Chapter 15 Ethical Issues in Career Development Interventions

1. Publisher to insert cover image here Chapter 15 Ethical Issues in Career Development Interventions Developed by: Jennifer Del Corso

2. Classifying Practitioner Behavior Ethical and Legal -------------------------- Ethical and Illegal Unethical and Legal -------------------------- Unethical and Illegal

3. Relevant Ethical Codes for Career Practitioners American Counseling Association (ACA) National Career Development Association (NCDA) American Psychological Association (APA) International Association of Educational and Vocational Guidance (IAEVG) American School Counselor Association (ASCA)

4. Ethical “Rules of Thumb” Dual relationships with the potential to exploit client trust and vulnerability are unethical. Consult with professional colleagues who understand career interventions when unsure about how to resolve a dilemma. Be aware of client’s values and those imbedded in career intervention models.

5. Ethical Dilemmas vs. Moral Temptations Kidder (1995) contends that an ethicaldilemma occurs only in instances when there are competing “rights” or there is a struggle to determine the “least bad” course of action. The struggle between right and wrong is seen as a moral temptation. A code of ethics cannot guarantee ethical behavior. Moreover, a code of ethics cannot resolve all ethical issues confronting career practitioners.

6. Using Principles to Resolve Ethical Decisions Van Hoose (1986) recommended that counselors use ACA’s five principles to guide their ethical practice: Autonomy Nonmaleficence Beneficence Justice Fidelity (Herlify & Corey, 1996, p. 4-5)

7. Additional Principles Beauchamp and Childress (2001) identified additional relevant principles to guide professional-client relationships: Veracity: Tell the truth and do not lie or deceive others. Privacy: Allow individuals to limit access to information about themselves. Confidentiality: Allow individuals to control access to information they have shared.

8. Virtue Ethics Corey and Herily (2006) offer six virtue ethics to consider: discernment or prudence, respectfulness, integrity, self-awareness, acknowledgement of emotions, connectedness with community.

9. ASCA (2010) Ethical Dilemma Process Consult confidentially with a professional colleague Confront the colleague about the behavior in question Document all action steps taken Utilize the established channels for addressing ethical concerns If the matter remains unresolved, contact the relevant state professional association or national association

10. The Role of Values Values assumptions underlie all questions (and answers) related to ethical behavior in career development interventions. Values are orienting beliefs about what is good for the clients and how that good should be achieved (Bergin, 1985, p. 99) The ACA Code of Ethics (2014) requires counselors to be aware of the client’s values and the values embedded in career development intervention models Herr and Niles (1988) stress that counselors need to be cognizant of the values being propagate at the national level

11. Progress on Ethical Challenges Facing Career Counselors Standard counseling ethics: confidentiality, counseling relationships, professional responsibilities, and relationships with other professionals are clear; while other ethical requirements are not. The National Career Development Association has developed guidelines for using the Internet in career service delivery (1) to deliver occupational information, (2) to provide on-line job searches, and (3) to deliver interactive career counseling. The latest revision of the NCDA (2015) ethical standards recognizes career professionals’ responsibility for advocacy on behalf of their clients and for social justice

12. NCDA Ethical Standards (2015) Section A: The Professional Relationship Section B: Confidentiality, Privileged Communication, and Privacy Section C: Professional Responsibility Section D: Relationships with other Professionals Section E: Evaluation, Assessment, and Interpretation Section F: Providing Career Services Online, Technology, and Social Media Section G: Supervision, Training, and Teaching Section H: Research and Publication Section J: Resolving Ethical Issues

13. Ethical Standards and Ethical Practice for Career Counselors Offer only services they are competent to offer. Respect and value individual differences among clients and potential clients. Treat information received from and about clients as owned by the client and held in trust by the counselor.

14. Ethical Standards continued Do not engage in any professional relationship in which the counselor’s objectivity and ability to work for client’s welfare might be impaired. Assume professional responsibility for clients and, if unable to assist, help the client obtain alternative services. Recognize they have obligations to other members of the profession and to society to act in responsible ways and to consider the effects of their behavior on others.

15. Using an Ethical Decision-Making Model Forester-Miller and Davis (1996) provide an ethical decision making model for professional counselors that can be applied to career counseling: Step 1: Identify the problem Step 2: Apply the NCDA Code of Ethics Step 3: Determine the nature and dimensions of the dilemma

16. Using an Ethical Decision-Making Model (Continued) Step 4: Generate possible courses of action Step 5: Consider the potential consequences of all options and choose a course of action Step 6: Evaluate the selected course of action Step 7: Implement the course of action selected