Research Paper On Confidentiality

The promise of confidentiality is the foundation of trust within the psychologist-client relationship. This trust underlies effective psychotherapy as it allows the client to make a complete disclosure of sensitive and distressing memories, emotions, and fears. However, while health care providers have a primary obligation to serve their client’s interests, they also have a duty to protect potential victims and society, resulting in certain circumstances where confidentiality must be breached. Many jurisdictions have laws that specify potential limits to confidentially when a client shares a threat to harm an identifiable third party, but what if a client discloses past harmful behaviors, even if there is no present intent? The question of