Deck 16: Law and Ethics in Abnormal Psychology

Question 1

When lawyers for a woman who was accused of killing a neighbor focused on her mental state upon learning that the neighbor had, himself, raped and murdered her three year-old daughter, they were invoking _____.

A) involuntary commitment
B) incompetence to stand trial
C) diminished capacity
D) least restrictive environment

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Pleas such as "culpable and mentally disabled," "mentally disabled, but neither culpable nor innocent," and "guilty, but mentally ill" allow ____.

A) jurors to reach a decision that convicts individuals for their crimes, holds them responsible for their acts, and ensures that they are given treatment for their mental illness
B) a judgment that a defendant has a factual and rational understanding of the proceeding and can rationally consult with counsel about his/her defense
C) different states and municipalities use different tests of insanity with varying outcomes
D) mental health professionals to come to a conclusion on what constitutes mental illness

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Mental state at the time of a crime is to ____ as mental state at the time before and during the trial is to ____.

A) competency to stand trial; civil commitment
B) dangerousness; civil commitment
C) insanity; dangerousness
D) insanity; competency to stand trial

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Which statement is accurate regarding the term insanity?

A) Insanity is a legal concept and a number of different standards are used as legal tests of insanity.
B) Insanity is a psychological term used to describe severe pathology.
C) Insanity has no psychological or legal meaning, but is used by the media.
D) Insanity is a legal term that is equivalent to a severe psychological disorder.

Question 5

The Durham (1954) decision suggested that insanity was ____.

A) an improper way for defendants to avoid responsibility
B) too frequently successful, particularly in violent crimes
C) always based on irresistible impulse
D) a product of mental disease or defect as defined by mental health professionals

Question 6

The insanity defense is used in ____ of cases and is ____ successful.

A) less than one percent; rarely
B) about five percent; almost always
C) about 10 percent; almost always
D) about 20 percent; rarely

Question 7

A man who had delusions and hallucinations that told him to kill his parents is found not guilty by reason of insanity because, at the time of the crime, he did not know right from wrong. This insanity verdict ____.

A) is no longer possible in the United States
B) is contradictory to the American Law Institute code
C) illustrates the irresistible impulse idea
D) illustrates the M'Naghten Rule

Question 8

Due to a mental condition, Jonathan seems unable to feed or care for himself. His family wants to put him in a treatment facility against his will. Joanna has told her therapist that she plans to kill her husband. The therapist is contemplating breaching this confidence so that the husband can be warned. Which case involves behavior that has legal and ethical implications?

A) both Jonathan's and Joanna's cases
B) neither Jonathan's nor Joanna's case
C) Joanna's case only
D) Jonathan's case only

Question 9

One thing that John Hinckley, James Holmes, and Brian David Mitchell have in common is that they all ____.

A) were committed to a mental institution for treatment
B) were found guilty and convicted to spend time in prison
C) used the insanity defense
D) were judged mentally incompetent to stand trial

Question 10

Which statement about criminal commitment is accurate?

A) It refers to the incarceration of someone for having committed a crime.
B) It occurs when people suffering from mental disorders are admitted to a psychiatric hospital against their will.
C) It always requires a hearing to assess competency to stand trial.
D) It leads to incarceration of only those people who are not remorseful for their actions.

Question 11

At one time, psychologists were primarily involved in evaluating criminal defendants for competency to stand trial. Now psychologists ____.

A) primarily do evaluations for competency cases that involve the new "guilty, but mentally ill" defense
B) are forbidden from doing such evaluations
C) have expanded roles including giving expert opinions on organic brain functioning, traumatic injury, suicide, and deprogramming activities
D) evaluate civil defendants for competency to stand trial

Question 12

Which standard, when combined with M'Naghten, broadened the criteria for using the insanity defense?

A) ALI model
B) irresistible impulse test
C) Durham Rule
D) Model Penal Code

Question 13

After John W. Hinckley, Jr. was acquitted of attempting to assassinate President Reagan on the basis of his plea of "not guilty by reason of insanity," ____.

