The Tarasoff case

    The Tarasoff case has established psychologists’ duty to warn. How serious should the potential harm be for a clinical psychologist to break confidentiality to provide a warning? For example, if a client infected with HIV discloses unsafe sex practices with partners unaware of the client’s HIV status, does a psychologist have a duty to warn the client’s current and future sexual partners? If a client discloses an intent to injure, rob, or verbally assault (but not kill) another person, should confidentiality be broken? Why or why not?