Week 11 – Signature Assignment: Analyze Current Trends in Ethical Decision Making
For this assignment, you will
examine a clinical vignette and address ethical and legal questions
using course resources or other scholarly references to support your
decisions. When providing your reflections about the ethical decision,
please provide references to the specific Standards of the AAMFT Code of
Ethics.
Be sure to outline your reasoning for each decision that you made
pertaining to the chosen course of action. In addition, you can modify
the information of the vignette by adding any necessary details that
will help you to illustrate your ethical and legal decisions. You are
using the AAMFT Code of Ethics, your course resources, and current
literature to support your responses. Please follow the format provided
for you below.
Be sure to include a decision-making model attached as a separate
document that demonstrates your thorough knowledge of how and when to
use the model and how the model incorporates the use of the AAMFT Code
of Ethics. This should be focused on only one decision in graphic
form with an explanation of your graphic. You will also include the
decision-making model concepts along with the AAMFT Code of Ethics under
each number (below) you answer to expand on your explanation of how you
made the decision.
Make sure to follow the numbered prompts below. Number your responses in the final submission.
Case Vignette:
Your client is a 10-year-old adoptee who identifies as Chinese and
male. His American mother referred the client following his disruptive
behavior at school and at home. The father also supports the mother’s
decision to initiate therapy. You are able to establish a good rapport
with the boy and work through some of his issues.
Use your course resources and ethical decision-making model to write your responses to the following questions:
The mother informs you that a family physician who recently
diagnosed her son with a sleeping disorder would like to know more about
the boy’s therapeutic work and his success in therapy. The mother
informs you that the physician will contact you shortly. In 2 days, you
receive an email from the physician requesting information on the
client. Describe how you will manage the mother’s request to establish
communication with the physician in light of therapeutic mandates for
privacy and confidentiality. Then, describe how you would manage the
physician’s email and electronic communication.
In session with the parents, the mother reveals that she does not
allow her son to speak his native language at home and that she is
uncomfortable with him identifying with his culture because she feels it
disconnects her from him. She begins to talk about racially biased
behaviors from herself and her family with whom the son is in contact
regularly. Describe how you would negotiate this with the parents and
manage this issue clinically regarding cultural sensitivity and the
AAMFT Code of Ethics.
One day, your client comes to the session and tells you that if he
refuses to go to bed at a certain time, his father closes him in a
bathroom for the rest of the night and does not give him anything to eat
the next morning. Please describe your actions in light of your
obligations as a mandated reporter.
One day you conducted a family session: the boy, the mother, and the
father are all present. After the session, you realize that the boy’s
father was your parent’s lawyer. Please discuss your possible actions,
keeping in mind Standard 1.3 from the AAMFT Code of Ethics.
Ten sessions into the therapy, your client’s mother informs you that
their insurance panel did not approve further treatment. Discuss your
actions, keeping in mind Principle 1.11 from the AAMFT Code of Ethics.
A few months after termination of therapy, the father sends you a
friend invite on social media with a message that he would like for the
family to update you on their progress. Explain how you would manage
this situation using your course resources to support your decision.
One year after the termination of the therapy, you receive a
subpoena from the mother’s lawyer asking you to be part of the court
proceeding following the divorce of your client’s parents. The mother is
asking the court to end joint custody in favor of sole custody. The
subpoena asks you to provide information concerning the divorce and
child custody as addressed in the previous therapy and that you will be
called to testify. Please describe your actions.
Please provide an outline of your notes of your first session using
SOAP or an alternative format. Describe essential components of the
progress notes and address how long you will be required to keep records
on file.
Length: 8 to 10-page response to the questions above will include
your critical analysis that demonstrates your thorough knowledge of how
to apply the AAMFT Code of Ethics and the course resources to this case
scenario.
Appendix: Include 2 pages that will consist of one example of your
SOAP notes from the first session and 1 page that consists of a graphic
of your decision-making model as applied to one of the situations above.
Resources: Included a minimum of 5 scholarly resources, which may include the readings assigned throughout this course.
The completed assignment should address all of the assignment
requirements, exhibit evidence of concept knowledge, and demonstrate
thoughtful consideration of the content presented in the course. The
writing should integrate scholarly resources, reflect academic
expectations and current APA standards, and adhere to National
University’s Academic Integrity Policy.
Week 11: Current Trends in Ethical Decision Making
Professional issues change based on the needs of the population. One
of the most predominant issues evolving in the field is the use of
technology-assisted services to deliver services to clients. As you
know, documentation within the field of therapy continues to develop and
evolve as the population needs change, as unique situations arise, and
as you move into a more electronically-based documentation system. The
core concepts outlined and defined by the Code of Ethics have not
changed; however, the delivery format and risk management of
documentation continue to evolve.
Overall, MFTs continue to notice gradual shifts in the field that
range from record-keeping to psychopharmacology. Your relationships
with other practitioners depend highly on your ability to maintain
client privacy and confidentiality while ensuring you collaborate and
provide the most comprehensive quality care possible.
This week, you will examine a clinical vignette and will address
ethical and legal questions pertaining to the assigned clinical case.
Keeping this in mind, review any information studied during this course
that will help you to justify and substantiate your decisions pertaining
to the chosen course of action. Don’t hesitate to contact your
instructor with any questions or clarifications regarding the
expectations for this assignment.
Weekly Resources and Assignments
Review the resources from the Course Resources link, located in the
top navigation bar, to prepare for this week’s assignments. The
resources may include all of your course textbook reading assignments,
journal articles, websites, links to tools or software, videos,
handouts, rubrics, etc.
Week 11 Resources
Code of Ethics
American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. (2015). Code of ethics.
https://www.aamft.org/Legal_Ethics/Code_of_Ethics.aspx
