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Psychotherapists’ attitudes to intimate and informal behaviour towards clients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 March 2020

Lara Vesentini Open the ORCID record for Lara Vesentini [Opens in a new window] ,
Roel Van Overmeire ,
Frieda Matthys ,
Dirk De Wachter ,
Hubert Van Puyenbroeck  and
Johan Bilsen
Lara Vesentini*
Affiliation:
Mental Health and Wellbeing Research Group (MENT), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, Brussels, 1090, Belgium
Roel Van Overmeire
Affiliation:
Mental Health and Wellbeing Research Group (MENT), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, Brussels, 1090, Belgium
Frieda Matthys
Affiliation:
Mental Health and Wellbeing Research Group (MENT), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, Brussels, 1090, Belgium
Dirk De Wachter
Affiliation:
Universitair Psychiatrisch Centrum, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
Hubert Van Puyenbroeck
Affiliation:
Mental Health and Wellbeing Research Group (MENT), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, Brussels, 1090, Belgium
Johan Bilsen
Affiliation:
Mental Health and Wellbeing Research Group (MENT), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, Brussels, 1090, Belgium
*
Author for correspondence: Lara Vesentini, E-mail: lara.vesentini@vub.be
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Abstract

Background

To avoid harming or exploiting a client, sexual and non-sexual dual relationship is generally considered as unacceptable in the psychotherapeutic relationship. However, little is known about what therapists themselves constitute as (un)acceptable intimate and informal behaviour (IIB).

Methods

A survey among psychotherapists in Flanders (Belgium) was conducted. Opinions about the acceptability of IIB were asked. Based on these opinions attitude groups could be determined.

Results

In total, 786 therapists completed and returned the questionnaire (response rate: 39.8%). Therapists could be divided into three attitude groups. Almost half of the therapists belonged to the ‘rather restrictive group’, a third to the ‘rather socially permissive group’ and a fifth to the ‘rather sexually permissive group’. Being categorised as ‘rather sexually permissive’ is predominantly related to being male and non-heterosexual, whereas being ‘rather restrictive’ or ‘rather socially permissive’ is mainly due to the type of psychotherapy training. The ‘rather sexually permissive’ therapists more often found a client sexually attractive during the last year and fantasised more often about a romantic relationship with a client, but they did not more often started a sexual relationship.

Conclusions

Most therapists in Flanders are rather restrictive in their attitude to IIB, pointing to a high sense of morality. Having a rather sexually permissive attitude is predominantly related to more personal characteristics of the therapists, but these therapists did not start a sexual relationship more often.

Keywords

attitudedual relationshipsinformal behaviourintimacy
Type
Original Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 51 , Issue 11 , August 2021 , pp. 1807 - 1813
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press

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