Make Ethically Sound Decisions Identifying Challe

There are myriad potential ethical issues that will arise throughout the course of your career as a psychologist. One of the most prevalent ethical gray areas is whether you should accept an inexpensive gift from a client. Would it be rude and hurtful not to accept a gift? Would it somehow change the nature of the relationship? Would you feel obliged to give the client a gift in return, and if you did this, what might be the intended and unintended consequences of this? Would it be acceptable for a research psychologist to accept a date with a research subject in a current study? Would it be any different if the study had concluded? As a professor, would it ever be acceptable for you to inflate a student’s grade a few points to help him or her keep scholarship money? Ethical dilemmas such as these will confront you as a psychologist, and the better prepared you are now, the better chance you will make ethically sound decisions later.

The Learning Resources for this week focus on multiple relationships, and you are asked to identify readings on this topic that you found challenging. You also, however, should think about topics from the course as a whole that have been challenging for you and consider why.

Write a description of at least one of the preparatory readings that was challenging for you, and explain why. Then, describe any other areas or topics from this course that have been challenging.

Readings for This Week

• Barnett, J. E., Lazarus, A. A., Vasquez, M. J. T., Moorhead-Slaughter, O., & Johnson, W. B. (2007). Boundary issues and multiple relationships: Fantasy and reality. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 38(4), 401–410.
  Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

• Gottlieb, M. C. (1993). Avoiding exploitive dual relationships: A decision-making model. Psychotherapy, 30(1), 41–48.
  Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

• Gottlieb, M. C., & Younggren, J. N. (2009). Is there a slippery slope? Considerations regarding multiple relationships and risk management. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 40(6), 564–571.
  Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

• Lamb, D. H., Catanzaro, S. J., & Moorman, A. S. (2003). Psychologists reflect on their sexual relationships with clients, supervisees, and students: Occurrence, impact, rationales, and collegial intervention. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 34(1), 102–107.
  Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

• Moleski, S. M., & Kiselica, M. S. (2005). Dual relationships: A continuum ranging from the destructive to the therapeutic. Journal of Counseling & Development, 83(1), 3–11.
  Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.