Psychology Ethical Codes (Review Questions and Answers)

Read the following conversation between three therapists (psych/PT/OT): (10 pts)
Luke: Sometimes, I find it really difficult to make decisions. I am often compelled to breach the confidentiality of the client because not doing so would harm the client.
Nancy: Yes, I understand what you are saying. And, sometimes, clients show us no respect. They expect us to always find solutions to their problems. As if we’re magicians!
Harry: One of my clients kept insisting on my hugging her. In a way, I thought, how much would a hug hurt? But then it would be breach of ethics, right?

1. Explain how each of the above dilemmas can be handled in accordance with ethical guidelines.
2. How should a practitioner determine what is ethical versus what is unethical?
3. Discuss the guidelines practitioners should follow to ensure that they are practicing ethically.
4. How will practitioners know when or if they commit a breach of ethics?
5. Develop a fictitious case study showing a therapist engaging in unethical conduct. Refer only to the ethics codes that apply for this assignment. The case study should describe a therapist at work in a setting of your choice. Choose at least five ethical codes of conduct your therapist breaks. After you have written the case study, include a paragraph on which ethical codes have been violated, the corresponding code number, and how they were broken. (10 pts)
6. Shifts in Your Thinking about Ethics Write an essay that clearly describes what you consider to be the most important shifts in your thinking about ethical practice (clarification of your views and beliefs, modifications in your thinking on a given issue, gaining new insights, or acquiring a new perspective).  What have you most learned about yourself and/or about what constitutes becoming an ethical practitioner? How has your thinking about ethics changed?  Do a brief evaluation of yourself as a learner in this course. How invested were you this semester?  To what degree did you challenge yourself? (10 pts)
7. After moving from a big city to a rural setting, Janice is suffering from anxiety and depression because of adjustments to the change. She wants to seek counseling services to help her adjust. Janice has always valued her privacy and is finding it difficult to commit to seeing a counselor in a rural setting. The community has only one mental health counselor. Janice fears that if she begins counseling sessions, people will learn that she is undergoing therapy. In addition, Janice is a devoted Catholic and is aware that the counselor is a devout Jehovah’s Witness, as is most of the community. Janice is apprehensive that the counselor might try to encourage her to convert. She is desperate to talk to someone and does not know where to turn.
8. Identify the ethical codes specific to Janice’s concerns that the counselor should follow to provide professional and ethical services.
9. Why are the ethical standards important for client progress especially in this case? (20 pts)
10. You have a client with an addictive sexual disorder, the sexual acting out has been repetitive and the lying egregious/ a lot.
11. Identify the ethical code number and definition.
12. At what point do you refer and where are the boundaries?
13. Which therapies and techniques would be more effective? (20 pts)