The Ethics Codes of Several Professional Organizations Address a Group

question 2

Multiple Choice

The ethics codes of several professional organizations address a group practitioner's role in ensuring confidentiality in______________________ a group setting. Which of the following is NOT one of these codes?

• A) When working with a group, confidentiality and privacy are impossible to adhere to; therefore, these are both voluntary aspects of a group experience.
• B) Group workers define confidentiality and its limits (for example, legal and ethical exceptions and expectations; waivers implicit with treatment plans, documentation, and insurance usage). Group workers have the responsibility to inform all group participants of the need for confidentiality and potential consequences of breaching confidentiality; and that legal privilege does not apply to group discussions (unless provided by state statute).
• C) Marriage and family therapists, when working with a group, educate the group regarding the importance of maintaining confidentiality, and are encouraged to obtain written agreement from group participants to respect the confidentiality of other members of the group.
• D) Social workers have a responsibility to inform participants that confidentiality agreements cannot be guaranteed because all participants may not honor such agreements.

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Definitions:

Compulsion

An uncontrollable urge to perform an act repeatedly, often a symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

A mental disorder characterized by unwanted repetitive thoughts (obsessions) and/or actions (compulsions).

Psychogenic Paralysis

A loss of motor function without a physiological cause, arising from psychological factors.

Depression

A mental health disorder characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and a lack of interest or pleasure in activities, often accompanied by physical symptoms.