When do marriage and family therapists tell: An investigation of factors related to therapists' breaking confidence when clients disclose high-risks-to-HIV/AIDS sexual behaviors
Abstract
This national survey of 309 marriage and family therapists examined what therapists do when their HIV-positive clients disclose that they are engaging in high-risk sexual behavior. The participants were given vignettes in which a fictitious client told the therapist about engaging in unprotected sex. For each vignette, the participant was asked to indicate how dangerous he/she thought the client behavior was and the likelihood that he/she would break the client's confidentiality. While the basic situations were the same, the client variables of age, gender, race, sexual orientation, and HIV status were systematically varied. The participants were more likely to break confidence regarding unsafe sex practices when their clients were male, young, gay, or African American. Moreover, therapists who were more likely to disclose were older, female, having little or no experience with gay/lesbian populations, Catholic, very religious and practicing in urban areas. The results indicate that not everyone will be treated the same when they tell a therapist about risky sexual behavior. The implications of these and other results have been discussed.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Piercy, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Families & family life|Personal relationships|Sociology|Psychotherapy|Social work|Social psychology|Public health
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