Research Article

Breaching Client Confidentiality in Psychotherapy: A Scoping Review

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Psych Educ Multidisc J, 2024, 18 (6), 609-616, DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10935947, ISSN 2822-4353
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Abstract

Confidentiality, like privilege, is based on the idea that some extremely sensitive information exchanged by a client with a treating professional is sacrosanct and should be kept hidden. However, there are times in which confidentiality is violated either by intentional or unintentional means. The current study will be guided with the general question of how varying the perspectives on breaching/breaking client confidentiality in psychotherapy is? And following are three specific queries: (1) to what circumstances call for breaking client confidentiality? (2) to what extent it can impact the therapeutic alliance? And (3) what are the common practices to resolve this ethical dilemma? To investigate these issues, the researcher conducted a scoping review using the outline of the method outlined by Arksey and O'Malley and Levac et al. Identified studies in this review suggests that there is no clear and direct path on resolving breaching client confidentiality but most of the literatures revealed that (1) Law protects psychotherapists and clients, given that there are justifiable circumstances (2) Preventive and protective measures are implemented before establishing any therapeutic alliances such as securing psychological contract from both parties. Psychotherapeutic practice should be re-examined to ensure that it meets the needs of the client without jeopardizing their safety, and practitioners should be safeguarded whenever information disclosure is required. This study presents an opportunity to rethink and redesign the framework within the ethical norms used to provide conventional psychological care.

Keywords psychotherapy scoping review breaching confidentiality psychological contract jeopardizing
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The team behind this paper

1 author, 1 institution.

This paper Far Eastern University — Philippines Far Eastern University 1 author Joie Mendoza-Mojedo — corresponding author JM Joie Mendoza-Mojedo ✉

Readership

1,129 reads over 32 months.

April 2024 November 2026

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Bibliographic Information

Joie Mendoza-Mojedo (2024). Breaching Client Confidentiality in Psychotherapy: A Scoping Review, Psychology and Education: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 18(6): 609-616
Bibtex Citation
@article{joie_mendoza-mojedo2024pemj,
author = {Joie Mendoza-Mojedo},
title = {Breaching Client Confidentiality in Psychotherapy: A Scoping Review},
journal = {Psychology and Education: A Multidisciplinary Journal},
year = {2024},
volume = {18},
number = {6},
pages = {609-616},
doi = {10.5281/zenodo.10935947},
url = {https://scimatic.org/show_manuscript/2754}
}
APA Citation
Mendoza-Mojedo, J., (2024). Breaching Client Confidentiality in Psychotherapy: A Scoping Review. Psychology and Education: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 18(6), 609-616. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10935947

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