Citation

Anderson E, Levine M, Sharma A, Ferretti L, Steinberg K, Wallach L. Behav. Sci. Law 1993; 11(3): 335-345.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1993, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/bsl.2370110310

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Mandatory reporting legislation was enacted with little consideration of its consequences for ongoing therapeutic relationships. One consequence is the unanticipated and coercive uses of the law in mental health settings. Thirty therapists and 25 child protective service workers were interviewed about their experiences with mandatory reporting in therapy relationships. The interviews revealed unanticipated as well as coercive uses of mandatory reporting in therapeutic relationships, including prompting crisis in family systems to promote change, and using reporting or threats of it to enforce attendance and engagement in therapy. Therapists'd anger and view of reporting as a form of power or tool for social control also related to coercive uses of mandatory reporting. The special case of coercion in mandated cases resulting from mandatory reporting legislation is discussed as well.

Language: en