Ethics & Cultural Competency in Practice Flashcards

A play therapist is asked by a school to share session observations about a child without a signed release. The MOST appropriate response is to:

Answer: Decline to share any information until a properly signed release is obtained

Verbal disclosures of protected health information still require client authorization; sharing any identifying clinical information without a proper release violates confidentiality.

Which BEST describes the 'duty to protect' in play therapy when a child discloses that a parent is threatening to harm the other parent?

Answer: The therapist must assess the seriousness of the threat and take protective action, which may include warning the potential victim

Duty to protect obligations can extend to identifiable third parties who face serious, credible threats, requiring the therapist to take reasonable protective action even when the child is the source of the disclosure.

A play therapist who is a member of a small faith community learns that a prospective client's family attends the same congregation. The MOST ethical step is to:

Answer: Evaluate the potential dual relationship and consider referring the family to another qualified therapist

Overlapping community ties create potential dual relationships that may compromise objectivity; the therapist must carefully evaluate the risk and consider referral to protect client welfare.

Cultural humility in play therapy MOST fundamentally involves:

Answer: Ongoing self-reflection about one's own cultural biases and openness to learning from clients

Cultural humility is an ongoing, lifelong process of self-examination, acknowledging one's own cultural limitations, and approaching clients as experts in their own cultural experience.

A play therapist is asked to testify as a fact witness about a former client in a custody proceeding. The therapist SHOULD:

Answer: Testify only about facts directly observed, without offering clinical opinions unless qualified as an expert

As a fact witness, the therapist may only testify about directly observed facts, not clinical opinions, and should clarify their role to the court if asked to offer opinions beyond their designated scope.

A play therapist working with a child in foster care discovers the child's biological parent, who lacks legal custody, has been contacting the child directly. The therapist's FIRST ethical obligation is to:

Answer: Report the contact to the child's legal guardian or foster care agency

The therapist must inform the child's legal guardian or the relevant child welfare agency about unauthorized contact, as this directly affects the child's safety and the legal framework of their care.

A play therapist is treating a 7-year-old who begins to disclose abuse during a sand tray session. The MOST appropriate therapeutic response is to:

Answer: Allow the child to disclose at their own pace using the play medium without leading questions

During a disclosure in therapy, the therapist should allow the child to lead without asking suggestive or leading questions, as the play therapy setting is not the appropriate context for forensic interviewing.