Informed consent or empowered collaboration

Informed consent or empowered collaboration
Book Chapter
Samuel J. Knapp, Randy Fingerhut
Practical ethics for psychologists: A positive approach; 2024, [American Psychological Association]
Abstract
Informed consent is the legal and ethical obligation to give information to patients or research participants before they initiate assessment, treatment, or participation in a study. Informed consent procedures reflect respect for patient autonomy. Psychologists should respect the autonomy of their patients except for very narrow circumstances, such as when patients are incapable of giving consent or the lives of individuals are at stake. This chapter discusses these exceptions. It reviews basic information about informed consent and special issues that may arise in couples, family, or group therapy or in supervised services. It describes some ways that psychotherapists can embed respect for patient autonomy beyond the traditional informed consent process. It also covers the desirability of obtaining assent to promote greater participation from individuals who are not legally capable of giving informed consent. In addition, the chapter considers options when patients appear unable to participate in decisions about treatment.