Case Study
Patient Demographic: Client s Age: Client 1: age 12 Client 2: age 14 Client 3: age 14 Client 4: age 16 Client 5: age 13 Client 6: age 16 Sex: Males Gender: Males Sexuality: Varying Ethnicity: Multiracial Relationship Status: Single Counseling Setting: Juvenile Justice Facility Type of Counseling: Group Counseling Presenting Problem: Involvement with the Justice System That Includes Various Mental Health Disorders and Crimes Diagnosis: Imprisonment (Z65.1)
Mental Status Exam: Mental Status Exam: All of the clients appear to maintain appropriate hygiene, and they are all oriented to person, place, time, and situation. They are all somewhat reserved with regard to going into deeper topics, but they participate f
Presenting Problem: You are a licensed counselor working in a juvenile justice facility for teenage males. The group comprises six males that are required to attend as part of their incarceration with the expectation that it will shorten their sentences. The purpose of the group is to work on emotional regulation and to work together to share common experiences and identify goals that can be helpful in preventing reincarceration. During the intake session, you explained the purpose of the group and started with an ice-breakeractivity. The clients participated in the ice-breaker activity that required you to redirect them back to the activity several times because they would joke and get off task. You attempt to go a little deeper by encouraging your clients to start talking about what happened to get them incarcerated, and they appear to be taking pride in the reasons they were in juvenile detention and making fun of those with lesser sentences. You redirect the clients to another topic.
Other Contexts:    ully. Family History: Several clients report coming from a single-parent home, whereas others are from a two-parent home. All clients report that they have siblings. Several clients reported having parents that were or are involved in the justice system

Question: Which of the following would be unethical for you regarding group counseling?
(A): Confidentiality cannot be guaranteed because you cannot control what the clients share outside of sessions.
(B): You do not have experience regarding incarceration, but you have been a therapist for 15 years and have experience in counseling.
(C): You cannot force the clients to participate in sessions even though therapy is mandatory.
(D): You are also the case manager for each individual; therefore, this is a dual relationship.

Correct Answer: You do not have experience regarding incarceration, but you have been a therapist for 15 years and have experience in counseling.
Explanation: The most common unethical situation in the group setting is a counselor that does not have the knowledge or skills to lead the group. There are many positions that require a counselor to be a group counselor and to have another role with the client such as in this juvenile detention facility, in group homes, or in other community mental health roles. Often, dual relationships cannot be avoided in group counseling and at times are part of therapy such as dialectical behavior therapy, which is often a mixture of group and individual counseling. It is true that, when multiple clients are present such as in group, family, or couples counseling, you cannot guarantee confidentiality from all members, but you should encourage all clients to maintain confidentiality for the benefit of the group process. Although the clients may be forced to be in the group, you cannot force anyone to do anything against their will, which includes participation in mandatory therapy. Therefore, the correct answer is (C)
Competency: professional practice and ethics