Ethics in Behaviour Therapy: Historical Aspects and Current Status

Abstract

Ethical problems in clinical practice arise when clinicians confront competing value systems. Historically, behaviour therapy has been criticized because of alleged special ethical, moral and legal problems. These problems are no greater or smaller than in other forms of psychotherapeutic practice. But they can differ in emphasis. This article describes partial responses to selected ethical dilemmas facing general psychotherapy, and outlines relatively novel issues raised by certain features of behavior therapy practice.