The first major revision of the "ACA Code of Ethics" in a decade occurred in late 2005, with the updated edition containing important new mandates and imperatives. This article provides interviews with members of the Ethics Revision Task Force that flesh out seminal changes in the revised "ACA Code of Ethics" in the areas of confidentiality,…

The scope of counselor-client privilege varies across states, and several sections of state codes directly and indirectly influence its status. This article presents an analysis of these laws and discusses prevalent legal exceptions. Offers implications for practice to assist counselors in balancing their ethical and legal obligations. (Author/MKA)

Discusses the nature, ramifications, and implications of ethical-legal conflicts in the helping professions, particularly with regard to advertising, confidentiality, and clients' rights of access to their own files. (Author/BL)

Examines the scope of maltreatment of older persons and describes the content of elder abuse and elder maltreatment laws, with special focus on counselors' responsibilities to report maltreatment to authorities. Concludes with strategies for assessing maltreatment and with implications of these laws for confidentiality and informed consent.…

It is essential for counselors to understand the legal and ethical issues relevant to working with minors. Article reviews major court cases and legislation concerning these areas. Discusses four ethical issues: counselor competence, client's rights to confidentiality, informed consent, and duties related to child abuse. Considers issues for…

Reviews the rationale that underlies privileged communication in counseling and discusses the nature of privilege. Describes the progress of a Supreme Court decision affecting privileged communication between licensed psychotherapists and their patients. Concludes with a legal analysis of the decision and its implications for counselors. (RJM)

Discusses ethical conflicts related to issues of informed consent, due process, competence, confidentiality, and dual relationships in supervision. Proposes two strategies as ways to minimize the potential for ethical conflict in post-master's supervision: the use of professional disclosure statements by supervisors and the development of formal…

Presents information concerning both ethical and legal aspects of violence as they relate to client welfare, dangerousness, confidentiality or duty to warn, and counselor violence. Uses case material to illustrate both the ethical standards and the laws and statutes that provide directives for professional behavior. (Author/ABB)

Depth of self-disclosure in a dyadic interview situation was assessed as a function of assurance versus nonassurance of confidentiality and as a function of a videotape versus nonvideotape condition. Results indicated males were more disclosing than females across all conditions. (Author/BL)

Various mental-health professionals use drawings and other art in therapy, but relatively little has been written on the ethics surrounding this technique. Should artwork be viewed as equivalent to verbal communication? A variety of ethical issues including confidentiality, documentation, ownership, research, publication, and display of work are…

Presents findings of an examination and assessment of existing privileged communication statutes and rules of evidence in the 50 states and the District of Columbia for clients of selected helping professionals: psychologists, social workers, marriage and family therapists or counselors, school counselors, and licensed professional counselors.…

Counseling prisoners involves multiple ethical and therapeutic choices and risks. Prison environments emphasize external control and security. Thus, work in such settings challenges the role of the counselor as a facilitator of client responsibility for independent decision making. (Author)

Assessed 30 adolescent clients' perceptions of the limits of confidentiality, as well as their privacy demands during counseling. Participants' viewed vignettes of confidentiality issues and recorded their preferences and expectations of counselor actions. Results suggest that adolescents generally want higher levels of confidentiality than they…

Considers implications of current application of principles regarding clients and HIV infection. The counseling profession's ethical standards related to these issues and the professional literature are reviewed with regard to current legislation and case law. Draws conclusions that question current applications and offers potential alternative…