School counselors' attitude and decision-making towards dual relationship and confidentiality situations in counseling / 中国心理卫生杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective: To explore school counselors' attitude and decision-making towards dual relationship and confidentiality. Methods: Totally 123 school counselors (27 males and 96 females, aged 20 to 60 years old, 41 primary and secondary counselors, 82 college counselors) filled up of self-designed Questionnaire for School Psychological Consultants on Dual Relationship and Confidentiality Rules, and the related factors which could influence the school counselors' attitude and their decision-making in dual relationship and confidentiality in the counseling work. Results:Totally 71.5％ (n =88) school counselors chose not to accept other relationships with students after counseling, 14.6％ (n = 18) school counselors chose to accept other relationships with students after counseling. The school counselors who had not accepted supervisioneasier to answer as "accept other relationship may raise clients self-esteem or feelings" than those had got supervision (P <0.05). The school counselor believed that the confidentiality agreement should be breached of the top 3(suicide attention, drug use and bad gangs). Counselors easier to breach confidentiality agreements on situation of students had suicide plans than situation of students had plans to run away from home(P <0.001). Conclusion:This study shows that two factors, including supervision and differential clients "issue may have effect on school counselors" attitudes and decision-making towards dual relationship and confidentiality situation in their counseling practice.