can be harmful. • Suggest assessing the client's ability to manage
• Counselors should potential harm, benefits, multiple roles.
consider forming and disruption, then make • They also suggest
multiple relationships an objective evaluation of evaluating the necessity
only when they are in the the relationship. of multiple roles,
client's best interests. • They recommend active evaluating potential
client involvement in the benefits and risks, and
decision-making process seeking consultation with
and documenting the colleagues.
process.

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