ETHICAL PRACTICES - PSY 570 - STAR

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ETHICAL PRACTICES MODULE ONE 1-1 DISCUSSION: DEFINING PROFESSIONAL ETHICS 10/10 A Ethics is one of the most important considerations in the field of psychology. It has evolved tremendously, because there was so much abuse that occurred back in the 60s and 70s. Once the APA Code of Ethics was in place, the days of the mad scientists, such as Zimbardo with his Stanford Prison Experiment, began to cease. Ethics is about treating people right, doing the right thing, and making moral decisions. Koocher & Keith-Speigel (2015) offered various real-life examples that psychologists may encounter during their careers. These were very interesting as it enabled our thoughts to put ourselves in their shoes. Sometimes a scenario will put you in a very tough dilemma. Risk management is like a preventative step so that unethical behavior does not occur. It is much easier to prevent unethical behavior than to clean up a mess. One must be a little intuitive to be effective in risk management. Try to foresee unethical situations that could arise in the future, such as client relations that may turn inappropriate. Ethical mindfullness is avoiding bad habits that may turn into unethical behavior. Koocher & Keith-Speigel (2015) provide various examples of situations in which therapists did not exhibit ethical mindfulness. They covered issues with competency, issues with insensitivity toward clients as well as overall lacking of self-awareness. All of these examples could lead to potential ethical complaints in the future. Similarly to risk management, one must foresee potential problems to protect themselves in the future. I have a great personal experience, at least one, but this one first came to mind---I had a sales position with a company that sold baby products; everything from furniture to car seats. We were wholesale, so we sold to retail stores and boutiques. We were on a small salary plus commission, and we had an expense account. We worked in teams of two. Well, my partner was padding her expense account. She was fairly new to the company, like a few months. But she had just been made my partner. She would try and coerce me into identically padding my expense report, so that it looked legit. I had this job for 3 years. Granted, the barely look at the expense reports, and it would probably never be discovered. But what if? I just wasn't comfortable doing it. My aunt was one of the higher-ups in the company, and she got me the job 3 years ago. Anyway, we bickered daily about the expense reports. I told her to say she had lunch without me. This drama went on for several weeks. She ended up getting fired for something entirely different, so at last...I was off the hook and I wasn't put in the position between telling on her or cooperating with her. References Koocher G. P., & Keith-Spiegel P. (2015). Ethics in Psychology and the Mental Health Professions. [MBS Direct]. DOI: https://mbsdirect.vitalsource.com/#/books/9780199957705/

1-2 SHORT PAPER 30/30 A Making an unethical decision is quite possibly one of the greatest fears among practicing psychology professionals. It is imperative that they are aware of some of the know pitfalls for making mistakes in their field. Although there are many, some are more treacherous than others, and they are truly often unavoidable. Misinformation is a rather significant one. It is often shocking for a therapist to find out their patient has been lying to them. After all, they are paying for help. Why would the waste their money being dishonest? Psychologists make diagnosis based upon the provision of a reliable recount of interaction between their loved ones. It is understood to be astute, timely and accurate. Lies and manipulation of events damage relationships and compromise therapy. All e-mails, written correspondence along with face-to- face therapy sessions are considered subject to lies (Palmieri & Stern 2009). Suppose Dr. Simpson, a psychiatrist in New York City, has been treating Bobby Barrino of the New York Yankees through psychotherapy for nearly 5 years. His marriage always seems to be falling apart. He has been on various medications. And now he is seeking couple therapy with his wife through Dr. Simpson. They talk about her all the time in their sessions, and Bobby describes her as erratic, moody, volatile, angry and verbally abusive in front of their 2 young children. He wants to avoid divorce for the sake of the children, but also for the sake of the fortune that he has earned in baseball. Dr. Simpson is hesitant to move their relationship into couple therapy, as this would change the dynamics of their relationship and ethical considerations. Bobby has confided intimate details about his life in the past 5 years, including a few minor indiscretions, which were one-night stands that were never found out by his wife. Bobby keeps requesting couple therapy, because he feels it is the final straw. He feels that if Dr.