A) Congress passed the Insanity Defense Reform Act of 1984, which based the definition of insanity totally on the individual's ability to understand his or her actions
B) the American Law Institute wrote the Model Penal Code, which shifted the burden of determining criminal responsibility from experts to the jury
C) the American Law Institute amended its Model Penal Code to include the concept of diminished capacity
D) the federal courts amended the insanity laws to place a greater burden on the defendant to prove insanity in assassination cases that involve political figures

Question 14

An attorney says to his client, "If we can convince the judge that when you shot your mother, you either did not know it was a criminal thing to do or could not control your behavior because you had a mental disease or defect (other than antisocial conduct), you should be found not guilty by reason of insanity." What legal standard is the attorney describing?

A) Durham standard
B) American Law Institute Model Penal Code
C) M'Naghten Rule
D) irresistible impulse standard

Question 15

Which of the following accurately pairs the insanity rule with its description?

A) irresistible impulse-lack of willpower or control over behavior
B) M'Naghten Rule-lack of willpower or control over behavior
C) M'Naghten Rule-unable to help in one's defense
D) irresistible impulse-did not know right from wrong

Question 16

The basic premise of criminal law in the United States suggests that behavior is ____.

A) fundamentally uncontrollable
B) freely chosen
C) a result of genes and our environment
D) a product of both culture and family upbringing

Question 17

What legal standard asks whether the accused knows right from wrong?

A) American Law Institute's Model Penal Code
B) Durham Rule
C) M'Naghten Rule
D) irresistible impulse

Question 18

Which case is correctly matched with the issue it is most often used to illustrate?

A) Brian David Mitchell-involuntary commitment
B) Andrea Yates-competence to stand trial
C) BL ("bag lady")-determination of sanity
D) Tarasoff-therapist's obligation to breach confidentiality

Question 19

What is a question raised by the Tarasoff ruling?

A) "How can a therapist decide whether a client is competent to stand trial?"
B) "When is a therapist legally and ethically obligated to breach patient-therapist confidentiality?"
C) "When does a therapist decide that the client should be involuntarily committed?"
D) "What is the best way for therapists to protect their clients' rights?"

Question 20

The purpose of such new verdicts as "guilty, but mentally ill" and "culpable and mentally disabled" is to ____.

A) increase the courts' awareness that mentally ill criminals are not responsible for their actions
B) reduce the influence of mental health professionals in trials
C) separate the issue of mental illness from individual responsibility for their actions
D) eliminate the idea of personal responsibility from the law

Question 21

After a defendant screams at his attorney while in court for the fifth time, the judge says, "It seems likely that your client either does not know what is going on in these proceedings or cannot rationally consult with you." The judge is questioning the ____.

A) attorney's desire to use civil commitment
B) client's temporary state of mind
C) attorney's privileged communication
D) client's competency to stand trial

Question 22

What is an accurate predictor of dangerousness?

A) a history of violence
B) the belief of a concerned person that the individual in question is dangerous
C) lack of appropriate self-care
D) inability to make responsible decisions about appropriate treatment

Question 23

Mustafa's family has petitioned the court to have him involuntarily committed. The judge, having decided that Mustafa's mental health should be examined, performs the examination herself. Then, at an informal hearing, Mustafa was not allowed to testify. What part of this story is accurate?

A) A judge is not the one to perform the examination.
B) The person who is the target of a commitment cannot testify.
C) Family members can petition for a civil commitment proceeding.
D) The person who is the target of a commitment is provided an informal hearing.

Question 24

Carmelita's mother has contacted an attorney to begin civil commitment proceedings for Carmelita. We can guess that the mother is ____.

A) highly concerned with the lifelong stigma of psychiatric hospitalization
B) convinced that Carmelita committed a crime while insane
C) concerned that Carmelita is potentially a danger to herself or others
D) aware that Carmelita cannot rationally assist her attorney in a criminal case

Question 25

Because of the Jackson v. Indiana (1972) decision, the determination that a person is not competent to stand trial ____.

