The professional secret in psychology: characteristics and limits

At some point in the exercise of their profession, psychologists may face the dilemma of whether or not to share certain information that, due to the position in which they find themselves and the functions they perform, they come to know. However, in most cases they must put this temptation aside because professional secrecy requires them to do so.

Each consultant has the right to have everything he or she says or happens in the context of the professional relationship with the psychologist taken as confidential. However, There are situations in which it is necessary to break professional secrecy because there is a compelling cause that justifies it.

What is professional secrecy in psychology?

Professional secrecy refers to a way to protect and not reveal information obtained through the relationship of trust that is established with a person who comes to a psychological consultation of any type. It is the psychologist’s obligation to safeguard the privacy and intimacy revealed by the client in the context in which the interaction has occurred.

Each psychologist is clear that for clients to feel comfortable and calm talking about their private lifethey need a safe place and a trustworthy relationship that allows them to talk about sensitive topics without fear of being exposed in an unjustified manner.

Professional secrecy is a central part of confidentiality.

Characteristics of professional secrecy in psychology

Some notable features are the following:

Maintaining confidentiality: Psychologists have the duty to protect the confidential information they obtain through any means based on their professional duties.Discussion of limits: The psychologist discusses with his client the relevant limits of professional secrecy and the foreseeable uses of the information generated through his psychological activities.Recordings: Before making any type of recording, psychologists must obtain permission from the person or their legal representative.Minimize privacy intrusions: It is the psychologist’s duty to include in his written and oral reports only information related to the purpose for which the communication is made.Disclosures: A psychologist can only disclose confidential information if he or she has the consent of his or her client. However, there are exceptions in which he can disclose it, as required by law.Queries: When consulting with colleagues, psychologists cannot reveal confidential information that could lead to the identification of the client. Information is shared only to the extent necessary to achieve the objectives of the consultation.

Limits of professional secrecy

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), only in some specific situations can psychologists break professional secrecy.

1. To care for the consultant or other people

Private information can be disclosed without consent to protect the patient or the public from serious harm. A very common case is that of patients with major depression who have suicidal ideations. In these cases, it is necessary to break professional secrecy to notify close family members of the risk.

Also when a person, for any reason or psychopathology, He has plans to attack other people’s lives. For example, if a psychotic patient states that he will murder a neighbor because his voices order him to do so, the secret must be broken to protect the integrity of that other person.

2. In cases of sexual, physical and psychological abuse

When there is ongoing domestic violence, abuse or abandonment of children, the elderly or people with disabilities or in a situation of dependency. However, if an adult reveals that he or she was abused as a child, the psychologist is generally not required to report that abuse, unless there is suspicion that the situation continues to be repeated with other children.

When the psychologist notices that a minor is suffering from abuse, it is his duty to notify the parents. But what happens if the parents are the abusers? In this case, professional secrecy must be broken beyond the family nucleus and the competent authorities must be notified in accordance with or established by law.

Situations of abuse or violence imply not maintaining professional secrecy.

3. Judicial proceedings

If a court order is received. This could happen if a person’s mental health is questioned during legal proceedings. Sometimes, a psychologist may receive in his or her office a person referred by a court or a justice institution to be evaluated. In this process, if the psychologist is called to testify, she must break the professional secrecy.

Professional secrecy in psychology is one of the basic rules of the entire code of ethics in this profession. Through it, people are assured that they can talk about their personal lives safely and without the fear of suffering any type of repercussion, defamation or exposure.

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