NCJ Number
143414
Journal
American Journal of Psychotherapy Volume: 46 Issue: 4 Dated: (October 1992) Pages: 544-555
Date Published
1992
Length
12 pages
Annotation
Understanding therapist sexual exploitation and how to prevent it requires an understanding of some basic principles of the therapist-patient relationship.
Abstract
The nature of the psychotherapy as well as characteristics of individual patients and doctors can promote sexual exploitation within the therapeutic relationship. These factors include an immediate power imbalance favoring the therapist, intimacy, transference, and the heightened vulnerability of patients suffering from borderline personality disorder. Recent research has illustrated the connection between boundary violations and sexual misconduct; boundary violations can take the form of inconsequential actions by the therapist to pay special attention to a patient, excessive self-disclosure, gift exchanges, and meetings arranged outside the office. Recommendations for prevention therapist sexual misconduct include educating therapist-trainees, currently practicing psychotherapists, consumers and the general public, other professionals, and employers and hospitals, and instituting punitive legal and administrative sanctions. 54 references