Ethical and Legal Issues in Trauma Psychology.
Expert-defined terms from the Professional Certificate in Trauma Psychology course at London School of Business and Administration. Free to read, free to share, paired with a globally recognised certification pathway.
**Avoidance #
** A common symptom of PTSD, where an individual deliberately avoids people, places, or situations that remind them of their traumatic experience.
**Confidentiality #
** A legal and ethical obligation of psychologists to protect their clients' personal and medical information, only disclosing it with the client's consent or when required by law.
**Consent #
** The process of obtaining permission from a competent individual to perform a specific action or provide treatment, typically through clear communication and understanding.
**Dissociation #
** A psychological state in which an individual becomes detached from their thoughts, feelings, and memories, often as a coping mechanism for trauma.
**Dual Agency #
** A situation where a psychologist represents both the best interests of their client and a third party, such as an employer or insurance company, potentially creating a conflict of interest.
**Duty to Warn #
** A legal and ethical obligation of psychologists to protect third parties from harm if their client has communicated a serious threat of violence against them.
**Ethical Code #
** A set of principles and guidelines that outline the ethical behavior and decision-making of professionals in a specific field, such as psychology.
**Informed Consent #
** A type of consent that is obtained after the individual has been fully informed of the potential benefits, risks, and alternatives of a proposed treatment or action.
**Malpractice #
** Professional misconduct or negligence that results in harm to a client, potentially leading to legal action.
**Negligence #
** The failure to exercise the level of care, skill, and diligence that a reasonable and prudent professional would have exercised under similar circumstances.
**Post #
Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD):** A mental health disorder that can occur after an individual experiences or witnesses a traumatic event, such as combat, sexual assault, or a natural disaster.
**Privileged Communication #
** A legal principle that protects the confidentiality of certain communications between a psychologist and their client, preventing their disclosure in court without the client's consent.
**Secondary Trauma #
** The emotional and psychological impact on a person who has been exposed to the traumatic experiences of another, often through their work as a mental health professional.
**Standard of Care #
** The level of care, skill, and diligence that a reasonable and prudent professional would have exercised under similar circumstances, used as a benchmark in malpractice cases.
**Trauma #
** An emotional and psychological response to a distressing or disturbing event, such as abuse, neglect, or violence.
**Trauma #
Informed Care:** A holistic approach to mental health treatment that considers the impact of trauma on an individual's thoughts, feelings, and behavior, and seeks to avoid re-traumatization.
**Vicarious Trauma #
** The cumulative emotional and psychological impact on a person who has repeatedly been exposed to the traumatic experiences of others, potentially leading to changes in their own thoughts, feelings, and behavior.
**Whistleblowing #
** The act of reporting illegal or unethical behavior within an organization, often at great personal risk, to protect the public interest.