HIV and family therapists' duty to warn: a legal and ethical analysis

In the absence of definitive legal precedents, family therapists must decide whether to warn sexual partners of HIV-positive clients when clients themselves refuse to do so. Deciding whether to break confidentiality reaises both legal and ethical issues. Legally, the Tarasoff ruling requires therapists to warn potential victims of illegal dangers posed by clients but does not require therapists to warn potential victims of dangers posed by their clients' legally permissible actions. unless the behavior of the seropositive client is proscribed by state law, warning the clients' partners does not fall within the scope of the Tarasoff ruling. Ethically, therapists must negotiate and adhere to a disclosure policy that balances considerations of respecting autonomy, maintaining integrity (avoiding fraud and betrayal), benefiting clients, and fostering responsibility. Some therapeutic and ethical aspects of these considerations are discussed.     

The Organizational Role of Clinical Practice Models in Interdisciplinary Collaborative Practice

This paper presents a method for using different practice models as the basis for organizing interdisciplinary clinical teams. The different dimensions of multidimensional practice models are used for selecting the various professionals involved in these teams. The Neuman Systems Model (Neuman & Young, 1972; Neuman, 1995) is used to illustrate how this process works by structuring interdisciplinary teams along its five overarching and interrelated dimensions of human experience—psychological, physiological, sociocultural, spiritual and developmental. By extrapolating these five areas to their respective disciplines, a protocol is developed for selecting the necessary professionals while establishing the parameters of each professional's involvement. By specifically addressing the relevant clinical dimensions of a particular model, interdisciplinary teams can formulate a more theoretical, holistic, and comprehensive assessment and treatment plan. This approach also allows multiple client problems to be addressed simultaneously in a more systemic and efficient manner than could be accomplished by any one profession alone. A case study demonstrating the approach is included.     

Attitudes of Botswana Citizens toward Immigrants: Signs of Xenophobia?

This study is borne out of observations over the past decade that citizens of Botswana were increasingly feeling resentful of labour immigrants in the country. A survey questionnaire was administered to a sample of 781 male and female Batswana (citizens of Botswana) in three urban centres in Botswana. The purpose was to obtain opinions of Batswana about immigrants. The paper begins by examining the meaning of xenophobia. The results indicate that Batswana are xenophobic; it appears that this attitude is influenced by a combination of nationalism and economic factors. There is a strong desire to preserve the “fruits” of economic prosperity for citizens alone. Europeans and North Americans are most preferred in terms of being accepted as part of the Botswana society and among those who may apply to become citizens of Botswana. The second most preferred are Africans. Asians, especially Indians, are the least preferred. Indeed, Botswana citizens of Indian descent are viewed with considerable suspicion and dislike by other citizens of the country. Primarily for this reason, Asians seem to be the worst victims of xenophobia in Botswana. Short‐ and specific‐term residences by immigrants are preferred over permanent residence. Some citizens are prepared to take every possible action to discourage immigrants from staying in the country; few would employ violent methods to achieve this goal.     

Living with elder wisdom

This study is based on interview research with over a hundred creative elders. Their spirituality is explored through their life experiences as re-interpreted in later years. Spirituality is often expressed in non-religious language. They speak of inner empowerments: cultivating self-esteem, harvesting memories, transformative turning points, life-long learning, themes of humor and gratitude, and encountering mortality. They also explore outward empowerments: developing new purposes, welcoming possibilities, fostering more freedom, cultivating family and friends, forming intentional communities, and taking on larger social causes re peace, justice and ecology. This elder spirituality manifests important changes in their earlier views of religion.     

Current practices in residential treatment for adolescent sex offenders: a survey

A list of all treatment facilities for adolescent sex offenders that described themselves as inpatient or residential was requested from the Safer Society Foundation in Brandon, Vermont. A total of 203 such facilities were identified in this manner. Each was sent a questionnaire regarding their policies and practices. Of the 50 questionnaires that were returned, 49 were usable. Items on the questionnaire dealt with major phases of operating a residential program, including number of beds, average daily census, number of males and females in treatment, testing and assessment procedures, most frequent diagnoses, average IQ of patients, abuse history, therapeutic approaches used, number and types of individual/group treatment sessions per week, qualifications of therapists, average length of treatment, and follow-up research on treatment.