Ethical Standards & Professional Practice Flashcards

A CBT-I practitioner discovers that a client is also receiving sleep coaching from an unlicensed online service. What is the most ethically appropriate first step?

Answer: Discuss the concurrent services openly with the client and assess potential conflicts

Ethical practice requires transparent communication with clients about concurrent services to avoid conflicting advice and protect client welfare.

When a CBT-I client discloses that their insomnia is partly due to caring for a terminally ill spouse, the practitioner should:

Answer: Acknowledge the grief context and consider referral for bereavement support alongside CBT-I

Competent ethical practice involves recognizing comorbid psychosocial stressors and facilitating appropriate adjunct referrals while continuing evidence-based sleep treatment.

Which action best reflects the ethical principle of fidelity in CBT-I practice?

Answer: Honoring commitments made to clients about treatment structure and follow-up

Fidelity refers to trustworthiness and keeping promises, such as adhering to agreed-upon session schedules and treatment plans.

A CBT-I practitioner is asked by a client's employer to confirm whether the client is receiving treatment for work-performance-related insomnia. The practitioner should:

Answer: Refuse to disclose any information without specific written authorization from the client

Confidentiality requires that no information be disclosed to third parties, including employers, without explicit written informed consent from the client.

A practitioner realizes mid-treatment that the client's insomnia may stem from undiagnosed sleep apnea. The ethical obligation is to:

Answer: Refer the client for a sleep study and adjust the treatment plan accordingly

Competence and client welfare require recognizing the limits of CBT-I and facilitating medical evaluation when an underlying physiological condition is suspected.

Which scenario represents a boundary violation rather than a boundary crossing in CBT-I practice?

Answer: Entering into a business partnership with a current client

A business partnership with a current client constitutes a dual relationship that compromises objectivity and exploits the power differential, making it a boundary violation.

Under HIPAA, a CBT-I practitioner in a group practice must ensure that:

Answer: Client protected health information is accessible only on a minimum necessary basis

The HIPAA minimum necessary standard requires that access to protected health information be limited to what is needed to perform a specific function.