Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the quantity and quality of sexual ethics training taking place in clinical graduate training programs. Eighty-four directors of APA-approved clinical training programs and their fourth-year students completed surveys to assess the above . Additionally, students were asked to rate, on a Likert-type scale, the appropriateness of several different responses related to a hypothetical sexual dilemma in order to assess the effectiveness of current sexual ethics training practices. Most programs in the sample reported some type of formal didactic training in sexual ethics. However, outside of formal classroom training, there were few required activities . Student ratings of the quality of sexual ethics training provided in their programs were significantly lower than director ratings . Using an alpha level of.05, students' knowledge of sexual ethics related to: the atmosphere of the program in regard to sexual ethics, having experienced an attraction for a client, and having discussed the attraction with a supervisor. Students who had experienced a sexual attraction for a client were more likely to have discussed the attraction with a supervisor based on the number of didactic hours of sexual ethics training provided in their program and program atmosphere ratings . Implications of these results are discussed