CT Ethical & Professional Standards 2

Question 1

A thanatologist discovers a colleague is providing grief counseling without proper credentials. What is the most ethically appropriate first step?

Accepted Answer

Discuss the concern directly with the colleague

Answer

Ethical codes generally require addressing concerns directly with a colleague first before escalating to formal reporting.

Question 2

Which principle guides a thanatologist to avoid imposing personal values about death and dying on clients?

Accepted Answer

Autonomy

Answer

The autonomy principle respects clients' rights to hold and act on their own values and beliefs about death.

Question 3

A thanatologist is asked to testify as an expert witness in a case involving a client. What ethical issue is most prominent?

Accepted Answer

Dual role conflict

Answer

Serving as both a treating professional and expert witness creates a dual role conflict that can compromise objectivity and the therapeutic relationship.

Question 4

When is it ethically permissible for a CT to accept a small gift from a bereaved family?

Accepted Answer

When the gift is of minimal value and refusal would cause offense

Answer

Most ethical guidelines permit accepting gifts of minimal monetary value when refusal would be culturally insensitive or cause unnecessary harm to the relationship.

Question 5

A certified thanatologist working in a hospital setting learns that a patient's family wants to withhold a terminal diagnosis from the patient. The ethical tension here is primarily between:

Accepted Answer

Non-maleficence and veracity

Answer

Withholding a diagnosis creates tension between avoiding harm (non-maleficence) and the obligation to be truthful (veracity) with the patient.

(CT) Certified Thanatologist Practice Test

(CT) Certified Thanatologist Practice Test

CT Ethical & Professional Standards 2