The nature, motives, and perceived consequences of therapist dishonesty

Abstract

Honest communication between therapists and clients is an essential part of the process and values of psychotherapy, but the topic of therapist dishonesty has remained virtually unexplored. This study examined the prevalence, motivations, and perceived consequences of therapist dishonesty. Data were compiled from a Qualtrics survey, including several open-ended questions, of 401 practicing psychotherapists. Findings revealed that virtually all respondents acknowledged having been dishonest with their clients at least once, most often about their own emotional health and their attentiveness in session, and that they were significantly more likely to engage in covert than overt dishonesty. Most felt their dishonesty was in the service of their clients’ therapy or wellbeing and perceived no negative consequences of such actions. Novice therapists reported being dishonest with their clients more frequently than therapists with more experience. Directions for future research, as well as the need for training programs to introduce students to this issue, are noted.

Keywords:

• therapist dishonesty
• therapist disclosure
• therapist effects
• clinical tact

Acknowledgement

We greatly appreciate the contributions to this project of our research assistants, including Mandy Newman, Daniel Sauermilch, Hannah Lindenmeyer, Tao Lin, Mila Kirstie Kulsa, Elyse Blake, Xinyao Zhang, and Jeffrey Wainstein.

Supplemental Data

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed at https://doi.org/10.1080/10503307.2021.1933241.