Client Confidentiality Research Paper

Privacy is an important aspect of the client and counselors relationship. Client confidentiality is assured by the standards of American Psychology Association (APA) for ethical principles (American Psychological Association, 2010). In the counselor-client relationship, the counselor has the responsibility to assure that the information is kept secure and private. This means that the standard for privacy and confidentiality assures that personal information as well as information related to the counseling sessions are kept undisclosed. However, patient confidentiality has come under question after a number of news incidents suggest that a number of criminal incidents that have occurred like public shooting and crime could have been prevented if the confidentiality of their medical and counseling records has been disclosed. For instance, the Aurora theater shooter James …show more content…
This is only one of the many cases where crimes could have been prevented if therapists, psychiatrists, and counselors disclose certain revelations of their emotionally or psychologically disturbed clients. This leaves the question about the ethics and morality of client confidentiality in the field of psychiatry. Client confidentiality is an assured standard in the code of ethics of the American Psychological Association and is designed to protect the privacy, dignity, and wellbeing of the client (American Psychological Association, 2010). Client confidentiality covers information that “Psychologists discuss with persons”, “organizations with whom they establish a scientific or professional relationship”, “foreseeable uses of the information generated through their psychological activities” (American Psychological Association, 2010, p.1). However, the APA has also set provisions to counter the client’s right to confidentiality if knowledge obtained from a client poses reasonable threat to the client or other individuals (American Psychological Association, 2010). This is called