A) cannot lead to an indefinite period of confinement solely on the grounds of incompetency
B) can be obtained without giving the defendant due process
C) now leads to an acquittal on all criminal charges
D) now leads to an automatic finding of innocent by reason of insanity

Question 26

In the play Harvey, a man who says he sees a six-foot white rabbit is the target of people who want to admit him involuntarily to a psychiatric hospital. Why is this kind of civil commitment something to be avoided if at all possible?

A) People who are in hospitals involuntarily are usually denied treatment.
B) Civil commitment leads to the stigma of psychiatric hospitalization, major disruptions in the person's life, loss of control over one's life, and loss of self-esteem.
C) People who are civilly committed spend more time in the hospital than they would in prison if they were convicted of a crime.
D) Civil commitment takes away the person's due process rights.

Question 27

What is one of the criteria used to determine a defendant's competency to stand trial?

A) Did the defendant understand what he or she was doing at the time the crime was committed?
B) Does the defendant have a factual understanding of the court proceedings?
C) Did the defendant determine if he or she was a danger to others?
D) Did the defendant exercise his or her right to refuse treatment?

Question 28

Critics of civil commitment argue that ____.

A) patients who are committed will eventually be thankful that they got help
B) patients who need treatment cannot be distinguished from those who do not
C) civil commitment is for the benefit of those initiating commitment procedures
D) patients who are treated against their will often become more disturbed

Question 29

The rationale for requests for civil commitment is that involuntary confinement will ____.

A) prevent harm to the person or to others
B) restore competency to stand trial
C) eliminate concerns with due process
D) permit necessary diagnostic testing

Question 30

Henry wants to have his wife Eleanor committed to a mental hospital because he believes she presents a danger to herself. What would be the first step in the civil commitment process?

A) Henry or another concerned person would have to file a petition with the court to examine Eleanor.
B) The court would appoint two mental health professionals to examine Eleanor.
C) There would be a hearing to determine Eleanor's mental state and whether she poses any danger to herself.
D) Because it might be too dangerous to wait for a hearing to be set, Henry must secure a temporary order to have Eleanor committed until a court hearing can take place.

Question 31

Dr. Chung says, "Psychologists are poor predictors of dangerousness for the same reason that meteorologists are poor at predicting when a tornado will occur." Dr. Chung means that dangerousness ____.

A) is unrelated to the context in which it occurs
B) never happens in the same place twice
C) is something that is affected by the weather
D) is a rare event

Question 32

Milton was found not competent to stand trial. He was admitted to a psychiatric facility where, after many months, it was determined he was unlikely to regain competency. According to the Supreme Court ruling of Jackson v. Indiana, what will happen to Milton?

A) He will be tried for the crime of which he was accused.
B) He will remain in the psychiatric facility.
C) Either he will be freed or civil commitment procedures will begin.
D) He will be found "guilty, but mentally ill" and placed in a psychiatric hospital.

Question 33

An attorney says, "You should not be able to confine a person on the basis of assuming that the person will harm someone. And you should certainly not be able to confine the person without a jury trial. It may be called 'treatment,' but it still feels to the person like imprisonment without having committed a crime." The attorney is criticizing ____.

A) the deinstitutionalization movement
B) competency to stand trial
C) the right to treatment movement
D) civil commitment

Question 34

A judge hears four cases involving civil commitment. Based on the criteria for civil commitment, which case is likely to be denied by the judge (i.e., the person will not be sent to a psychiatric facility involuntarily)?

A) A man is so terrified of auditory hallucinations that he is likely to lose control and kill himself.
B) A delusional woman is likely to kill her husband in the next several days.
C) A starving psychotic man has no permanent residence and no way to stay out of subzero temperatures at night.
D) A young married woman is depressed and anxious after giving birth.

Question 35

In the film Minority Report, people were arrested and sentenced based on predictions that they were going to commit a specific crime at some future date, even though no crime had yet been committed. This scenario is similar to what type of proceeding that mental patients experience in the United States today?

