Nonsexual exploitation of patients : An ethical perspective

• Published in: Journal of the American Academy of Psychoanalysis Vol. 23; no. 3; pp. 425 - 434
• Main Author: GRUENBERG, P. B
• Format: Conference Proceeding Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Guilford 1995; Guilford Press
• Subjects: Bioethics; Biological and medical sciences; Codes of Ethics; Ethics, Medical; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Male; Morals; Philosophy, Medical; Physician-Patient Relations; Professional Misconduct; Psychoanalysis; Psychoanalytic cure; Psychoanalytic Therapy; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Sexual Behavior; Social Values; Human; Ethics; Social power; Professional practice; Psychoanalyst; Sexuality; Occupational role; Therapeutic relation; Exploitation; Bioethics and Professional Ethics; Mental Health Therapies
• ISSN: 0090-3604; 1943-2860
• DOI: 10.1521/jaap.1.1995.23.3.425

These are some instances of nonsexual exploitation that I have become aware of over the past several years. Some of them have resulted in complaints to various ethics committees, but most have not. Many colleagues are unaware that such behavior is in any way unethical. As far as analytic principles are concerned, many of these problems can be rationalized or the psychoanalytic theory can be modified to fit the Procrustean bed of the analyst's desire. Yet when you get down to it, the bulk of the Principle of Medical Ethics with Annotations Especially for Psychiatrists is derived from a few elements of the Hippocratic principles and a large chunk of psychoanalysis. Understanding what the nature of the therapeutic relationship is and applying some basic psychoanalytic principles will result in one's own code of conduct that will not be appreciably different from that suggested by the Principles of Medical Ethics. If we as psychoanalysts will attend to these psychoanalytic points of view, there will be little need to consult the book.