1. What is the difference between assent & consent?
Which of the following individuals are likely to be considered competent to give consent for treatment (or to participate in an experiment): a juvenile, a psychotic person, an individual with Alzheimer's or a person with Developmental Disabilities? Why or why not?
2. The Tarasoff case was groundbreaking in establishing the ethical and legal duty to warn and protect. However, there is still no consistent definition of the term 'dangerous' as used by the courts.
How does this impact on a clinician's decision to breach confidentiality of a patient they believe to be imminently violent? What practices are critical in protecting the clinician from being successfully sued for malpractice?