Client Intake & Interview Ethics Flashcards

What should an investigator do if a client withdraws consent mid-investigation?

Answer: Immediately cease all investigation activities and respect the withdrawal

Consent can be withdrawn at any time, and investigators must honor that withdrawal immediately without pressure or negotiation.

Which documentation practice best protects both the client and the investigation team?

Answer: A signed intake form and consent agreement outlining the scope, confidentiality, and terms

Written and signed documentation creates a clear, mutual understanding of expectations and protects all parties legally and ethically.

A junior investigator overhears a client's confidential case details being discussed in a public restaurant by senior team members. What should occur?

Answer: Address the behavior with the senior members and reinforce confidentiality protocols

Confidentiality breaches, even informal ones, should be addressed through team accountability and reinforced protocols.

What is the recommended approach when a child in the household claims to be the primary witness to paranormal activity?

Answer: Interview the child with a parent or guardian present and use age-appropriate language

Children should never be interviewed alone, and their accounts should be gathered with a trusted adult present using appropriate, non-leading language.

An investigator finds evidence during intake that a client may be fabricating activity for media attention. What is the ethical response?

Answer: Address concerns directly with the client, document findings honestly, and decline if deception is confirmed

Investigators must maintain integrity by confronting suspected deception professionally and declining cases where honesty cannot be ensured.

When a client shares private medical information during intake, how should it be stored?

Answer: Securely, with access limited to those who have a direct need to know for the investigation

Sensitive personal information must be stored securely and accessed only by team members with a legitimate need, consistent with privacy best practices.

A client demands the investigator guarantee that the investigation will eliminate all paranormal activity in their home. What is the correct response?

Answer: Explain that investigations can document and analyze activity but cannot guarantee elimination of paranormal phenomena

Ethical investigators must be transparent about the scope and limitations of their work, including the inability to guarantee the cessation of reported activity.