In my article "The Need for Psychology Understanding,” I discussed how fiction writers need at least a basic understanding of psychology in order to write realistic content, dialogues, characters, and relationships. One such psychological concept is multiple role relationships. Understanding what multiple role relationships are is important for writers who have a character who is a psychologist as multiple role relationships can be used to add plot elements, add an element of risk to a forbidden romance, and/or help a writer to create a realistic conflict between characters.

Multiple role relationships occur when a therapist is in a professional role with a person while also being in either a second role with the same person or is having a relationship with another person that is closely associated with the first person. This can also include the intent to begin another relationship in the future with the person or person closely related to the person (Behnke, 2004). One example of a multiple role relationship would be if a therapist and their client decided to open a restaurant together; this would become a multiple role relationship because the pair would be both therapist and client as well as business partners. Another example of a multiple role relationship that could occur would be if a therapist decided to write a book with the spouse of a current client; this would become a multiple role relationship because of the close association between spouses and the working relationship between the client’s spouse and the client’s therapist.

While non-sexual multiple role relationships are not in fact a violation of APA ethics code, they are best avoided as a multiple role relationship can impair the practicing psychology professional’s objectivity, competence, and effectiveness in treating the client which could potentially harm the professional relationship (Koocher & Keith-Spiegel, 2016). The ideal way for a practicing psychology professional to handle multiple role relationships is to avoid them to protect their professional relationship with their client; however not all multiple role relationships can be avoided. In fact, there are some situations where a multiple role relationship could be considered permissible if handled professionally. For instance, if a therapist’s client became a yoga instructor at a class that the therapist had been attending, then the therapist and client would be engaged in a multiple role relationship as both therapist and client as well as teacher and student. A second example of a permissible multiple role relationship would be if both the therapist and the client ended up attending the same pottery class; the pair would be in a multiple role relationship as both therapist and client as well as a relationship of being peers or fellow students. However, this multiple role relationship would likely be a temporary one as it would only be for the duration of the class and the multiple role relationship would have been unintentionally created by both the therapist and the client.

In cases where the multiple role relationship cannot be avoided, then both relationships need to be managed professionally to keep the practicing psychology professional objective and effective in treating the client. Boundary setting is an effective way to begin managing a multiple role relationship professionally; this process could begin with the practicing psychology professional and the client discussing the boundaries of each relationship so that there is a clear understanding of boundaries. One of the major functions of this boundary-setting process should include an understanding that the practicing psychology professional should not be questioned about his/her practice nor should the discussion of treatment occur outside of the therapy sessions.

References

Behnke, S. (2004) Multiple relationships and APA's new ethics code: values and applications. Ethics Rounds, 35, 6.

Koocher, G. P., & Keith-Spiegel, P. (2016). Ethics in psychology and the mental health professions: Standards and cases (4th ed.). New York: Oxford University Press.