Group confidentiality has been identified by different professionals, specialists and researchers as one of the cornerstones of handling and managing groups effectively in order to realize the intended results of group psychotherapy. According to De Bord, Burke, & Dudzinski, (2013), group confidentiality requires health care providers to maintain personal information of each one of the group members or the entire group unless members themselves give the consent to release their personal information. Group confidentiality therefore helps in the creation of a trusting environment by maintaining the information given by the clients as confidential. In so doing, it becomes easy to accomplish the target objectives of group psychotherapy. According to the information provided by the National Organization of Human Services (2015), upholding confidentiality in a group is important because:
It is essential in enabling a leader or a group facilitator to meet the standards of group therapy by building trust and confidence in him/her- Most group activities are therapeutic in nature. The effectiveness with which the goal of psychotherapy can be achieved depends largely upon the trust and confidence that the clients or group members have in their leader or facilitator.
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It is a responsibility of a group leader to uphold group confidentiality-By upholding group confidentiality, one is not only honoring his/her employer’s requirements but also regulations of one’s profession.
Client protection-Every group leader or facilitator has a responsibility to protect his/her clients from potential harm. Upholding and embracing confidentiality while dealing with a group ensures protection of that group from any harm that might result from revealing or exposing their secret or private information.
It is a way of respecting local, state and federal laws- Human Services Professionals are the agents of the laws under which they operate. By upholding confidentiality in group facilitation, they are participating in the protection of the law that regulates their services.
Ethical Dilemmas in Group Services
In trying to uphold confidentiality while dealing with different types of groups, human service professionals are likely to encounter a number of Dilemmas that might be a hindrance to the effective professional consideration of confidentiality. Miller (2014) defined an ethical dilemma as a conflict between two or more ethical principles. The following are some of the common ethical dilemmas that are likely to arise in the course social work or group-focused therapy (Miller, 2014).
The clients’ right to self-determination- It is in the clients’ best interest to take personal choices about their own lives. However, a social worker may feel the need to act in the best interest of the clients, which might be contrary to the clients’ desires.
Confidentiality- In some extreme instances such as suicide cases, the client’s right to self-determination permits him/her to perform suicide. However, it is a harmful action that cannot be kept confidential. It is also against the law. In such a dilemma, the social worker is forced to break one of the ethical considerations by revealing the client’s intention to engage in suicide.
Differences in Moral Values- In case of conflicting moral values between a client and a social worker, it becomes difficult to determine the right course of action.
Administrative dilemmas - In case administrative policies demand that a social worker should act in a manner which is contrary to the ethical considerations, then this might result in a serious dilemma.
Resolving Ethical Dilemmas
Considering the above types of ethical dilemmas, it becomes difficult for a social worker to effectively solve them. However, in my own view, the following can be done to minimize these dilemmas:
Consulting and discussing with clients on the dangers associated with a particular course of action.
Making referrals to other relevant authorities or referring from other guidelines such as the constitution.
Engaging in dialogue and discussion to resolve the dilemma.
References
De Bord, J, Burke, W, & Dudzinski, D.M, (2013) “Confidentiality.” Ethics in Medicine. University of Washington.
Miller, A, (2014). “A List of Ethical Dilemmas Facing Social Work.” Chron . Retrieved from http://work.chron.com/list-ethical-dilemmas-facing-social-work-21946.html
National Organization of Human Services, (2015). “Ethical Standards for Human Services Professionals.” Retrieved from http://www.nationalhumanservices.org/ethical-standards-for-hs-professionals
