Is Dr. Alby In An Ethical Dilemma Case Study

Ethics codes or ethical principles appeared with the incease in awareness and knowledge of the field in human rights. Ethics codes administer pschotherapists’ actions that are part of their works as a psychologist. They regulates actions as what is good, harmful or beneficial for both public and psychologists. They frame the responsibility of psychologist and also provide client’s well-being (APA, 1953). They were created to reduce or prevent harm to clients, students, psychologists etc. in ambigious situations (EFPA). Ethic codes have been divided into many categories in terms of its condition. One of these conditions is multiple relationships with clients. In the earlier period, sexual dual relationship between psychologist
As Dr. Alby was listening to the material, he could feel his chest tighten. Wendy, his 14-year-old daughter, is a student at Bay Bridge and involvement in her school activities is the source of great pleasure and pride for Dr. Alby.
Is Dr. Alby in an ethical dilemma?’’ Dr. Stephen Behnke who is APA ethic director approaches this situation as follows. Psychologists sometimes can experience the possibility of encountering multiple relationship without any supportive response. Dr. Alby can be confronted with multiple relationship not because his behavior is unethical but because his child’s school have the experience of family involvement in school. According to APA, there is no unethical condition in multiple relationship without any harm. However, Dr. Alby experiences anxiety about the possibility of an unethical condition. Dr. Stephen uses the term of anticipatory anxiety for this condition because nothing has yet experienced but it can be in the future. There are possibilities in the mind of
Stephen also says about the possibilities in the mind of Dr. Alby; for example, her daughter can have a dating relationship with Kevin or he can meet in the school activities with Kevin so much. These possibilities will or will not emerge in the future. However, Dr. Stephen suggests that Dr. Alby may ask Kevin to refer him to another psychologist by taking his sensitivity for his father into accout in line with the ethics code of APA cited as "could reasonably be expected to impair [Dr. Alby's] objectivity, competence, or effectiveness in performing his functions as a psychologist’’. Kevin will be involved in a decision-making process. In this vignette, there is no unethical condition but the possibility of it. Even if there will not be any unethical condition, Dr. Alby has anxiety about this situation. Its possibility in the mind of Dr. Alby can also change treatment process. Dr. Alby may not be relax in the treatment sessions and it can project to Kevin. To think deeply and to be proactive are important to prevent any unethical condition or