In a national random-sample survey of 1,423 practicing psychiatrists,
the overwhelming majority of the respondents (98%) said that therapist-
patient sexual contact is always inappropriate and usually harmful to the
patient. However, 29.6% said that such contact after termination of therapy
might sometimes be acceptable. Psychiatrists who acknowledged having had
sexual contact with one or more patients (N = 84) differed markedly from
their peers in their attitudes. The majority (74%) of these offenders
believed that sexual contact could be appropriate after termination; many
apparently rationalized their behavior in this manner. The authors discuss
the need for systematic professional education on the subject.Abstract Teaser