Professional Boundaries in Psychiatric Practice

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Glen O. Gabbard ◽  
Holly Crisp-Han ◽  
Gabrielle S. Hobday
Keyword(s):  
Dual Relationships ◽  
Time Behavior ◽  
Preventive Strategies ◽  
Self Disclosure ◽  
Self Monitoring ◽  
Power Differential ◽  
Appropriate Behavior ◽  
Professional Boundaries ◽  
Boundary Crossings ◽  
Boundary Issues

Professional boundaries refer to the “edge” or limit of appropriate behavior in the clinical setting. The fundamental ethical principal involved is respect for the patient’s dignity and autonomy. Because there is a potential for exploitation of the patient due to the power differential and asymmetry between psychiatrist and patient, the following dimensions of the treatment frame must be considered: location, time, behavior, language, dress, confidentiality, self-disclosure, money and gifts, dual relationships, and physical/sexual contact. Context is crucially important in assessing professional boundaries. Hence, relatively benign boundary crossings must be differentiated from exploitative boundary violations. Preventive strategies, such as education, self-monitoring, and regular consultation should be part of the practice of all clinicians. The domain of the Internet is a recent context that has emerged, and psychiatrists must now be attuned to boundary issues in cyberspace.

Maintaining Professional Faculty-Student Relationships

2017 ◽  
pp. 221-237
Author(s):  
Jennifer Jordan Del Corso ◽  
Charles R. McAdams III
Keyword(s):  
Title Ix ◽  
Student Relationships ◽  
Power Differential ◽  
Professional Boundaries ◽  
Boundary Crossings ◽  
Faculty Relationships ◽  
Preventative Measures ◽  
Policies And Procedures

University faculty departments are being challenged to adopt guidelines, policies, and procedures on how to maintain professional boundaries in order to keep up with the demands of university Title IX policies and the rapidly changing advances in technology. While some behaviors are more clearly defined as inappropriate (e.g. sexual harassment), others are less well-defined (e.g. texting). What constitutes as harmful unethical behavior on the part of a faculty member depends on the context in which the behavior occurs. As a result, it is important for faculty to maintain clear boundaries in order to prevent harming or exploiting students for their benefit. This book chapter will utilize this case study to: (a) examine the power differential in the student-faculty relationships, (b) examine contextual factors that lead to boundary crossings, and (c) identify preventative measures that can be taken by faculty and students to minimize the potential for boundary violations to occur.

Maintaining Professional Faculty-Student Relationships

2018 ◽  
pp. 1761-1777
Author(s):  
Jennifer Jordan Del Corso ◽  
Charles R. McAdams III
Keyword(s):  
Title Ix ◽  
Student Relationships ◽  
Power Differential ◽  
Professional Boundaries ◽  
Boundary Crossings ◽  
Faculty Relationships ◽  
Preventative Measures ◽  
Policies And Procedures

University faculty departments are being challenged to adopt guidelines, policies, and procedures on how to maintain professional boundaries in order to keep up with the demands of university Title IX policies and the rapidly changing advances in technology. While some behaviors are more clearly defined as inappropriate (e.g. sexual harassment), others are less well-defined (e.g. texting). What constitutes as harmful unethical behavior on the part of a faculty member depends on the context in which the behavior occurs. As a result, it is important for faculty to maintain clear boundaries in order to prevent harming or exploiting students for their benefit. This book chapter will utilize this case study to: (a) examine the power differential in the student-faculty relationships, (b) examine contextual factors that lead to boundary crossings, and (c) identify preventative measures that can be taken by faculty and students to minimize the potential for boundary violations to occur.

