Marriage and Family Therapists (MFT) Law and Ethics Practice Exam

What defines the role of a therapist in promoting beneficence?

1. Facilitating client independence

2. Pursuing personal interests

3. Making decisions for clients

4. Actively working towards client well-being

The correct answer is: Actively working towards client well-being

The role of a therapist in promoting beneficence is fundamentally about actively working towards the well-being of clients. Beneficence is a core ethical principle in therapy, which urges professionals to act in the best interest of their clients. This entails not only avoiding harm but also taking positive steps to enhance the client's mental health and improve their overall well-being. Therapists implement practices, interventions, and strategies aimed at helping clients achieve their goals and heal from psychological distress or challenges. This requires engagement, empathy, and a deep understanding of the client’s unique circumstances, pushing therapists to strive for the best outcomes for those they serve. In contrast to this principle, choices that involve facilitating client independence, pursuing personal interests, or making decisions for clients do not align with the focus on client welfare that defines beneficence. Facilitating client independence is certainly a valuable aspect of therapy but is more aligned with the principle of autonomy than beneficence itself. Pursuing personal interests potentially distracts from the client-centric focus essential to the therapeutic process, and making decisions for clients could undermine their autonomy and personal agency, contradicting the ethical commitment to beneficence.