Dangerous Clients and the Threat Of Violence

Counselor / Addiction

2.00 - CE credit hours training

$12.00 - Cost of course

This page contains important information about the course, including training details, a comprehensive course description, learning objectives, and source references. We encourage you to review each section to gain a clear understanding of the course content, educational goals, and supporting materials before beginning your training and taking the POST TEST below.

Target audience and instructional level of this course: foundational
There is no known conflict of interest or commercial support related to this CE program.

Dangerous Clients and the Threat Of Violence

Course Training

Follow the link below, read the material and then take the 12 question post test

Read the Course Material:
Dangerous Clients and the Threat Of Violence

Post Test

12 Questions

1. From "A Wisconsin Case": The author emphasizes that clinicians should have policies and practices for situations where they are in a session with a client who is dangerous. He emphasizes self-protection as primary in these circumstances because as clinician, you are the closest potential victim.

a. True b. False

2. From "When you or your staff are the target of stalking or assault by a client": A study of the stalking of psychologists by their clients (Gentile et. al., 2002) found that there was a specific profile for the psychologists who had been stalked.

a. True b. False

3. From " Responsibilities to Protect Persons Other than Your Client": The author observes that contacting either an intended victim or law enforcement or both is ____________.

a. a professional technique or method b. a lay solution c. a lay solution and a professional technique or method

4. From "Clinical Issues with Dangerousness": The author cites the Elbogen (2006) study on client violence correlates. Which factor(s) were associated with less violence?

a. The degree to which the client believed he/she needed treatment b. The degree of personality disorder in the client c. The degree of engagement in treatment d. A and B e. A and C

5. From "The Tarasoff Case-Where it All Started": In the Tarasoff II ruling the professionals ________________ on the commitment issue and __________________ in a duty to warn the victim.

a. were exonerated; were found to have failed b. were found to have failed; were exonerated c. were found to have failed; were found to have failed d. none of the above

6. From "Case Law Since Tarasoff": At present, the issue as to whether a particular professional has a duty to warn or protect a third party from harm by a client, and whether this duty overrides confidentiality, is_____________.

a. nearly unanimously settled in alignment with Tarasoff II. b. quite unsettled nationally.

7. From "Dangerousness and Civil Commitment": Civil commitment is a commonly used tool when a client is deemed to be dangerous and have a likelihood of violence. What is the universal requirement for an involuntary detention or commitment?

a. inability to control one's behaviors b. likelihood of violence c. danger to self or others d. none of the above

8. From "The Current Situation": The authors recommends that a clinician should disclose as little confidential information as possible to provide for the warning and for protection. Which of the following are described as not relevant?

a. details of the client's therapy or diagnosis b. the client's articulated plan of action c. the client's current location d. the client's current appearance e. all of the above

9. From "The Current Situation": The author reports that no profession has been shown to be able to predict violence with any degree of certainty. However he cites factors that would tend to indicate seriousness. Which of the following is NOT cited?

a. A history of past violent behavior b. Anything which would indicate desperation or that the client doesn\'t care about living, or about consequences, anymore c. untreated substance dependency d. A "close call" for violent behavior in the past

10. From "Threats Made During a Session When the Intended Victim is Present": The author points out that the clinician's duty is unclear when a threat is made during a session and the intended victim is present. In circumstances when the intended victim does not seem to be taking the threat seriously, he recommends the clinician impress upon the intended victim the risk the clinician perceives and engaging in safety plan discussions.

a. True b. False

11. From "What Happens Next?: The Aftermath of Warning": The case study highlights the fact that there can be negative side-effects when the intended victim is told of a threat. The author encourages clinicians to take this into account when deciding what to reveal to the intended victim. His rule of thumb is to put yourself in the position of the person receiving the call and think about what information might help them deal with what they are about to be told.

a. True b. False

12. From "A Threat to the President": The author addresses verbal threats against the President and plots to harm the President. The author concludes:

a. He agrees with the Secret Service on clinicians' obligations in the face of plots and verbal threats. b. He agrees with the Secret Service on clinicians' obligations in the face of plots, but not verbal threats. c. He agrees with the Secret Service on clinicians' obligations in the face of verbal threats, but not regarding plots. d. He disagrees with the Secret Service on clinicians' obligations in the face of plots and verbal threats.

Course Description

Improve your understanding of dangerous clients and the treat of violence in context of clinical situations with this course. It is likely that clinicians will at some point encounter clients who have the potential to be violent to others. The course addresses a wide variety of clinical situations involving potentially dangerous clients. As stated by Phillip Kleespies, PhD, 'caution is necessary because there is a moderate elevation in risk of violence in people dealing with some mental and emotional disorders. According to a report published by Kleespies, between 35% and 40% of psychologists in clinical practice are at risk of being assaulted by a patient at some time during their careers (Kleespies, 2009). Other studies suggest that assaults occur more frequently in psychologists' early careers. Indeed, newer therapists may be less alert to cues of violence, may set fewer limits and allow aggressive behavior to escalate (Guy and Brady, 1998).

The materials for this program are provided by Gary R. Schoener, Executive Director of Walk-In Counseling Center in Minneapolis. They explore the legal duties of clinicians in circumstances involving dangerous clients and the clinical approaches to working with dangerous clients. This knowledge can be applied to other professional contexts.

Learning Objectives

Describe the legal duties of clinicians in circumstances involving dangerous clients.
Identify clinical approaches to working with dangerous clients.

Source

Gary Schoener, M.Eq. Gary Schoener, M.Eq.

Counselor / Addiction