Simpson does not intervene, they will not make it much longer. So, Dr. Simpson finally agrees, but he wants to see Bobby’s wife alone for 3 sessions, before he sees them together. Upon the first appointment with Mrs. Barrino, Dr. Simpson was baffled. Bobby’s description of her was completely opposite of the woman that sat before him. She was shy, quiet, meek and withdrawn. He finally got her to take her sunglasses off halfway through the session, and she had a black eye. She claimed to have gotten hit with a baseball. The second session, Mrs. Barrino was limping slightly, and she had red marks around her neck. When she arrived for the third session, her wrist was in a cast, and she was crying uncontrollably. After much pressure from Dr. Simpson, she confided in him that her husband beats her almost daily, and he said he would kill her if she ever reported him. He does not allow her to have friends, and he has made sure to alienate her entire family. He was most adamant about her not revealing this in therapy, but she is at the end. She is contemplating suicide; she confides to Dr. Simpson. Dr. Simpson has found himself in quite a jam. Bobby Barrino has been his trustful client for almost 5 years, yet this woman is in dire straits. He has ethical responsibilities to Bobby, yet legal responsibilities to this desperate woman. What a dilemma he has found himself in. Looking back, he sees clearly that he should have practiced ethical mindfulness and risk management in this case. He was reluctant for quite some time to take on the case as couple therapy. Quite onestly, Dr. Simpson realizes that his enthusiasm for baseball, especially the Yankees, skewed his judgement when it came to Bobby Barrino. Bobby persuaded him to do anything he asked. Dr. Simpson often ignored his better judgement to accommodate the baseball super star, and now a dark cloud was hovering above him. What a predicament of ethics and law. Beech (2007) explores the circumstances in which these conflicting legal and ethical responsibilities collide. There is an obligation to maintain a patient’s confidentiality, yet a

concerning need to disclose information to the proper authorities. A professional psychologist must be familiar with their professional code of conduct and keep updated with any changes in the law to fully understand when it is justified to override their confidential duty. Any interaction with health care professionals promises confidentiality. It is derived from statutory and case law, not to mention the basic duty of care to any individual. It is a mere professional code of conduct, and professionals are bound by these principals and procedures. Confidentiality is a very sensitive topic and crucial in the health care industry. Patients must be able to trust their providers, especially with psychotherapy. (Beech 2007). But now Dr. Simpson discovers that Bobby Barrino has done nothing but lie to him for 5 years. Meanwhile, his domestically abused wife has endured daily abuse and trauma with nowhere to turn. And now, he has a suicidal woman that has confided in him on his hands. Vesper (1995) delves into the problems with boundaries encountered in a situation as such. He labels the positions either savior-oriented or persecutor-oriented, depending on the stance the therapist takes. It is a tough position for a psychotherapist working with couples caught up in abuse and trauma. It is most challenging, not to mention puts them at risk for ethical violations as well as legal issues. In addition, a psychologist is also a human being. Being lied to and tossed into a dilemma of legal trouble and ethical turmoil may evoke feelings of anger, vengeance or even rescue fantasies. A psychotherapist must keep their emotions in check. In a complex, abusive situation like the Barrinos, where their boundaries have been eroded, it is critical that they maintain firm but humanistic boundaries that allow the patient to get honest and show emotion in a safe place. Both Bobby and his wife will feel vulnerable and unprotected, once the truth is revealed. Quite possible, there is no future for them, and he will be potentially

facing criminal charges. Everyone in this scenario, including Dr. Simpson, is in a very volatile mind set. They may need another psychotherapist to intervene for success (Vesper 1995).

References Beech, M. (2007). Confidentiality in health care: Conflicting legal and ethical issues. Nursing Standard, 21 (21). Palmieri, J. J. & Stern, T. A. (2009). Lies in the doctor-patient relationship. The Primary Care Companion to the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 11 (4). 163-168. DOI: 10.4088/PCC.09r00780 Vesper, J. H. (1995). Conflicting relationships. American Journal of Forensic Psychology, 13 (4), 5–20. 1-3 MILESTONE ONE: VIGNETTE CASE STUDY - BONNIE BRUISED 50/50 A Thank you for choosing your case study vignette. You have included some important reasons to examine this case. You have identified some ethical conflicts as well. Your work is well written and in APA style. Nice job! Please review comments within the grading rubric. Dr. Felch Medical professionals, especially in the mental health field, will encounter the delicate balance between confidentiality and reporting abuse to the proper authorities at some point in their careers. It is a conflicting dilemma that will undoubtedly arise, time and time again, especially when the victim or patient is adamant about their confidentiality, while being blatantly injured. What if this victim of abuse ends up dead? Professionals have an ethical responsibility to protect them from this abuse, once they are made aware of it. Yet, what about confidentiality? Confronting these ethical conflicts can be extremely difficult and must be handled carefully with much thought and perhaps outside help. The case study of Bonnie Bruised examines a victim of domestic abuse and the involvement of her college professor. She desperately needed a confidant to discuss the turmoil and violence that she was encountering at the hands of her boyfriend. She was seeking a trust-worthy individual that would respect her confidentiality, and she felt safe with her professor. She confided in her about he had been verbally and physically abusing her extensively at home, even to the point that she endured a broken wrist. When the professor suggested various resources for help, Bonnie refused. She insisted that nobody else know of her situation. The 5 guiding principles and the 10 standards listed under the APA Code of Ethics must be used to assess any case of this nature. This story of domestic abuse places a huge burden upon Professor Disclose. The decisions and actions of Professor Disclose must be subjected to the eight-step ethical decision model. A proposed alternate ethical decision-making model, restorative justice, and ethical strategies that consider cultural values and social factors to compare outcomes for all parties in the case (Koocher & Keith-Spiegel, 2016).

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