USF St. Petersburg campus Faculty Publications
Exploring the edges: Boundaries and breaks.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1998
Abstract
Excerpt: “In this article, we examine conceptual and practical issues pertaining to relationship boundaries within the helping profession. Although our focus is primarily on relationships between mental health professionals and clients, there are considerable implications for a new approach to ethically structuring and understanding the construct of "required distance" in many human-interactive professions, such as teaching, religious leadership, public administration, and others. We define the concept of boundary as applied to human relationships, provide examples of boundary breaks, and raise questions regarding how to evaluate the significance and morality issues raised by specific boundary breaks. Questions and dilemmas are presented regarding boundary setting and accidental or deliberate boundary breaking. Representative dangers present in boundary breaks are identified, and examples are provided. Possible beneficial outcomes are also discussed. Finally, a suggested protocol for assessing a proposed boundary break is provided, much of which is drawn from the work and thinking of Laura Brown, applied more generally in this article, with additions from our perspectives.” (p.37)
Language
en_US
Publisher
Routledge
Recommended Citation
Sommers-Flanagan, R., Elliott, D. & Sommers-Flanagan, J. (1998). Exploring the edges: Boundaries and breaks. Ethics & Behavior. 8(1), 37-48
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Comments
Excerpt only. Full text access to this article is available only through licensed access provided by the publisher. Published in Ethics & Behavior. 8(1), 37-48. Members of the USF System may access the full-text of the article through the authenticated link provided.