The 'duty to warn' applies to which risk?

• A. Academic failure
• B. Risk of serious physical harm
• C. Minor conflicts
• D. Risk of property damage

Answer: (B)

The duty to warn centers on protecting people from credible, imminent harm. When a student or client poses a serious threat to someone else, the professional has a legal and ethical obligation to warn the potential victim or take other steps to prevent harm, which may include notifying authorities. This obligation targets preventing serious physical harm, not issues like academic failure, minor conflicts, or property damage, which do not meet the threshold of dangerousness to others. So the risk that triggers the duty to warn is the risk of serious physical harm.