Informed consent: the effects of clarity and specificity on disclosure in a clinical interview

The Use of Professional Disclosure in Rehabilitation Counseling

The importance of adequate professional disclosure has recently received increased attention in the counseling and psychology literature. Despite this trend, the rehabilitation counseling professional literature contains little information about the prevalence and manner in which this practice is used within rehabilitation counseling. This article reviews the relevant literature and discusses its implications for rehabilitation counselors. The authors discuss the use and content of disclosure forms and practices, including the degree to which mental health professionals actually use such forms and reasons for nonuse. Clinical and research needs regarding professional disclosure within rehabilitation counseling are also discussed.

Practicing psychology in the era of managed care. Implications for practice and training

Beginning with the HMO Act of 1973, managed care, a system for controlling health care costs, rapidly expanded and gained influence as the main vehicle for health care delivery in the United States. Implementation of managed care principles in the mental health arena has generated much debate, particularly with respect to issues of quality of care. The authors briefly trace the development of managed care and evaluate its impact on the practice of psychology. The extant literature is reviewed with specific attention to issues of quality of care, confidentiality of patient information, and shifting practice patterns of clinicians. Finally, the future of professional psychology within the context of managed care is examined, and the implications of newly created mental health roles for practitioners, training programs, and organized psychology are discussed.

Client preferences for informed consent information

Thirty-five current therapy clients, 47 former clients, and 42 college students with no therapy experience rated 27 items in terms of importance for inclusion in informed consent discussions. The current and former client samples rated information about inappropriate therapeutic techniques, confidentiality, and the risks of alternative treatments as most important, and information about the personal characteristics of the therapist and the therapist's degree as least important. The results of this study provide evidence for differential informed consent disclosure practices.