Chapter 8 lesson 1

DR A. MURANGI
Psychologist- client relationship
The perception of a psychologist- client relationship is that
The person requesting the service will be the recipient of the service
and will pay for it
That your responsibility as psychologists is to this person
That the interaction between you and this person is private and
isolated from the outside world
Recipients can be individuals, families, companies,
employers, communities etc
Psychologist- client relationship
In some cases, psychologists will have two clients
The entity that instructs and pays you
The person who receives your service

For example: A school contracts you to provide psychological

services to its grade 12 learners.
An example
In terms of the employee assistance programme (EAP)
agreement, Dr Watch must provide psychological services to
employees of UNAM.
The contract provides that Dr Watch must inform the
human resources manager of the company if employees
reveal that they use illicit drugs while at work.
Mr X reveals to Dr Watch that He was using drugs at work
when He was going through depression
Psychologist- client relationship
Having conflicting responsibilities is problematic
A lot of ethical dilemmas occur, sometimes simultaneously
Psychologists -associated party
relationship
Any person or organisation other than clients with whom
psychologists interact while rendering a psychological
service
Clients relatives, friends, colleagues, employers, guardians,
other professionals or experts, representatives from
communities or organisations
General principles in multiple
relationships
Structuring the multiple client relationship
-Iron out roles and expectations
-Explain limits of confidentiality
-Give clients an opportunity to consider the limitations of
the situation
-Obtain clients explicit acceptance of these limitations
General principles in multiple
relationships
Communication with clients about associated parties
-We need information to accurately help
-Sometimes, clients will disclose very sensitive information
-Sometimes, clients will go share amongst themselves what they
discussed
--Clients may sometimes twist what the psychologists said
-We should as such refrain from giving suggestions and instructions
that may harm associated parties
General principles in multiple
relationships
-If while brainstorming, clients decide to do something
illegal, such as assaulting someone, we must address the
issue and counsel against it and if appropriate, consider
warning the target of the threat.
-In the associated party relationship, psychologists must
remain neutral
General principles in multiple
relationships
Communication with associated parties
-Bound by legal laws and ethical principles
--Psychologists must get consent to gather information
from other sources- and state why and how the information
will be used.
-It is crucial to always have some form of proof
General principles in multiple
relationships
Disclosure of information to associated parties
-Request for confidential information: always refer to the original
agreement at the beginning of the relationship – what was agreed
on?
-Psychologists must anticipate problems that may be caused by
disclosure of information and warn clients, if necessary.
-Psychologists often have knowledge, which, if it is conveyed to
others in an inappropriate manner, can cause substantial and
enduring harm
An example of a case
When Mrs Plug became entangled in a family court matter,
she instructed Dr Airs to send a copy of her file to her
lawyer so that He could use it to show the court that she
was not mad.
Dr Airs, who realised that there was material in the file that
would be detrimental to Mrs Plug if it was disclosed,
counselled her not to release the information