Questions We Can Help You To Answer

Paper instructions:

“describe and evaluate professional, ethical and legal issues related to each profession.”  This assignment is designed to have you think about ethical issues in helping professions.
Clinical and Counseling Psychology have governing bodies that offer ethical guidelines for their members, as indicated below:American Counseling Association  
http://www.counseling.org/resources/aca-code-of-ethics.pdfAmerican Psychological Associationhttp://www.apa.org/ethics/code/index.aspx

However, Community Psychology does not have one major professional body that offers an ethical code.  There are, however, numerous published books and articles on the subject and community psychologists are still expected to adhere to a code of conduct that reflects the principles of community psychology.  Below is an article that gives an interesting perspective of ethics in this field(pdf on Canvas): Johnson, W. B., Barnett, J. E., Elman, N. S., Forrest, L., & Kaslow, N.J. (2012).  

.Assignment:Part 1:What do you think are the different ethical issues for clinical, counseling, and community psychology respectively? Use the codes of ethics and article provided to guide your response as needed. (5 points)

Part 2:Read the following two scenarios and answer the questions. 
Please use the ethical decision making model provided to guide your responses as needed.http://www.counseling.org/docs/ethics/practitioners_guide.pdf?sfvrsn=2


PSY 445 Ethics AssignmentScenario #1:A female psychologist works with a male patient for about one year in a suburban area.  They agreed to meet weekly for the first four months of psychotherapy, and then they agreed to meet twice per month.  They developed a good therapeutic alliance.  During the course of their work, he discussed significant facts about his troubled past, numerous details about failed past relationships, and sexual fantasies.  The main therapeutic issues are depression and loneliness.During the current session, the patient related having made a new female friend.  As social isolation, loneliness and depression are regular themes in treatment; the psychologist frames this as positive progress.As the conversation continues, the psychologist is surprised to learn that the patient’s new friend is the ex-wife of the psychologist’s husband.  The patient reveals that he became aware of that information after several dates and recently felt comfortable revealing this to the psychologist.  He also indicated that the relationship is taking on a more serious tone.The ex-wife moved back to the area about six months ago.  The psychologist knows that the ex-wife had been struggling with isolation and loneliness as well.  The psychologist, her husband, and his ex-wife are on good terms.  They see her regularly for informal family events and do holidays together with their adult children and grandchildren.After the session is over, the psychologist has time to reflect on her concerns.  The psychologist feels stuck and overwhelmed by her present situation.  She calls you for an ethics consult.What are the ethical issues involved? (5 points) What would you suggest that she does? (5 points)

Scenario #2:School climate is especially glum at a middle school. You are asked to try to address the situation which you believe involves discontent over the administration among other issues. You agree to conduct small focus groups with all grade levels to try to determine causes. You conduct the focus groups and analyze the feedback into five categories that seem to capture the concerns. One of the categories is administration. Issues under administration concern areas such as inconsistency, showing favoritism, and the perception that the principal is prejudice. This last complaint came from only two people whose judgment you believe is suspect. When making your report to the principal, she asks you for the names of the people who believe she is prejudice. What is your response? Does informed consent play a role in this ethical dilemma?What are the ethical issues involved? (5 points) What would you do and why? (5 points)