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Ethical Issues and Ethical Therapy Associated with Anxiety Disorders

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Book cover Ethical Issues in Behavioral Neuroscience

Part of the book series: Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences ((CTBN,volume 19))

Abstract

The prevalence of anxiety disorders is among the highest of all psychiatric diagnoses, with a lifetime morbidity rate of nearly 30 %. Given this prevalence, it is important to identify effective and ethical treatments. Empirically based treatments considered efficacious for anxiety disorders largely include cognitive behavioral treatments (CBT) , and among these, exposure therapy stands out as both useful and potentially concerning. Ethical concerns regarding exposure treatment for anxiety include fears of symptom exacerbation, high treatment dropout rates, client safety concerns, and the blurring of boundary lines between therapists and clients. Although concerns have been raised regarding exposure treatment generally, specific concerns have been raised related to the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) given the vulnerable nature of the population. Despite these concerns, research largely supports both the efficacy and safety of exposure therapy. The present chapter provides a review of extant literature highlighting potential ethical concerns, research regarding the raised concerns, and suggestions for minimizing risk in treatment.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychological Sciences, University of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, 46227, USA

    Kaylan L. Altis & Lisa S. Elwood

  2. Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, USA

    Bunmi O. Olatunji

Authors
  1. Kaylan L. Altis
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  2. Lisa S. Elwood
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  3. Bunmi O. Olatunji
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lisa S. Elwood .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. National Core for Neuroethics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

    Grace Lee

  2. National Core for Neuroethics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

    Judy Illes

  3. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Frauke Ohl

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© 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Altis, K.L., Elwood, L.S., Olatunji, B.O. (2014). Ethical Issues and Ethical Therapy Associated with Anxiety Disorders. In: Lee, G., Illes, J., Ohl, F. (eds) Ethical Issues in Behavioral Neuroscience. Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences, vol 19. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/7854_2014_340

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