Ethical Dimensions of Psychotherapy Side Effects

Abstract

Side effects are unwanted events caused by appropriate treatment. They must be discriminated from negative developments which are unrelated to treatment or which are caused by improper treatment. The assessment of side effects requires several professional but also value decisions: What is negative? What is proper treatment? What is treatment related? Scientifically there is a lack of generally accepted instruments and of guidelines on how to assess side effects in clinical trials. There is growing evidence that about 10 percent of psychotherapy patients experience relevant negative consequences of psychotherapy. Therapists should be aware of the possibility of side effects and inform patients. Acknowledgment of side effects can improve treatment and also advance the development of the field of psychotherapy.