RPT Ethics & Cultural Competency in Practice 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A play therapist discovers that a child client's parent is also the therapist's neighbor and occasionally attends the same social events. What is the MOST appropriate initial step?
- Immediately terminate the therapeutic relationship
- Consult with a supervisor or colleague about the dual relationship (Correct answer)
- Continue treatment without disclosure since social contact is minimal
- Ask the parent to avoid all social gatherings where the therapist is present
Correct answer: Consult with a supervisor or colleague about the dual relationship
Consulting with a supervisor or colleague helps the therapist objectively assess whether the dual relationship impairs objectivity or harms the client before deciding on a course of action.
Question 2: A play therapist working with a Latino child notices the family values 'personalismo' (personal, warm relationships). Which culturally competent response is BEST?
- Maintain strict professional distance to preserve boundaries
- Incorporate appropriate warmth and personal connection while upholding ethical limits (Correct answer)
- Adopt full familismo practices to match cultural expectations
- Refer the family to a Latino therapist who shares their cultural background
Correct answer: Incorporate appropriate warmth and personal connection while upholding ethical limits
Culturally competent practice involves adapting relational style to honor cultural values like personalismo while still maintaining professional and ethical boundaries.
Question 3: Under HIPAA, a play therapist may share a minor client's protected health information with the child's parent EXCEPT when:
- The parent holds legal custody
- Disclosure would endanger the child (Correct answer)
- The parent requests a general treatment summary
- The parent needs information to coordinate insurance billing
Correct answer: Disclosure would endanger the child
HIPAA allows clinicians to withhold information from parents when sharing it could reasonably endanger the child's safety.
Question 4: A play therapist learns during a session that a 9-year-old client has been physically disciplined in a way that leaves visible bruises. The therapist is MOST obligated to:
- Discuss the concern with the parents first to gather more context
- Consult with a colleague before making any report
- File a mandatory report with child protective services (Correct answer)
- Document the disclosure and monitor the situation for further evidence
Correct answer: File a mandatory report with child protective services
As a mandated reporter, a play therapist must report suspected child abuse to the appropriate authorities without delay, regardless of parental explanations.
Question 5: A culturally competent play therapist working with a Native American child would MOST likely:
- Avoid using any storytelling techniques to prevent cultural stereotyping
- Incorporate the child's Indigenous traditions and values into treatment planning (Correct answer)
- Defer all treatment decisions to the tribal council
- Use only standardized Western play therapy protocols
Correct answer: Incorporate the child's Indigenous traditions and values into treatment planning
Integrating a child's cultural traditions, including Indigenous values and storytelling, reflects culturally responsive and competent practice.
Question 6: When a play therapist's personal religious beliefs conflict with a client family's practices, the MOST ethical course of action is to:
- Share personal beliefs openly to foster an honest therapeutic relationship
- Refer the family immediately to avoid any conflict
- Provide competent care that prioritizes the client's welfare over personal beliefs (Correct answer)
- Ask the family to avoid discussing their religious practices during sessions
Correct answer: Provide competent care that prioritizes the client's welfare over personal beliefs
Ethical codes require therapists to prioritize client welfare and refrain from imposing personal values, while referral is only appropriate if the therapist cannot provide competent, unbiased care.
Question 7: A play therapist is contacted by the child's non-custodial parent requesting session notes. The FIRST action the therapist should take is:
- Release the notes since both parents have parental rights
- Deny the request automatically to protect confidentiality
- Review the custody agreement and applicable state law to determine legal access rights (Correct answer)
- Contact the custodial parent for permission before taking any action
Correct answer: Review the custody agreement and applicable state law to determine legal access rights
The therapist must first determine the non-custodial parent's legal rights by reviewing the custody agreement and relevant state statutes before releasing any records.
RPT Ethics & Cultural Competency in Practice 2
A play therapist discovers that a child client's parent is also the therapist's neighbor and occasionally attends the same social events.
What is the MOST appropriate initial step?