A) involuntary competency hearings
B) involuntary civil commitment
C) voluntary civil commitment
D) criminal commitment

Question 36

What term refers to the legal checks and balances that are guaranteed to everyone, such as the right to counsel and the right to present evidence?

A) the right to treatment
B) due process
C) civil commitment
D) ethical standards

Question 37

Hannah was hospitalized against her will in a civil commitment proceeding. Which criterion could have been used in her civil commitment hearing?

A) her parents' fear that she was about to lose emotional control
B) her inability to care for herself
C) her inability to consult rationally with her attorney
D) her diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder

Question 38

Defendant "A" is a serial killer. Defendant "B" is a mass murderer. Based on what we currently are able to predict, what will these two defendants have in common?

A) Both are psychotic.
B) Both are remorseful about their actions.
C) Both are likely to have a personality disorder.
D) Both are filled with rage.

Question 39

Janice has bipolar disorder and refuses to take medication to control her manic episodes. She was arrested last night for disturbing the peace and assault. When she is brought into custody, it is apparent that she is experiencing a manic episode. She appears very disturbed, and after a psychological evaluation, a psychologist files a report with the court indicating that Janice is not competent to stand trial. What will likely happen to Janice now?

A) She will be given medication, and once her manic episode has been controlled, she will be released with no further court involvement.
B) She will be confined in a secure facility until she is deemed competent to stand trial.
C) She will be represented during court proceedings by her legal guardian.
D) She will be sent to a public psychiatric hospital until she is deemed competent to stand trial.

Question 40

The case of the "bag lady" (BL) demonstrates the involuntary confinement of a person perceived to be a threat to self or to others, even though no crime has been committed. This is known as ____.

A) civil commitment
B) institutionalization
C) criminal commitment
D) civil hospitalization

Question 41

The case of Wyatt v. Stickney not only mandated that mental patients have a right to receive treatment, but also ruled that mental patients ____.

A) are entitled to custodial care
B) should be maintained in the least restrictive environment appropriate for their condition
C) may be committed for no more than 72 hours unless a civil commitment proceeding has been initiated
D) may not be forced to engage in work-related activities aimed at maintaining the institution in which they live

Question 42

Which case affirmed the right of the mentally ill to receive appropriate treatment and also asserted that physicians and institutions are liable for improper confinements?

A) O'Connor v. Donaldson
B) Tarasoff v. Board of Regents of the University of California
C) Rennie v. Klein
D) Addington v. Texas

Question 43

Marta has been diagnosed with catatonic schizophrenia and resides in a psychiatric hospital. When Marta takes her medication, her catatonic symptoms decrease significantly. However, Marta recently has started to refuse her medication, stating that she does not like the side effects. What should staff do?

A) Given that Marta is refusing to take her medication, they should revoke her right to the least restrictive alternative and place her in a locked psychiatric ward.
B) Marta has the right to refuse treatment so she cannot, given her present state, be forced to take medication against her will
C) Based on her right to the least restrictive alternative, they should move Marta to a group home in the community.
D) Based on the right to treatment, they should force Marta to take her medications.

Question 44

Since deinstitutionalization began, huge numbers of former mental patients have been discharged from psychiatric facilities. It appears that many of them ____.

A) need treatment but are able to work
B) have found ways to become employed and to overcome their mental illnesses
C) are now in high-quality nursing homes and group residences
D) are severely disabled and are homeless

Question 45

The Addington v. Texas (1979) ruling declared that ____.

A) people who are involuntarily committed have no right to refuse medication that is given as treatment.
B) irresistible impulse is no longer a valid definition of insanity
C) the state must provide "clear and convincing evidence" before committing people
D) people cannot be kept in mental institutions unless a certain quality of living environment is maintained

Question 46

Judge Franklin says, "This patient is fully able to care for herself. I recognize her need for psychological care but have decided that she should be placed in a halfway house rather than a state mental hospital." The judge's decision illustrates the principle of ____.

