Sheppard, Rachel (2012) A Discursive Approach to Confidentiality in Psychological Therapy. Honours thesis, University of Southern Queensland. (Unpublished)
Abstract
Psychologists are required to explain confidentiality and limits of confidentiality (LOC) to clients at the outset of therapy. However, the existing body of research provides little evidence of what actually occurs in confidentiality discussion. This study used a Discursive Psychology (DP) approach to examine how psychologists and clients co-construct and negotiate confidentiality in real-life consultations. Recordings of four real-life first-consultations were examined. Participants were four psychologists and four clients from two clinics. It was found that psychologists discussed some aspects of LOC, took up the majority of talk time, oriented to LOC as an issue of face and typically constructed LOC as delicate, mundane and an obligation. It was found that psychologist communication practices made it difficult for clients to ask questions or seek clarification. A limitation of this method is the use of a small sample size. However, this is consistent with the principles and goals of the DP approach. The findings of this research raise concerns about whether psychologists are meeting the ethical obligation ensure consent is informed by explaining confidentiality. The findings also suggest that DP might be used to examine evidence for registration board complaints and thus hold psychologists accountable for their informed consent practices.
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| Item Type: | Thesis (Non-Research) (Honours) |
|---|---|
| Item Status: | Live Archive |
| Additional Information: | Current UniSQ staff and students can request access to this thesis. Please email research.repository@unisq.edu.au with a subject line of SEAR thesis request and provide: Name of the thesis requested and Your name and UniSQ email address |
| Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | Historic - Faculty of Sciences - Department of Psychology (Up to 30 Jun 2013) |
| Supervisors: | Andrea Lamont-Mills |
| Qualification: | Bachelor of Science (Honours) |
| Date Deposited: | 09 Oct 2025 01:17 |
| Last Modified: | 09 Oct 2025 01:17 |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | discursive psychology ; conversation analysis, discourse ; psychologist ; psychotherapy ; therapy ; ethics ; ethical obligations, code of ethics, informed consent, confidentiality ; limits of confidentiality ; confidentiality breaches |
| Fields of Research (2008): | 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 1799 Other Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 179999 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences not elsewhere classified |
| Fields of Research (2020): | 52 PSYCHOLOGY > 5299 Other psychology > 529999 Other psychology not elsewhere classified |
| URI: | https://sear.unisq.edu.au/id/eprint/52754 |
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