Self-Disclosure on Social Networking Sites

2015 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaan Varnali ◽  
Aysegul Toker
Keyword(s):  
Social Networking ◽  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Personal Information ◽  
Subjective Norm ◽  
Self Disclosure ◽  
Self Monitoring ◽  
Willingness To Disclose ◽  
Independent Effects ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Public Self Consciousness

Our aim was to contribute to the understanding of self-disclosure behavior on social networking sites (SNS). Participants (N = 1,294) completed online surveys comprising measures of willingness to disclose personal information on SNS, self-esteem, SNS affinity, self-disclosure, honesty of self-disclosure, subjective norm, self-monitoring skills, and public self-consciousness. Our findings suggest that self-disclosure mediates the impact of communication-based personality characteristics on the use of SNS, and that subjective norm and SNS affinity also have significant independent effects.

The Association of Self-Monitoring with Self-Disclosure

1997 ◽  
Vol 80 (3) ◽  
pp. 940-942 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Bryan ◽  
Deanna Dodson ◽  
Salvatore Cullari
Keyword(s):  
Interpersonal Relationships ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Negative Correlation ◽  
Liberal Arts ◽  
Liberal Arts College ◽  
Significant Negative Correlation ◽  
The Self ◽  
Self Disclosure ◽  
Self Monitoring

While there are many studies of self-monitoring and self-disclosure independently, few studies have looked at their relationship. Such inquiry may help refine the definitions of these two complex constructs as well as clarify how interpersonal relationships are formed. For 100 undergraduate students at a small liberal arts college a small but significant negative correlation ( r = −.20) was found between scores on the Self-monitoring Scale and Self-disclosure Index. The men had significantly higher self-monitoring scores than the women, but not on self-disclosure.

Self-monitoring as a determinant of self-disclosure reciprocity during the acquaintance process.

1982 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 163-175 ◽  
Author(s):  
David R. Shaffer ◽  
Jonathan E. Smith ◽  
Michele Tomarelli
Keyword(s):  
Self Disclosure ◽  
Self Monitoring

scholarly journals Attitudes to professional boundaries among therapists with and without substance abuse history

2017 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 411-422 ◽  
Author(s):  
Igor Pietkiewicz ◽  
Karolina Skowrońska-Włoch
Keyword(s):  
Substance Abuse ◽  
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Personal Information ◽  
Professional Relationships ◽  
Work Experiences ◽  
Self Disclosure ◽  
Professional Boundaries ◽  
Training And Supervision ◽  
Substance Dependent ◽  
Abuse Treatment

Abstract There is no empirical research exploring how substance abuse therapists perceive and manage their professional role or privacy boundaries. This study explores their attitudes associated with self-disclosure and dual relationships. Ten therapists, five who had recovered (neophytes) and five who had never been substance dependent, shared their work experiences during semi-structured, in-depth interviews, which have been subjected to interpretative phenomenological analysis. While nonneophytes were generally reluctant to share personal information or establish alternative forms of relationship with current or former clients, neophytes were more open to using self-disclosure and admitted changing professional relationships into friendships. These findings are discussed in relation to ethical codes, training and supervision in substance abuse treatment.

Foundational Techniques Part II

2019 ◽  
pp. 102-113
Author(s):  
Brian A. Sharpless
Keyword(s):  
Therapeutic Alliance ◽  
Psychodynamic Psychotherapy ◽  
Personal History ◽  
Adaptive Behaviors ◽  
General Knowledge ◽  
Self Disclosure ◽  
Personality Organization ◽  
Social Conventions ◽  
Professional Boundaries

This second chapter on foundational techniques begins with a discussion of how psychodynamic therapists typically behave. These behaviors often differ markedly from normal social conventions but help maintain professional boundaries and a therapeutic focus on the patient. An example of this is therapist ambiguity, or limiting the patient’s general knowledge about the therapist’s personal history and beliefs (e.g., limiting reciprocal self-disclosure). Another example is psychodynamic abstinence, or not gratifying the patient’s unhealthy wishes or desires. Technical neutrality is also considered in the context of the patient’s level of personality organization but, in general, consists of taking a nonjudgmental stance. Finally, therapists model healthy and adaptive behaviors for their patients (e.g., thoughtfulness, honesty). The second section of this chapter focuses on how to begin a course of psychodynamic psychotherapy. Therapy contracts, the therapeutic alliance, and ways to socialize patients into treatment are all discussed.

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