A) duty to warn
B) commitment based on dangerousness
C) right to refuse treatment
D) least restrictive form of treatment

Question 47

May criminal defendants be forced to take medication that will make them competent to stand trial if doing so will likely result in their execution?

A) No. That would clearly violate their constitutional rights.
B) Yes. If medication is likely to improve the defendant's mental condition, both the state and the defendant should be entitled to have the case tried.
C) No. Such actions would not be in the best interests of the defendant.
D) Perhaps. Sell v. United States put strict limits on involuntarily medicating mentally ill defendants to make them competent to stand trial.

Question 48

Addington v. Texas was a Supreme Court ruling on civil commitment. It changed the standard of proof such that ____.

A) the judge or jury had to be 51 percent certain of the evidence to decide in favor of commitment
B) the standard was set at a lower level of certainty than in criminal cases
C) commitment could occur only if there was evidence "beyond a reasonable doubt"
D) the judge or jury had to be 90 percent certain of the evidence to decide in favor of commitment

Question 49

Since its inception in the 1960s, the impact of deinstitutionalization has been to ____.

A) reduce the need for community supports when mental patients are discharged
B) decrease by 75 percent the number of people in institutions
C) increase by 75 percent the average number of patients committed per year
D) virtually eliminate the homeless mentally ill

Question 50

The policy that began in the 1960s and resulted in people with mental disorders being moved out of large state mental hospitals and back into their local communities is called ____.

A) communalization
B) the right to receive treatment
C) deinstitutionalization
D) the least intrusive treatment principle

Question 51

An attorney is arguing before a judge that his client, involuntarily committed to a mental institution, is being forced to take medication and that medication is used only as a means of controlling patients, not treating them. He wants his client to be allowed to refuse medication. Which legal decision should the attorney use to support his position?

A) Rennie v. Klein
B) Tarasoff v. Board of Regents of University of California
C) Wyatt v. Stickney
D) Durham standard

Question 52

What was a major impetus for the support of deinstitutionalization?

A) The finding that psychosurgical procedures like prefrontal lobotomy could return people to sanity
B) The cases of Rennie v. Klein (1978) and Rogers v. Okin (1979)
C) The passing of the "Guidelines on Institutional Care" by the American Psychological Association
D) The notion that many mental hospitals were primarily "warehouses" that provided little benefit to patients

Question 53

The legal system uses three standards of proof: beyond a reasonable doubt, clear and convincing evidence, and preponderance of evidence. For mental health purposes, the burden of proof standard is ____.

A) beyond a reasonable doubt
B) clear and convincing evidence
C) preponderance of evidence
D) has yet to be determined by the judicial system

Question 54

Besides being famous for murdering many people, what else do Jeffrey Dahmer, Seung Hui Cho, Eric Harris, and Dylan Klebold have in common?

A) Their aberrant thoughts and behaviors appear to have gone unrecognized or were ignored.
B) They were all teenagers when they committed their heinous acts.
C) They were all sexually abused by people they trusted when they were young.
D) All of them had previous criminal records.

Question 55

An attorney says, "Patients who have been involuntarily confined for treatment have a constitutional right that is supported by cases such as Rouse v. Cameron and Wyatt v. Stickney." What right is the attorney talking about?

A) confidentiality
B) right to treatment
C) right to refuse treatment
D) due process

Question 56

Max was committed to a psychiatric hospital six months ago as a result of his aggressive, combative, and physically threatening behavior. At the time of his hospitalization, his family and friends were afraid he was going to hurt someone. At the present time, however, Max is not demonstrating any physically threatening behavior. In addition, he has some minimal self-help skills and is believed to be able to function by himself with minimal supervision. What do the legal rights of mental patients suggest should be done with Max?

A) There are no legal rights of mental patients that specifically address Max's situation.
B) Based on the right to the least restrictive alternative, Max should be moved to a group home or halfway house.
C) Based on the right to refuse treatment, Max should never have been hospitalized and should be released immediately.
D) Based on the right to treatment, Max should remain in the hospital until the psychologists can predict with certainty that he is no longer a threat to himself or others.

