Note: The course textbook is an edited text. You must cite and reference correctly, in APA, 7th edition format. Please see the file How To Cite and Reference the Course Textbook, under Resources that illustrates how to cite and reference correctly. PRIMARY RESOURCES:
These resources are required to complete the course.
If the link does not work, please copy and paste the link into your browser
Website
(2017). American Psychological Association Code of Ethics.
ethics-code-2017.pdf
If the link does not work, please copy and paste the link into your browser
File
How To Cite and Reference the Course Textbook.
PSY 86801 APA citation-referencing textbook.docx
Book
American Psychological Association (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association. (7th ed.).
This assignment focuses on vignette analysis and direct application of course concepts to the persons, and situations presented in the vignette. All assignments MUST be typed, double-spaced, in APA style, and must be written at graduate level English. Your responses must be written in an original personal and/or professional synthesis of the text and research.
You must integrate the material presented in the assigned text.
You are also required to integrate additional evidence-based research, taken from professional journals, to support and enhance the textbook information. A minimum of 4, current, research articles are required
You must identify and cite the Code of Ethics that are relevant to each of the vignettes. The Ethics Codes are located in under Resources. If the links do not work, please copy and paste them into your browser.
You must illustrate multicultural competence. All discussions must take into account issues of culture and human diversity that may pertain to the situations presented below. Information on Culture and Diversity are covered in the course text, but you are encouraged to utilize other cultural resources to enhance your analysis for this assignment. For example, if the client in the vignette is a Native American who asks to participate in a healing ritual, you would research Native American ceremonies and the ethical issues relating to this.
Please keep your responses focused on what is presented in the vignette. Creativity is encouraged but do not add information or change the vignette.
Your response to each vignette should be approx 2 ½-pages per vignette.
Your entire assignment will be approx 10 pages total plus a title and reference page.
For each of the four vignettes presented below:
What are the ethical issues in the case? Identify the issue in the ethics code.
Did the professional act in a manner consistent with current standards and principles? If not, what other courses of action would be more ethical? Support your decision by identifying the standards and principles relevant to this case.
If relevant did the professional advocate for the client?
How can colleagues and supervisors help the professional to act ethically in this situation? Please be specific.
Vignette 9
Beatrice is an eager client who has survived a traumatic youth and is committed to maintaining her mental and emotional stability despite her troubled past. She has been in counseling with Diego, a licensed professional counselor, for many months through services paid by a community program. Beatrice was recently hired by a retail store, and for the first time, has health insurance that will cover the cost of her counseling sessions, provided she is diagnosed with a mental and emotional disorder. Because she no longer qualifies for free service, Diego wants to help Beatrice take advantage of her health insurance benefits. At the moment, however, Diego does not believe Beatrice meets any of the criteria for a mental or emotional disorder. Nevertheless, because Beatrice has a history of depression, Diego uses the diagnostic code for depression in the insurance paperwork in order to relieve Beatrice of the burden of paying for counseling at a time when she has many other expenses.
Vignette 10
Gella, is a significantly underweight 14-year-old adolescent, who self-identifies as a lesbian. She has come out to her family and friends. Her parents have “permanently grounded” her except for school and church activities and she feels isolated at school. She met with her school counselor and showed signs of an eating disorder, serious depression with a moderately high risk of suicide. Gella admitted to the counselor that she knows where her father hides his guns, but that her religious beliefs stop her from killing herself. The school counselor believes that immediate treatment is essential, but her parents refuse and say they will bring her to the pastor at their conservative church to pray. The counselor is unsure of what to do next.
Vignette 11
Darcy is a psychologist in a group practice. He refers to himself as a non-traditional therapist who seeks to integrate non-Western philosophies into therapy and describes his approach as holistic. Darcy believes strongly that the most important factor in psychotherapy is the relationship between counselor and client. He encourages his clients to attend yoga and meditation to resolve emotional issues before considering medication, though he will refer them to a psychiatrist if they prefer traditional methods. He views the use of written records of psychotherapy sessions as incompatible with holistic approach. Consequently, he keeps no records of counseling sessions other than a listing of the client’s name, and the date and length of the session. Not believing in diagnosis, Darcy does not accept insurance and requires that all his clients are self-pay. He explains this process to all clients at the initiation of counseling and obtains their consent prior to beginning therapy.
Vignette 12
Juanita, a 24-year-old Latina, is a counseling intern in an outpatient unit of a psychiatric hospital. Juanita has completed all requirements for her doctorate except internship. The first client to whom she is assigned at the hospital is a man with a diagnosis of Bipolar I Disorder, a history of suicide attempts, and episodes of violent behavior towards his family. Juanita has little experience with clients with such significant problems and asks that the case be transferred to a more experienced professional or that she be an observer or co-therapist for this client. Her supervisor insists that she tackle this case independently because Juanita has completed all her courses on psychopathology and shown good counseling skills with less disturbed clients. The supervisor assures Juanita that she will have all the supervision she needs. Juanita is skeptical about the supervisor’s capacity to meet that commitment because interns from prior years have warned Juanita that this supervisor is often unavailable outside of the regularly scheduled supervision hour. Still, Juanita elects not to try to change her supervisor’s mind about the assignment and goes forward with the sessions. Over the course of the semester, the client makes little progress, and Juanita believes she has gained more from her work with the client than he has gained from her.
Assignment Outcomes
Identify legal and ethical issues relevant to mental health professions.
Answer preview
There is no evidence of stereotyping or bias in the case. Diego intentionally recorded the ailment wrongly because he wanted to relieve Beatrice of the burden of self-paying for the counseling services. Beatrice survived trauma as a youth, and she is working hard to stabilize her emotions. It is recorded that Beatrice has been receiving counseling catered for by a community program. After being employed in a retail store, Beatrice has received health insurance that can be used to cover the counseling sessions if she has emotional and mental disorders. Diego is aware that Beatrice does not meet the criteria for mental and emotional disorders but decides to record the diagnosis as depression to meet the requirements placed to use health insurance. Diego misrepresented the ailment to ensure that Beatrice does not shoulder the burden of paying for the counseling services.
