Deck 8: Professional Boundaries, Dual Relationships, and Conflicts of Interest

Question 1

A social-work client relationship is a "fiduciary relationship," meaning that the client is:

A) In a position of confidence, trust, and reliance with the social worker
B) Under the age of majority
C) Allowed to sue a social worker for improper recordkeeping
D) Required to follow the advice of the social worker, as long as the social worker provides the advice in good faith

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Raoul is a social worker who usually does not take clients out for lunch. However, he is working with a homeless client who is hungry and has no money. Raoul offers to buy him lunch. The client agrees. Raoul's actions are an example of:

A) A clear violation of client self-determination under the NASW Code of Ethics
B) A clear violation of the principle of beneficence (doing good)
C) A clear violation of the principle of autonomy (client freedom)
D) A boundary crossing that is not necessarily harmful and does not necessarily violate the NASW Code of Ethics

Answer 2

D

Question 3

When deciding what is an "appropriate boundary" when working with clients from different cultures, social worker should:

A) Maintain the same boundaries regardless of the client's cultural background
B) Maintain rigid boundaries for all clients from individualistic cultures and maintain diffuse boundaries for clients from collective cultures
C) Take each client's culture into account when determining appropriate boundaries for relating with the client
D) Ignore the client's culture and establish firm boundaries and very formal relationships with all clients

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Which of the following is an example of violating appropriate "physical boundaries" with a client?

A) Asking the clients for details of their sexual histories
B) Attending a client's birthday party
C) Inviting a client to pray with you
D) Pinching a client's cheek without the client's permission

Question 5

Jives is a social work student struggling with personal issues that are affecting her ability to practice. To help clients more effectively, her supervisor thinks she would benefit from psychotherapy. Jive's field instructor should:

A) Provide Jives with therapy without extra charges
B) Provide Jives with therapy and charge the usual fee for services
C) Discuss how therapy may be useful for Jives, but not insist on it
D) Refer Jives to a good therapist and ask the therapist to provide the supervisor with regular reports on Jives' progress

Question 6

Tyrone and Adoni are coworkers who practice social work at the same community center. According to the NASW Code of Ethics' standards on maintaining professional boundaries:

A) There are no provisions that prohibit Tyrone and Adoni from being friends.
B) Tyrone and Adoni should not be friends, under any circumstances
C) Tyrone and Adoni must be friends and see each other outside of work hours to secure their friendship
D) Tyrone and Adoni should never speak with each other unless they are working during regular work hours

Question 7

The NASW Code of Ethics has several standards related to maintaining appropriate boundaries. In terms of group work, the NASW Code:

A) Prohibits group members from having sexual relationships with one another
B) Discourages group members from having friendships or dual relationships with other group members.
C) Requires group members to show respect to one another
D) Does not regulate relationships between group members

Question 8

When working with different communities, social workers should:

A) Be aware and responsive to the types of boundaries that community members believe are appropriate
B) Maintain very clear, formal, and firm boundaries with everyone in the community, at all times
C) Maintain very relaxed, informal, and flexible boundaries with everyone in the community, at all times
D) Avoid meeting one-to-one with any community member

Question 9

A "conflict of interest" arises when a social workers have:

A) An obligation to respect a client's right to self-determination
B) Two or more conflicting obligations with the people they are serving
C) A duty to serve an employer in a manner that is consistent with the client's wishes and interests
D) Lack of knowledge or skill for the types of assessments that they are providing

Question 10

When a dual relationship with a client is unavoidable (such as when practicing in a small community), then social workers should:

A) Tell the client that the client is responsible if anything goes wrong
B) Discuss potential conflicts or risks with the client and ways to manage them
C) Call their agency's program director and the NASW to tell them that they have violated the agency's conflict-of-interest guidelines
D) Advise the client that their friendship is more important than their work relationship