Question 57

An attorney says this to a judge in a civil commitment case: "Your honor, the Supreme Court in 1979 ruled that we cannot deny people their liberty by committing them to mental institutions involuntarily unless we have 'clear and convincing evidence' that they are mentally ill and potentially dangerous." To what Supreme Court ruling is the attorney referring?

A) Addington v. Texas
B) Tarasoff v. Board of Regents of the University of California
C) Wyatt v. Stickney
D) Jackson v. Indiana

Question 58

Suppose a mental patient's family sues a state hospital for failing to provide minimal treatment. What court decision would the family's lawyer probably cite?

A) Rogers v. Okin (1979)
B) United States v. Hinckley (1982)
C) Wyatt v. Stickney (1972)
D) Tarasoff v. Board of Regents of the University of California (1976)

Question 59

The best example of a form of therapy that would be considered in violation of the least intrusive treatment principle is ____.

A) rational-emotive therapy
B) electroconvulsive therapy
C) behavior therapy
D) psychoanalytic therapy

Question 60

Much of the problem with deinstitutionalization appears to be the ____.

A) lack of community resources for discharged patients
B) ineffectiveness of medication given to discharged patients
C) poor quality of care patients received in the hospital
D) frequency with which misdiagnoses are made by mental health professionals

Question 61

Keeping client information confidential is ____.

A) a desirable, but not essential, part of therapy
B) an issue with psychoanalytic therapists but not most others
C) assured in all circumstances, according to a United States Supreme Court ruling
D) an ethical, not a legal, obligation

Question 62

Privileged communication is a(n) ____.

A) right that is held by the therapist, not the client
B) narrower legal concept than confidentiality
C) ethical obligation, not a legal one
D) broader ethical concept than confidentiality

Question 63

Monica, age 12, gives her therapist convincing evidence that she was sexually molested by her stepfather from the time she was 8 until she was 11. According to the principle of privileged communication, the therapist ____.

A) must divulge this information to the proper authorities
B) must have a conference with the stepfather
C) cannot divulge this information unless Monica waives confidentiality
D) cannot divulge this information under any circumstances

Question 64

"Protective privilege ends where public peril begins" summarizes ____.

A) the duty-to-warn principle
B) the concept of mainstreaming
C) Thomas Szasz's position on patients' rights
D) the American Law Institute standard for the insanity defense

Question 65

Mr. P. told his therapist that he intends to shoot his ex-wife's new husband, and the therapist kept this information confidential. Lawyers are now suing the therapist because Mr. P. did shoot the new husband, as well as his ex-wife. What legal precedents will the plaintiff's attorneys probably use in the case?

A) Tarasoff v. Regents of the University of California
B) those cases dealing with the right to refuse treatment
C) O'Connor v. Donaldson and Wyatt v. Stickney
D) those cases dealing with least restrictive environment

Question 66

What is the ethical standard that protects clients from disclosure of information without their consent?

A) confidentiality
B) privileged communication
C) duty to warn
D) due process

Question 67

According to the Tarasoff case, a therapist who informs the police that a client intends to harm another person ____.

A) is unlawfully breaking the principle of privileged communication
B) can still be sued if he or she has failed to warn the potential victim
C) has done all that can be reasonably expected
D) has unlawfully intruded on the client's right to treatment

Question 68

A therapist says to her client, "What is said in this room is kept in strict confidence unless there are legal or therapeutic reasons to reveal it. Under most circumstances, though, you have control over what gets disclosed. Unless you give me permission, I will not disclose any confidential information." The therapist is describing the ____.

A) therapist's right of confidentiality
B) client's right to treatment
C) therapist's duty to warn
D) client's privileged communication

Question 69

Dr. Sheffield has found that forcing his patients to take medication has caused a problem with being able to treat them effectively. This problem is likely to be that ____.

