Constructions of Therapist-Client Sex: A Comparative Analysis of Retrospective Victim Reports

Somer, Eli; Nachmani, Irit

doi:10.1177/107906320501700106

Cited by 12 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…It seems that transgressing therapists more commonly describe a romantic component than serial relationships (Celenza, ; Gabbard, ; Lamb, Strand, Woodburn, & Buchko, ; Pope, Keith‐Speigel, & Tabachnick, ). This mirrors the findings of studies exploring the understanding of clients who experience therapist‐client sex, where a common pattern is a gradual process starting with therapist disclosure and seductive behaviour (Somer & Nachmanil, ).…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 72%

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Managing boundaries under pressure: A qualitative study of therapists’ experiences of sexual attraction in therapy

Martin

Godfrey

Meekums

et al. 2010

Couns and Psychother Res

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Aim: To identify therapists' views on sexual boundaries and the strategies they employ to manage them in therapeutic practice. Method: In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with a sample of 13 accredited, experienced practitioners of psychotherapy or counselling. A grounded theory approach, informed by principles from Free Association Narrative methodology, was employed, in which team members used debriefing sessions for extending depth of understanding of the interviews. Findings: There is consensus about boundaries at the extremes, but variability about fantasy, flirtation and touch. A core process was generated from accounts of successful management of sexual attraction. We identified four problematic ways of reacting to boundary pressure, each with potential to harm clients and therapy. Discussion: A participant-observer stance was conceptualised as essential for managing threats to boundaries, consistent with the empathic stance. Minor boundary crossings were viewed by interviewees as both potential precursors of more serious transgressions, and as opportunities for understanding the client's difficulties. Implications for practice: These span training, accrediting organisations, supervision and therapy practice.

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Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 72%

“…Further, some studies focus only on relationships with current clients, whereas others include those where relationships occurred after termination of professional involvement. What is not disputed is the adverse effect of such violations on clients (Ben‐Ari & Somer, ; Somer & Nachmanil, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Managing boundaries under pressure: A qualitative study of therapists’ experiences of sexual attraction in therapy

Martin

Godfrey

Meekums

et al. 2010

Couns and Psychother Res

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“…All previous research on the subject shows that most of the victims of sexual abuse in psychotherapy and psychiatry are women and most of the perpetrators are men [3,11,12]. The therapists are on average 10-15 years older than their female victims [3,11,[13][14][15][16]].…”

Section: Introduction 1prevalencementioning

confidence: 99%

Sexual assaults in therapeutic relationships: prevalence, risk factors and consequences

Eichenberg

Becker-Fischer²,

Fischer³

2010

Health

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A law has been passed in Germany (paragraph 174c StGB), which prohibits therapists from having sexual contact with their patients. This provides the background for a follow-up survey to the previous study completed by Becker- Fischer and Fischer in 1995. The results of this survey are discussed here on the basis of the current status of research concerning preva- lence and risk factors of sexual assaults in therapeutic relationships. The focus of the re- search lies in determining the specific condi- tions of sexual assaults in psychotherapy and psychiatry, risk variables of the therapists and patients, the effects it has on the patients as well as the legal consequences it results in. To en- sure the comparability of the data, an online version of the Questionnaire about Sexual Con- tacts in Psychotherapy and Psychiatry (SKPP; Becker-Fischer, Fischer & Jerouschek) was cre- ated and a survey of N = 77 affected patients was conducted. The majority of the participants in the study reported a serious decline in their overall well being following the incident. How- ever only very few undertook legal steps - only in three cases did it come to a legal procedure. The assumption that sexual contacts in psy- chotherapy result in extremely damaging con- sequences to patients, was affirmed. Despite the changed legal situation, therapists in Ger- many are still not held legally responsible more often than they were 10 years ago. Based on these results a more intensive education of the patients concerning their legal rights is recom- mended

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“…Individuals who rationalise their behaviour seem to explain the circumstances of their transgressions as somehow being justified, until a tipping point is reached and the therapist begins down a slippery slope towards misconduct and malpractice (Glass, ; Koocher & Keith‐Spiegel, ). Somer and Nachmani () suggest therapists who sexually seduce clients sometimes rationalise their emotions as being genuinely romantic. Romantic or not, such behaviours are inappropriate (and unlawful) in a client–therapist relationship.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring the Why of Psychologist Misconduct and Malpractice: A Thematic Analysis of Court Decision Documents

Kremer

Symmons

Furlonger

2018

Australian Psychologist

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Objective: To identify reasons for misconduct and misconduct amongst Australian psychologists. Method: During the 5-year period from 2008 to 2013, 42 psychologists across 41 cases were found guilty of misconduct and malpractice by civil and administrative courts across Australia. The court decision documents were analysed using Braun and Clarke's (2006) qualitative methodology to explore themes relating to the court's objective, the psychologist's subjective, and the authors' interpretive causal reasons transgressing psychologists engaged in misconduct and malpractice. Results: Explanations given by psychologists for misconduct and malpractice behaviours included the use and abuse of legal and illicit substances, addiction behaviours, and impairment due to mental disorder or unresolved trauma. A number of other reasons identified by the courts and by the authors from the evidence cited in the published court decision documents are also discussed. Possible contributing factors for why misconduct and malpractice behaviours occurred coalesced into three themes: the externalisation of responsibility for personal actions and behaviours, a lack of objectivity concerning why such behaviours occurred, and an inability to understand how personal circumstance affected the provision of ethical services to clients. Conclusion: (a) The complexity of situations and scenarios surrounding psychologist malpractice can be simplified for the benefit of designing interventions by applying Glass' (2003) concept of the "slippery slope." (b) Court records have benefit as detailed data, but could be augmented for greater value with a simple and easily completed additional coversheet of background and demographic data.

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Constructions of Therapist-Client Sex: A Comparative Analysis of Retrospective Victim Reports

Cited by 12 publications

References 23 publications

Managing boundaries under pressure: A qualitative study of therapists’ experiences of sexual attraction in therapy

Managing boundaries under pressure: A qualitative study of therapists’ experiences of sexual attraction in therapy

Sexual assaults in therapeutic relationships: prevalence, risk factors and consequences

Exploring the Why of Psychologist Misconduct and Malpractice: A Thematic Analysis of Court Decision Documents

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