%0 Journal Article
%T Duty to warn third parties
%J JAMA journal of the American Medical Association
%D 1982
%A Cooper, A. E.
%V 248
%N 4
%P 431-432
%X The 1976 Tarasoff decision in California imposes a duty on psychotherapists to take action to prevent a dangerous patient from harming another party.  Subsequent court cases have elaborated on this duty, which poses a serious threat to the confidentiality of the therapist patient relationship.  Concern has also arisen about the application of the duty to self-inflicted harm, property damage, or unidentified victims; expansion of the duty beyond warning victims; and prediction of dangerousness.  After reviewing the pertinent court actions, the author briefly suggests ways for therapists to handle these issues.
%G 
%I American Medical Association
%@ 0098-7484
%U http://dx.doi.org/