In the initial phase of the professional relationship, the psychologist will provide the individual, group, institution or community, whether whether they are users or clients, adequate and understandable information about their benefits, purposes and the modalities of the same. In addition, she must also report on the degree and legal limits of confidentiality. Therefore, the mental health professional works so that those who have the right to do so can express informed consent.
Do you want to know more about it? In this Psychology-Online article we will see better what is informed consent in psychology and how to do it.
The relationship established between the patient/client and the psychologist is a relationship of trust that must be based on certain rules. These rules must be provided by the psychologist at the beginning of the professional relationship so that the patient / client can express their informed consent.
This is an ethical and legal term defined as the consent of a client to a proposed mental health procedure
What aspects are included in the informed consent
The word consent derives from the Latin and from the etymological point of view it means "approval of an act". At the medical-legal level, consent is an act of will with which others are given the possibility of working to satisfy the rights of the person or the right to health.
Specifically, the psychologist will provide the patient adequate and clear information about:
- The type of health services provided.
- Determination of objectives.
- Foreseeable deadlines and methodology.
- Limits of the intervention.
- Possibility to withdraw informed consent.
Likewise, information on costs and the processing of personal data are not included in the content of the informed consent.
All medical treatment, including clinical activities of a psychological nature, requires the consent of the user after he has been informed of benefits, such as the purpose and alternative interventions, in order to be able to freely choose whether or not to submit to the intervention. Informed consent is therefore a expression factor of individual freedom and the right to self-determination, which is why it is included among the fundamental rights recognized by legal systems.
Thus, the concept of informed consent arises from the recognition that individuals have the right to freedom, autonomy and privacy. human dignity. The premise of all health treatment resides in the free and conscious choice of the person who undergoes that treatment.
Informed consent, therefore, it must be free and not flawed. It is necessary to consider the person who will receive the health benefit as an active subject and participant in the decision-making processes that concern them.
How can you make an informed consent in psychology? In general, the informed consent process consists of three parts:
1. Provide customer information
The psychologist must communicate the nature, risks and benefits of the procedure, of the treatment, of the investigation or of any other eventuality to which the client consents. This also includes the authorization of the professional to issue information, communicate by email, register a session, etc.
At this stage, the client can ask questions and participate in a dialogue or discussion in which the psychologist, if there are any, should offer viable alternatives to treatment to allow the person to have a clear view of all the options. On the other hand, the patient must also be presented with information about the most probable results of the treatment and the delivery of information in a clear and simple way.
2. Assess the client's ability to understand the information
The psychologist should assess whether the person has the ability to understand the information and ensure that you are competent to make an informed decision about medical care or treatment. Once the necessary information has been verified and provided, the professional must determine whether or not the information provided has been understood.
Thus, the psychologist will have to be able to ensure that the client clearly understands and accepts the risks of the procedure, study or treatment. When possible and considered appropriate, the psychologist will be able to verify that the individual is proceeding with the final option with a full knowledge and anticipation of the risks and benefits of it.
3. Get customer consent
Finally, the client must acknowledge that he has been informed and express his consent informed. The informed consent must be drawn up in writing and in duplicate (one copy will be for the professional and the other for the patient/client), and must contain all the technical aspects and those not related to the provision professional.
However, on some occasions it can also be acquired by video recording or, in the case of a person disabled, through devices that allow you to communicate.
Content of informed consent
The content of informed consent varies from situation to situation. In general, it should include the description of the intervention, the treatment, the procedure and the disclosure of information. Likewise, this consent may also include alternative options, risks and benefits and the exact nature of the treatment, which are sometimes not clearly explained and must be deepened.
The scope and depth of the information provided will vary from situation to situation. Thus, consent to disclose information often includes other aspects such as who is the entity to whom the information is provided information, what type of information must be disclosed, the purpose of the publication, and the time limit or period during which the publication is authorized divulgation.
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
