Families with a Member with Mental Retardation and the Ethical Implications of Therapeutic Treatment by Marriage and Family Therapists

In this article, ethical issues related to the treatment of families with a member with mental retardation are discussed. The history of psychotherapeutically treating the community with mental retardation and accompanying concerns, such as dual diagnosis and diagnostic overshadowing, are discussed. Ethical considerations of the informed consent and assent process are discussed and applied to more modern areas of confidentiality, treatment goals, and individual sexuality. Marriage and family therapists are encouraged to bring clarity and balance to the process of informed consent and assent when working systemically with the population with mental retardation and their families.