California Law and Ethics Practice Exam

What is a primary ethical consideration for therapists working with treatment units?

1. All members should be treated equally without distinction

2. Confidentiality must be respected even among unit members

3. Parents or guardians should be involved in every session

4. Communication can be shared openly among unit members

The correct answer is: Confidentiality must be respected even among unit members

The significance of maintaining confidentiality within treatment units is paramount in therapeutic settings. Therapists are ethically obligated to protect the privacy of their clients, which is a fundamental principle of therapeutic practice. This obligation becomes particularly complex in group or family therapy settings where multiple clients may be involved. Confidentiality ensures that clients feel safe to express themselves without fear that their disclosures will be shared outside the therapy context, or even among other unit members unless expressly permitted. In a treatment unit, respecting each member’s confidentiality fosters trust in the therapeutic process, encourages honest communication, and upholds professional ethical standards. While treating all members equally, involving parents or guardians, and sharing communication may hold relevance in certain contexts, they do not supersede the critical need for confidentiality in therapy. Therefore, prioritizing the respect for confidentiality is the primary ethical consideration when working with treatment units.