Abstract
Data was analyzed from the semi-structured interviews of 6 heterosexual male psychoanalytic psychotherapists who by self-report had not engaged in a post-termination sexual involvement. The focus of each interview was to elicit the participants' views about sexual contact between psychotherapists and their former therapy patients, as well as their related attitudes towards Standard 4.07 of the APA Ethics Code (1992). The results suggested great disparity of opinion regarding what might constitute acceptable, ethical behavior in this domain. Nonetheless, all the clinicians agreed that the potential for harm resulting from post-termination sexual involvements was great, They all shared the beliefs that transference did not resolve with termination, that professional responsibilities continued after treatment ended, and that power differentials between therapist and patient lingered, perhaps in perpetuity. However, it was determined to be premature to replace the current Standard 4.07 with an absolute prohibition against sexual involvements between therapists and their former patients.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
Akamatsu, T. J. (1988). Intimate relationships with former clients: National survey of attitudes and behavior among practitioners. Prof. Psychol., 19, 454–458.
American Psychological Association (1992). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct. Am. Psychol., 47, 1597–1611.
American Psychological Association (1999). Report of the ethics committee. Am. Psychol., 54(8), 701–710.
Bersoff, D. N. (1994). Explicit ambiguity: The 1992 Ethics Code as an oxymoron. Prof. Psychol.: Res. Pract., 25, 382–387.
Bouhoutsos, J., Holroyd, J., Lerman, H., Forer, B. R., & Greenberg, M. (1983). Sexual intimacy between psychotherapists and patients. Prof. Psychol.: Res. Pract., 14(2), 185–196.
Canter, M. B., Bennett, B. E., Jones, S. E., & Nagy, T. F. (1994). Ethics for psychologists: A commentary on the APA Ethics Code. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Clausen v. New York State Department of Health 232 AD. 2d 917; 648 N.Y.S. 2d 842 (N. Y. App. Div. 1996).
Collins, P. L. (1999). Psychologists' attitudes regarding sexual contact with pre-and post-termination clients: An examination of ethicality, harm, moral judgment and empathy. Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation, Seton Hall University, New Jersey.
Karasu, T. B. (1989). Ethics in the practice of psychotherapy: A survey. Am. J. Psychother., 43(1), 32–42.
Feldman-Summers, S., & Jones, G. (1984). Psychological impacts of sexual contact between therapists or other health care practitioners and their clients. J. of Consult. Clin. Psychol., 52(6), 1054–1061.
Finkelhor, D. (1984). Child sexual abuse: New theory and research. New York: Free Press.
Freud, S. (1958). Observations on transference-love (further recommendations on the technique of psychoanalysis). In J. Strachey (Ed.), The standard edition of the complete psychological works of Sigmund Freud (Vol. 12, pp. 158–171). London: Hogarth Press, 1915.
Gabbard, G. O. (1991). Psychodynamics of sexual boundary violations. Psychiatr. Annals, 21(11), 651–655.
Gabbard, G. O. (1994a). Reconsidering the American Psychological Association's policy on sex with former patients: Is it justifiable? Prof. Psychol.: Res. Pract., 25(4) 329–335.
Gabbard, G. O. (1995). Transference and countertransference in the psychotherapy of therapists charged with sexual misconduct. Psychiatr. Annals, 25(2), 100–105.
Gabbard, G. O., & Lester, E. P. (1996). Boundaries and boundary violations in psychoanalysis. New York: Basic Books.
Gabbard, G. O., & Pope, K. S. (1989). Sexual intimacies after termination: Clinical, ethical and legal aspects. In G. O. Gabbard (Ed.), Sexual exploitation in professional relationships (pp. 115–127). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press.
Gonsiorek, J. C., & Brown, L. S. (1990). Post therapy sexual relationships with clients. In G.R. Schoener, J.H. Milgram, J.C. Gonsiorek, E. Luepker, & R. Conroe (Eds.), Psychotherapists, sexual involvement with clients: Intervention and prevention (pp. 289–302). Minneapolis: Walk-In Counseling Center.
Gottlieb, M. C., Sell, J. M., & Schoenfeld, L. S. (1988). Social/romantic relation-ships with present and former clients: State licensing board actions. Prof. Psychol.: Res. Pract. 19(4), 459–462.
Hartlaub, G. H., Martin, G. C., & Rhine, M. W. (1986). Recontact with the analyst following termination: A survey of seventy-one cases. J. Am. Psychoanal. Assoc., 34, 895–910.
Haspel, K. C., Jorgenson, L. M., Wincze, J. P., & Parsons, J. P. (1997). Legislative intervention regarding therapist sexual misconduct: An overview. Prof. Psychol.: Res. Pract., 28(1), 63–72.
Herman, J. L., Gartrell, N., Olarte, S., Feldstein, M., & Locatio, R. (1987). Psychiatrist-patient sexual contact: Results of a national survey, II: Psychiatrists' attitudes. Am. Journal of Psychiatry, 144(2), 164–169.
Hunsaker, E. (1998). Erotic transference/countertransference and facilitating discussion of sexual feelings in supervision. Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation, California School of Professional Psychology—San Diego.
Masters, W. H., & Johnson, V. E. (1976). Principles of the new sex therapy. Am. Journal of Psychiatry, 110, 3370–3373.
Norman, H. F., Blacker, K. H., Orernland, J. D., & Barrett, W. G. (1976). The fate of the transference neurosis after termination of a satisfactory analysis. J. Am. Psychoanal. Assoc., 24(3), 471–498.
Okun, B. F. (1989). Therapists' blind spots related to gender socialization. In D. Kantor & B. F. Okun (Eds.), Intimate environments: Sex, intimacy and gender in families (pp. 129–163). New York: Guilford Press.
Pfeffer, A. Z. (1993). After the analysis: Analyst as both old and new object. J. Am. Psychoanal. Assoc., 41, 323–337.
Pope, K. S. (1988). How clients are harmed by sexual contact with mental health professionals: The syndrome and its prevalence. Journal of Counseling Development, 67, 222–226.
Pope, K. S., Tabachnick, B. G., & Keith-Spiegel, P. (1987). Ethics of practice: the beliefs and behaviors of psychologists as therapists. Am. Psychol., 42, 993–1006.
Shavit, N. (2001). Sexual involvement between psychotherapists and their former therapy patients: Psychoanalytic perspectives and professional implications. Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation, California School of Professional Psychology— San Diego.
Thoreson, R. W., Shaughnessy, P., & Frazier, P. A. (1995). Sexual contact during and after professional relationships: Practices and attitudes of female counselors. J. Counsel. and Dev., 74, 84–89.
Vinson, J. S. (1987). Use of complaint procedures in cases of therapist–patient sexual contact. Prof. Psychol.: Res. Pract., 18(2), 159–164.
Whitesell v. Green No. 38745 (D. Hawaii November 19,1973).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Shavit, N., Bucky, S. Sexual Contact Between Psychologists and Their Former Therapy Patients: Psychoanalytic Perspectives and Professional Implications. Am J Psychoanal 64, 229–248 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:TAJP.0000041259.60877.14
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:TAJP.0000041259.60877.14