Ethical considerations in the application of self-control techniques

Ethical questions are raised in regard to a case report by P. Levendusky and L. Pankratz (see PA, Vol 54:Issue 4). While it is asserted that the general issue of control in psychotherapy is specious in the present context, several potentially fruitful lines of inquiry are proposed. It is suggested that the following be considered: the legality of withholding information relevant to a client's decision to remain in treatment, the subtle nature of contract negotiation in therapy, the roles of theory and assessment in the design of clinical intervention, and the need to pursue alternatives to deception in applied settings. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved).