Professional Ethics Flashcards
7 cards from real MFT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Professional Ethics flashcards as text
An MFT discovers that a supervisee has been engaging in a dual relationship with a client. The supervisor's ethical obligation is to:
Answer: Address the behavior directly and take corrective action
Supervisors are ethically responsible for the conduct of supervisees and must directly address and remediate ethical violations.
Which situation most clearly represents a boundary violation in MFT practice?
Answer: Accepting an expensive gift from a client to avoid hurting their feelings
Accepting expensive gifts from clients creates a problematic boundary crossing that can distort the therapeutic relationship.
A client calls their MFT therapist at 2 a.m. non-urgently to chat. The most appropriate response is to:
Answer: Set a clear limit and discuss boundaries at the next session
Maintaining clear professional boundaries includes clarifying appropriate contact parameters and addressing boundary issues therapeutically.
Mandatory reporting of suspected child abuse is required when an MFT:
Answer: Has a reasonable suspicion based on observed indicators
Mandatory reporting laws in all U.S. states require reporting based on reasonable suspicion, not confirmed evidence.
An MFT wants to use a clinical case in a journal article. To protect client confidentiality, the therapist must:
Answer: Change identifying details and obtain written consent or use a composite
Publishing case material requires either written client consent or sufficient disguise of identifying information to prevent recognition.
What is the primary ethical concern with a therapist providing therapy to a close friend?
Answer: The pre-existing relationship compromises therapeutic objectivity and boundaries
Prior personal relationships create dual relationships that impair therapeutic objectivity and blur professional boundaries.
When an MFT disagrees with a client's autonomous decision that is legal but potentially self-harmful, the appropriate stance is to:
Answer: Respect client autonomy while expressing concern and exploring the decision therapeutically
Respecting client autonomy means supporting the right to make personal decisions while therapeutically exploring concerns about potential self-harm.