Healthcare Training Institute - Quality Education since 1979CE for Psychologist, Social Worker, Counselor, & MFT!!

Section
19
Manipulation
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let's look at manipulation as it relates to setting boundaries. Because of its
connotations of changing others "by unethical means to serve one's own purposes,"
manipulation is a loaded word. In reality, manipulation also means skillful management,
and as such, is a technique that you probably utilize constantly.
The process
itself is a legitimate one and only becomes questionable when it crosses the boundary
to being used destructively. Because we use manipulation, we must face and assess
it honestly. A therapist in a rehab setting may arrange a, "chance"
meeting between two amputees or two persons with the same illness. This ethical
manipulation is acceptable when used as a tool to provide a constructive experience
or to achieve a desirable goal.
Also, we are ethically manipulating when we
select a particular setting for a family conference. However, the evils of manipulation arise when we manipulate to achieve our personal ends, or when we manipulate without
regard for our client's needs and rights to participate in the decision making
process.
♦ Three Factors of Ethical Manipulation
Actually,
I feel manipulation of the environment is an essential component of therapy. However,
I feel for manipulation of the environment to be ethical, the following three
factors must be present:
1. The client's right and need to be involved in
both deciding and taking are considered,
2. The client's ability to participate,
and
3. The distinction between those activities which are appropriate for
the therapist to manipulate and those which are appropriate for the client to
take charge, needs to be made on an objective basis.
♦ Here are some examples of
ethical manipulation. When the activity calls for special knowledge
and skill that the client does not possess, such as reading a chart, making a
diagnosis, or searching out laws, participation by the therapist will be different.
Thus, the therapist, as the advocate of clients, works in the client's interest
and, when possible, teaches the client to use these resources.
Another
obvious example of an ethical manipulation is crisis intervention. To define the
problem and severity of the crisis event, I ask clarifying and direct questions
about the current crisis. I then probe the client for as much specific information
and details as he or she can tolerate in this state of crisis. This, of course,
is important, because I can only assist with planning a safe course of action
if I have a complete and accurate picture of the situation that triggered the
problem.
Sample problem-definition questions I use to control and manipulate the
flow of information but stay within an ethical boundary are:
-- 1.
What exactly happened?
-- 2.
When did it happen?
-- 3.
Tell me the first thing that happened that was upsetting...and
so on.
- Robison, W. (2000). Ethical Decision Making. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Reviewed 2023
Peer-Reviewed Journal Article References:
Joseph, D. L., Chan, M. Y., Heintzelman, S. J., Tay, L., Diener, E., & Scotney, V. S. (2020). The manipulation of affect: A meta-analysis of affect induction procedures. Psychological Bulletin, 146(4), 355–375.
Margolis, S., & Lyubomirsky, S. (2020). Experimental manipulation of extraverted and introverted behavior and its effects on well-being. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 149(4), 719–731.
Pinner, D. H., & Kivlighan, D. M. III. (2018). The ethical implications and utility of routine outcome monitoring in determining boundaries of competence in practice. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 49(4), 247–254.
QUESTION
19
When is manipulating acceptable? To select and enter your answer go
to .
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