Risk management and life-threatening patient behaviors

This article reviews the legal and ethical issues that arise;in the treatme nt of patients who may pose a threat to harm themselves or others. The rece nt practice of developing empirically validated treatments has not yet been applied to the diagnosis and treatment of patients who present an imminent danger of harm to themselves or others. instead. psychologists must follow standards that come primarily from court cases or statutes. Although these standards have some degree of commonality across North America. psychologi sts are encouraged to be informed about local laws and court cases. (C) 200 0 John Wiley & Sons. Inc.