Discussion: Making Difficult Ethical Decisions
Karen, a Latina lesbian, decided to come out to her family and classmates when she started her second year in her psychology doctoral program. Now that she could be her "true self" around her family and friends, she expected things to be easier. However, several people-including her parents and four siblings-are not as accepting of her as she had hoped. As a result, she struggles to keep up with schoolwork, is tearful during class, and becomes upset while in conferences with professors. Her faculty members are talking about requiring her to start psychological treatment for these issues and are even considering removing her from the program.
For this discussion, respond to the following:
• What does "The Code" say about the suggestions of the faculty?
• What are the cultural implications of doing what they are suggesting?
• How does Fisher's ethical decision-making model, discussed in Chapter 3 of Decoding the Ethics Code: A Practical Guide, apply to this situation?
• How should Karen's situation be handled?
The response should include a reference list. Double-space, using Times New Roman 12 pnt font, one-inch margins, and APA style of writing and citations.
Learning Components
This activity will help you achieve the following learning components:
• Describe ethical dilemmas in psychology practice.
• Identify types of cultural conflict.
• Identify types of cultural differences.
• Investigate professional ethical standards.
• Apply ethical theory to practice.
• Employ ethical decision-making models to practice.