Confidentiality in Therapeutic Relationships: Developing Guidelines for Mental Health Professionals

The prevalence of mental illness in the community is significant with a large number of people being assessed and treated by mental health professionals. Traditionally, confidentiality has been considered the cornerstone of therapeutic relationships, yet it is not absolute and the ethical and legal framework for it needs clarification. Using a multidisciplinary approach, this project will explore mental health professionals' attitudes to confidentiality in Australia, Canada and Scotland, and identify when they consider it justifiable to breach it. The project will develop comprehensive legal and ethical guidelines concerning the disclosure of confidential information in order to improve therapeutic relationships.