Goldwater Rule

The Goldwater Rule is an ethical guideline used by mental health professionals that states they should not offer formal psychiatric opinions about a public figure they have not personally examined. Its purpose is to prevent professionals from making potentially misleading or harmful judgments based on limited or secondhand information. Essentially, it emphasizes the importance of respecting both the individual's privacy and the integrity of the mental health profession by avoiding diagnoses or assessments in the absence of a direct evaluation.