Oleh:Nasrudin Subhi Pusat Pengajian Psikologi dan Pembangunan Manusia,Fakulti Sains Sosial dan Kemanusiaan,Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.

Sila perkenalkan diri anda secara ringkas menyentuh 5 perkara (sebagai contoh):I. Nama penuh dan nama panggilanII. Satu sifat positif dan satu sifat negatif dlm diriIII. Bilangan adik beradik dan anak ke berapa?IV. Pekerjaan atau kelulusan tertinggi sebelum iniV. Sebab menyambung pengajian dalam bidang

yang dipilih

Why do we have ethics and act that binds the counselling profession?

It is about being confident of having the correct combination of attributes and skills to alleviate human distress as promised

Specifically, ethics encompasses four dimensions:1. Having sufficient knowledge, skill and

judgment to use efficacious interventions2. Respecting the human dignity and

freedom of the client(s)3. Using the power inherent in the

counsellor’s role responsibly4. Acting in ways that promote public

confidence in the profession of counselling

The second for ethical decision making – codes of ethics of the professional association

All specify the rules of conduct and standards of care for members

E.g.: o Code of ethics and standards of practice of

ACA (2005)o Ethical principals of psychologists and code

of conduct of APA (2002)o Kod Etika PERKAMA (1994)

Tujuan: 1. Menyediakan garis panduan kepada pengamal kaunseling dan juga menjadi asas dalam menyelesaikan isu etika yang timbul 2. Menggariskan piawai perlakuan kaunselor dalam menjalin perhubungan professional dengan klien, rakan-rakan kaunselor, majikan, individu dan profesion lain serta masyarakat keseluruhannya. Ia juga merangkumi etika perlakuan yang sesuai dengan kedudukan dan identity sebagai seorang pengamal kaunseling 3. Mendidik pengamal kaunseling dan masyarakat

umum mengenai hak dan tangungjawab masing- masing dalam proses kaunseling

Some professionals might belong to more than one association – advantage of referring to more than one codes of ethics

These codes represent the official statements of the professions about what is expected of members and all members are held accountable for actions that violate the code

When a professional accept a membership or a credential from the licensing agency – agree to abide by the stipulations of the code even if it may contradict in some way the moral value that guide personal life.

Each professional association

Advantages: The support it gives the professional when

faced with an ethical questions The existence and enforcement of codes of

ethics demonstrate that counsellors take seriously their responsibility to protect the public welfare

Limitations: Counsellor are often confronted with diverse

populations; its application to any one setting is limited

Due to rapid changes in term of forms of practice and new populations- parts of codes are outdated as soon as they are published; e.g. internet counselling, HIV, GLBTI

Sometimes codes might not represent ethical ideal but rather consent of the Board of Directors; e.g. amendments on 1992 APA code on sexual intimacies

Ethics deals with the actions professionals ought to take in relation to each other, to clients and to the public.

Ethics codes are the standards adopted by national professional associations to govern the definitions of ethical behaviour for their members and lay out the penalties for misbehaviour.

Violation of the law carry much stiffer penalties than codes, of course, ranging from limitations placed on one’s license to practice and vulnerability to being sued to criminal liability for the most egregious actions

Ethical standards cover a wider range of behaviours than do laws and generally are written partly to inspire professionals to do their best.

Sometimes counsellors believe that what is truly in their client’s best interest conflicts with the law E.g. Pope & Bajt (1988) found that 57% of

psychologists intentionally violated a law or rule because they believed compliance would injure more than help their clients

One reason that laws and ethics sometimes conflict is that they derive from different philosophical perspectives and different cultural world views