CDT Medical Ethics & Patient Rights 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A CDT therapist suspects a student is experiencing abuse at home. What is the therapist's legal and ethical obligation?
- Consult with the student's teacher before taking any action
- Report the suspicion to the appropriate child protective services (Correct answer)
- Document the suspicion in the student's file and monitor over time
- Notify the parents about the suspicion before reporting
Correct answer: Report the suspicion to the appropriate child protective services
Mandated reporter laws require licensed professionals to report reasonable suspicions of child abuse to child protective services without delay.
Question 2: Which ethical obligation requires a dyslexia therapist to maintain accurate records of sessions, assessments, and interventions?
- Duty to warn
- Fidelity
- Accountability (Correct answer)
- Veracity
Correct answer: Accountability
Accountability requires practitioners to maintain transparent, accurate, and complete records that reflect the care provided.
Question 3: A school employs a CDT therapist to assess students for dyslexia. A parent requests a copy of their child's evaluation report. Under IDEA, what must the school provide?
- A summary of results only, not the full report
- Access to the full evaluation report at no cost to the parent (Correct answer)
- Access only if the parent hires an independent advocate
- Access within 90 days after the initial request
Correct answer: Access to the full evaluation report at no cost to the parent
Under IDEA, parents have the right to access all education records, including evaluation reports, free of charge.
Question 4: A CDT therapist works in a private practice and charges a sliding scale fee. One client cannot afford any fee. What is the ethical principle most directly relevant to this situation?
- Non-maleficence
- Justice (Correct answer)
- Fidelity
- Beneficence
Correct answer: Justice
Justice requires fair and equitable distribution of services and resources, prompting consideration of access for all clients regardless of financial status.
Question 5: A parent signs a release of information form allowing a CDT therapist to share records with a psychiatrist. Two years later, the psychiatrist's office requests updated records. Is the original release still valid?
- Yes, releases of information never expire
- No, releases typically expire and a new authorization is required (Correct answer)
- Yes, if the same diagnosis is involved
- No, only the student can authorize re-release as an adult
Correct answer: No, releases typically expire and a new authorization is required
Releases of information generally have an expiration date, and a new signed authorization is required before disclosing additional records.
Question 6: Which of the following best describes the ethical concept of 'do no harm' in the context of dyslexia therapy?
- Beneficence
- Autonomy
- Non-maleficence (Correct answer)
- Fidelity
Correct answer: Non-maleficence
Non-maleficence is the principle that practitioners should avoid causing harm, whether physical, emotional, or psychological, to those they serve.
Question 7: A CDT therapist learns that a student shared suicidal ideation during a session. What is the appropriate action?
- Maintain confidentiality and document in records only
- Notify parents or guardians and appropriate crisis resources immediately (Correct answer)
- Wait to see if the student mentions it again before acting
- Refer the student to a psychiatrist at the next scheduled appointment
Correct answer: Notify parents or guardians and appropriate crisis resources immediately
Disclosure of suicidal ideation triggers an exception to confidentiality; the therapist must notify guardians and connect the student with crisis resources immediately.
CDT Medical Ethics & Patient Rights 3
A CDT therapist suspects a student is experiencing abuse at home.
What is the therapist's legal and ethical obligation?