Therapist-patient sex. From boundary violations to sexual misconduct

Psychiatr Clin North Am. 1999 Mar;22(1):31-47. doi: 10.1016/s0193-953x(05)70057-5.

Abstract

It is the therapist's ethical, professional, and legal duty to establish and maintain treatment boundaries consistent with the provision of good clinical care. The therapist must guard against progressive boundary violations that are damaging to patient care and that may also lead to sexual exploitation of the patient.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Countertransference
  • Ethics, Medical*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Licensure / standards
  • Male
  • Malpractice / legislation & jurisprudence
  • Middle Aged
  • Physician-Patient Relations*
  • Practice Guidelines as Topic / standards*
  • Professional Review Organizations
  • Psychiatry / legislation & jurisprudence*
  • Psychiatry / standards
  • Psychotherapy / methods
  • Psychotherapy / standards*
  • Sex Offenses / legislation & jurisprudence*
  • Sex Offenses / psychology
  • Transference, Psychology
  • United States