Quiz #7: Managing Boundaries and Multiple Relationships
1. Joe has a counseling practice and is also teaching psychology part-time at a university. He is well liked and trusted by students and some have asked for private counseling. Joe has decided to wait until semester break before taking them on as clients. Joe is:
a. exhibiting ethical behavior by telling his students that he will counsel them at the end of the
semester.
b. in a dual relationship with his students which may cause ethical problems.
c. playing favoritism by not counseling all of his students.
d. not qualified to counsel his students because he is a part-time instructor.
2. The following is true concerning dual relationships:
a. There is a clear consensus among practitioners regarding nonsexual relationships in counseling.
b. Due to the fact that there are clinical, ethical, and legal risks, all blending of roles must be avoided.
c. Objectivity in counseling is enhanced with dual relationships.
d. Counselors need to make every effort to avoid dual relationships with clients that could impact
professional judgment or increase risk of harm to clients.
3. Ted is a counselor educator and also acts as therapeutic agent for his students’ personal development since personal awareness is considered to be an intrinsic part of developing counselor skills in the program at the university in which he teaches. Ted is:
a. totally unethical in attempting to guide his students towards self-awareness.
b. involved in a situation in which he will become so subjective that he will be unable to teach his
students.
c. involved in role blending which is inevitable in the process of educating and supervising counselor
trainees.
d. in a situation that automatically leads to a conflict of interest.
4. Departures from commonly accepted practices that could potentially benefit clients are referred to as:
a. unethical boundaries.
b. boundary crossings.
c. boundary violations.
d. interpersonal boundaries.
5. The following action would maximize the risks inherent in dual or multiple relationships:
a. Set healthy boundaries from the outset.
b. Secure informed consent of clients and discuss with them both the potential risks and benefits of
dual relationships.
c. Document any dual relationships in clinical case notes.
d. Become romantically involved with the client.
6. Linda is considering developing a multiple or dual relationship with her client and it’s important for Linda to remember:
a. that all multiple relationships should be avoided because they are usually harmful.
b. That absolute answers are available to resolve dual or multiple relationship dilemmas.
c. To be cautious in order to protect oneself from censure
d. To consider whether the potential benefit outweighs the potential for harm.
7. In regards to boundaries in the counseling relationship, Lazarus took the position that:
a. certain ethics and boundaries actually diminish therapeutic effectiveness.
b. all boundaries should be eliminated because they destroy the counseling relationship.
c. strong boundaries must be maintained in order to avoid malpractice suits.
d. traits such as flexibility, spontaneity, and warmth tend to be characteristics of therapists who
maintain strong boundaries.
8. A professional entering into a bartering relationship should do so only if:
a. the client indicates that they don’t have the funds to continue therapy.
b. it involves an exchange of services.
c. it does not involve a dual relationship.
d. the relationship is not exploitative.
9. Therapists who are considering entering into a bartering arrangement would do well to consider all of the following recommendations EXCEPT:
a. Evaluate whether the bartering arrangement will put the therapist at risk of impaired professional
judgment.
b. Determine the value of the goods or services in a collaborative fashion with the client at the onset of
the bartering arrangement.
c. Allow the bartering arrangement to continue throughout the therapeutic relationship.
d. Document the bartering arrangement, including the value of good services and a date on which the
arrangement will end.
10. Marty is counseling with an Asian client who recently returned from a trip to Japan to visit relatives. His client wants to give him an inexpensive souvenir. It is important for Mary to:
a. refuse the gift on ethical grounds.
b. explain that the gift would change their relationships and create a conflict of interest.
c. be aware that accepting the gift is culturally appropriate with this client.
d. explain that he cannot accept the gift until the counseling relationship is over.
11. The counselor is likely to adopt stricter social boundaries and will be concerned about polluting the transference relationship if they are:
a. psychoanalytically oriented.
b. behavioral therapists.
c. working with culturally diverse clients.
d. already engaged in an active social life.
12. In a survey to study sexual attraction in the client-therapist relationship, it was determined that:
a. most respondents reported never having been attracted to any client.
b. in most cases, sexual attraction was likely to lead to sexual relations.
c. fear of malpractice suits prohibited the therapist from acting out their attraction to clients.
d. most reported that even if they were attracted to a client, they refrained from having sexual relations with them.
13. A common reaction of therapists who realize that they have sexual feelings towards their clients is to:
a. feel anger at their own sexuality.
b. speak openly about the matter to the client.
c. investigate to see if the client feels the same.
d. feel guilty and fearful of losing control and being criticized.
14. Therapists can deal with powerful attractions to clients by:
a. repressing their feelings of attraction.
b. asking the client if the feeling is mutual.
c. terminating the relationship immediately.
d. monitoring boundaries by setting clear limits on physical contact, self-disclosure, and client requests
for personal information.
15. Which one of the following is NOT considered a guideline to minimizing the likelihood of sexual transgression by clinicians?
a. Seek professional support during times of personal loss or crisis.
b. Know the difference between sexual attraction to clients and acting out.
c. Avoid terminating the therapeutic relationship, even when sexual feelings obscure objectivity.
d. Monitor feelings and behaviors toward clients.
16. Bonnie became sexually involved with her therapist soon after therapy began. This action was initiated by the therapist who saw Bonnie’s provocative behavior as an invitation to become intimate. The following is a possible on-going consequence for the client being sexually exploited:
a. substance abuse
b. suicidal ideation
c. distrust for therapists and the therapeutic process
d. all of the above
17. Clients can file a legal complaint against a therapist for sexual misconduct by:
a. filing an ethical complaint with the therapist’s professional association.
b. filing an ethical complaint with the therapist’s licensing board.
c. lodging a complaint with the therapist’s employer.
d. filing a criminal complaint or a civil suit.
18. According to professional codes of ethics, sexual relationships between client and counselor are considered to be ethical if:
a. the therapist is really in love with their client.
b. there is consent by the client.
c. they are not considered to be ethical under any circumstances.
d. the therapeutic relationship has ended and a referral has been given.
19. Robert is romantically attracted to his client and he suspects that the feeling is mutual. In order to take an ethical action, Robert should:
a. seek consultation with an experienced colleague, supervisor, or personal therapist who could help
decide a course of action.
b. Terminate therapy so they can develop a romantic relationship.
c. Repress his feelings and continue therapy with the client.
d. Explore his reasons for the attraction and tell the client why he was attracted to her.
20. In the author’s view, non-erotic touching between counselor and client should be:
a. a spontaneous and honest expression of the therapist’s feelings.
b. incongruent with what they feel.
c. a therapeutic technique used to extinguish catharsis.
d. considered unethical.