Sociology

In the case study as the school psychologist, the client is in therapy to improve her social skills with peers through training sessions. However, the client is involved with a group of girls who share a cutting behavior and decides to engage in such activities to fit in. The school psychologist feels that the client is not suicidal. The client asks the school psychologist to keep it a secret and she will stop cutting her thighs.

    The ethical issues involved in this situation are confidentiality, beneficence, and nonmaleficence. Although the school psychologist did not discuss any specific confidentiality issues with the client prior to that session, the school psychologist stands by the fidelity principle as he gained the trust of the client. On the other hand, the school psychologist is compelled to report the self-harming behavior of the client under the beneficence principle, which states that the psychologist is responsible for protecting the welfare and the rights of the client as well as preventing harm (American Psychological Association [APA], 2003b).

The disclosure principle allows the school psychologist to report the behavior despite confidentiality issues if the situation calls for a report in order to protect the client from harm (APA, 2003a). This situation is one that requires the psychologist’s intervention to help rehabilitate the cutting behavior. However, to avoid the possible consequence of having the client lose trust in him and the therapy, the psychologist can give the client a chance to change and promise confidentiality as long as the client stops the cutting behavior. This agreement can be recorded to ensure that the psychologist is taking their arrangement seriously. At this point, the psychologist must closely observe the behavior of the client and incorporate advice in choosing her friends in the training sessions. Once the client does not keep her end of the deal, the psychologist must inform the client of the responsibility that binds him to report the situation. The resolution falls under the nonmaleficence principle where the psychologist’s decisions should be decided in consideration to the assurance that benefits outweigh the harmful effects (Pantilat, 2008).