Role of HIV serostatus, relationship status of the patient, homophobia, and social desirability of the psychologist on decisions regarding confidentiality

What factors influence a psychologist's decision to maintain or break confi dentiality of an HIV-positive patient? Dangerousness (serostatus), identifi ability (relationship status of patient and third party), homophobia, and i mpression management were the major factors examined. The sample was compos ed of 236 psychologists and psychologists in training attending the 1994 Am erican Psychological Association (APA convention in Los Angeles, California . They were given 16 scenarios depicting four different situations with pat ients at various HIV risk levels, and measures determining levels of impres sion management and homophobia. A majority (51% to 92.2%, depending on the scenario) of the respondents chose to maintain confidentiality in all scena rios. Participants were least likely to maintain confidentiality in scenari os describing a high level of dangerousness and identifiability.