3: Ethics

Question 1

Why do we need ethical principles?

Answer 1

• Therapeutic relationships are unbalanced.
• Therapists are human and humans are fallible
• Ethical guidelines provide guidance and accountability

Question 2

What are ethical codes?

Answer 2

guidelines for what therapists can and cannot do that have been developed by each therapeutic discipline’s organizational body.

Question 3

What are the two dimensions to ethical decision-making?

Answer 3

• Principle ethics: overt ethical obligations that must be addressed
• Virtue ethics: above and beyond the obligatory ethics and are idealistic

Question 4

Ethics vs law

Answer 4

• Law: created by legislature and courts, govern citizens, represent minimal standards and penalties are fines or jail
• Ethics: rooted in philosophy, created by professional associations, govern members of profession, represent ideal standards and penalties are loss of license and professional sanctions

Question 5

General principles of APA

Answer 5

A. Beneficence and nonmaleficence: strive to benefit those and take care to do no harm
B. Fidelity and responsability
C. Integrity: promote accuracy, honesty and truthfulness
D. Justice: fairness and justice entitle all persons to access and benefit and with equal quality
E. Respects for people’s rights and dignity: rights to privacy, confidentiality and self-determination

Question 6

How to provide competent treatment

Answer 6

To provide competent treatment, therapists need to:
-Only provide services for which they are qualified
-Accurately represent their credentials and qualifications
-Keep up with current information in the field
-Seek counselling if they have personal issues

Question 7

Malpractice

Answer 7

Occurs when a psychotherapist fails to provide reasonable care, which results in injury to the client

Question 8

Informed consent (client’s rights)

Answer 8

• Expectations for any special requirement such as audio or videotaping
• Detailed timeline for informal and formal written evaluations, it’s criteria an standards to be met
• Clear statement of limits of confidentiality
• Documentation requirements
• Use of outside consultation
• Emergency contact info
• Potential reasons and mechanisms for terminating the supervisory relationship
• Procedures for resolving disagreement

Question 9

Privileged communication (confidentiality)

Answer 9

• Central for trusting and productive client-therapist relationship
• Legal protection of client
• Right belongs to the client not the counsellor
• It does not apply when:
  -suicidal
  -needs hospitalization
  -court-ordered evaluation
  -sues the psychotherapist
  -uses mental disorder as a legal defence
  -an underage child is being abused (under 16)

Question 10

Some steps to make ethical decisions:

Answer 10

1) Identify the problem and gather info
2) Identify potential issues (rights, responsibilities…)
3) Look at relevant ethic codes for guidance
4) Consider applicable laws
5) Seek consultation (more than 1 source)
6) Brainstorm various possible courses for action
7) Enumerate the consequences of various decisions
8) Decide on what seems to be the best possible course of action