A) patients who are forced to take medication tend to become overmedicated and can't focus on therapy
B) he becomes so exhausted from forcing treatment on the patients that his own personal resources become depleted and he can't focus on their therapy
C) it is illegal in all cases to force treatment on anyone who is unwilling to embrace it
D) patients who are forced into treatment seem to resist it, which nullifies the potentially beneficial effects of therapy

Question 70

A psychologist says, "I believe that the therapeutic process involves such a deep personal association between therapist and patient that ethically it requires me to keep sensitive information secret from others." The psychologist is referring to ____.

A) mainstreaming
B) due process
C) confidentiality
D) the patient's rights

Question 71

Dr. Jenkins has a client who is violent. Dr. Jenkins is concerned that his client may engage in dangerous acts against others. If the client does become violent, Dr. Jenkins could be held accountable for ____.

A) discussing the case with other experts
B) not warning potential victims
C) due process
D) providing the least restrictive environment

Question 72

Which statement about legal protection of therapists is accurate?

A) The therapist-client relationship is not given the same legal protection as the attorney-client relationship.
B) Not a single state in the United States has included the principle of client-privileged communication in its laws.
C) The therapist-client relationship has the same legal protection as the attorney-client relationship.
D) Psychiatric practices are regulated in only five states in the United States.

Question 73

Under which circumstance can a therapist divulge information about a client to a third party?

A) when the third party is a qualified psychiatrist or psychologist
B) when the therapist thinks such consultation is in the best interest of the client
C) when the therapist has reason to believe that the client presents a danger to himself or herself or may potentially harm someone else
D) when the therapist is a professor and will use the information to teach

Question 74

Dr. Vera learns in the midst of a therapy session that his client has been committing a series of violent rapes. Can Dr. Vera divulge this information to the police?

A) Yes, but only if the client comes with the therapist to the police.
B) Yes, however therapists are not mandated to breach confidentiality when clients inform them that they have committed past crimes
C) No, privileged communication is a right only the client can waive.
D) No, criminal action is not an exception to confidentiality.

Question 75

Critics of deinstitutionalization argue that ____.

A) too much money has been spent on resources for individuals on the street
B) it allows states to relinquish their responsibility to care for patients unable to care for themselves
C) discharged patients can make the transition to community living if they rely on friends and family for support
D) not enough people with mental illness have been discharged from psychiatric hospitals

Question 76

Homelessness is increasing at an alarming pace in the United States. Among the homeless, it is estimated that ____ to ____ suffer from a mental disorder.

A) 10; 25
B) 20; 55
C) 30; 70
D) 50; 85

Question 77

The duty-to-warn principle ____.

A) was first discussed in Judge Frank Johnson's ruling in Wyatt v. Stickney
B) developed out of discontent over the insanity defense
C) suggests that there are no circumstances when privileged communication can be waived
D) came from the Tarasoff ruling

Question 78

Dr. Johnson's patient Lou was distraught and mentioned several times when he referred to his mother that he was "going to kill the bitch." Dr. Johnson is required by law to ____.

A) notify his supervisor
B) do nothing
C) warn the potential victim
D) protect the potential victim

Question 79

Lillian is considering going to a psychotherapist but has a fear that a male therapist might engage in sexual behavior with her. Then she reads the ethical principles of the national psychiatry, psychology, and social work organizations and finds that ___.

A) all professional organizations condemn and prohibit sexual behavior between therapist and client
B) none of the organizations directly condemns or prohibits sexual behavior between therapist and client
C) social work condemns sexual behavior between therapist and client, but psychiatry and psychology have taken no position on this issue
D) psychiatry and psychology condemn sexual behavior between therapist and client, but social work has taken no position on this issue

Question 80

Which of the following is a primary legal, moral, or ethical issue affecting the therapist-client relationship?

A) The therapist's obligation to avoid sexual intimacies with clients
B) The therapists' obligation to avoid charging excessive fees to indigent clients
C) The therapist's duty to notify others of past harm or violence
D) The therapist's obligation to maintain a regular schedule during business hours