Which ethical obligation describes avoiding ongoing interactions that are outside the scope of providing therapy?

• A. Multiple relationships
• B. Confidentiality breach
• C. Professional boundaries
• D. Client autonomy

Answer: (A)

Maintaining boundaries in the clinician–client relationship means keeping interactions focused on therapy and avoiding ongoing contact that falls outside that scope. This item points to avoiding multiple roles with the same client—having more than one relationship in addition to the therapeutic one. When a clinician takes on additional roles (for example, being a friend, mentor, or business associate to the same person), the lines between roles blur, which can lead to biased judgment, conflicts of interest, or potential harm to the client. By staying within the therapeutic role and limiting contact to what’s necessary for treatment, you protect both the client’s welfare and the integrity of the intervention. The broader idea is to maintain professional boundaries, but the situation described emphasizes preventing the creation of dual relationships through ongoing outside interactions.