Final Project: Bonnie Bruise Case

Introduction

Summary of Selected Case Study

Bonnie Bruised confides in her professor about the abuse she endures at the hands of her boyfriend. She expresses her extreme fear of him, even recounting how he has broken her wrist, bruised her, and even stalked her. This is made worse by her feelings of fear when she is alone with him since he is obsessive and possessive. The professor is concerned about Bonnie’s safety and advises her to report the matter either to the on-campus police or to seek counseling: Final Project: Bonnie Bruise Case.

However, Bonnie refuses to report, which puts the professor in an ethical dilemma on whether to uphold Bonnie’s confidentiality or inform the higher university administration to protect Bonnie. As difficult as this dilemma may be, the professor must carefully weigh the possible consequences of each choice.

Culture and Social Orientation’s Influence on Ethical Behavior

Ethical behavior within psychology is often rooted in the cultural and social contexts in which individuals exist. In Bonnie’s case, the professor is acting out of an ethical choice based on her perceptions of individual autonomy and her responsibility to protect her students’ well-being. Most cultures believe that people should be respected in terms of privacy and self-determination. This would support the professor’s decision to acknowledge Bonnie’s demand for confidentiality.

However, professionals have an ethical obligation to act in abuse situations that may prevent harm even though that action is contrary to the victim’s desire to remain silent (Lomas et al., 2019). For example, well-intentioned mandatory reporting laws for victims of domestic violence require professionals to report abuse, even if the victim does not wish authorities to become involved. While the professor has an ethical duty to protect Bonnie from harm, such duties must supersede cultural attitudes that emphasize autonomy and privacy.

Thus, Bonnie’s case demonstrates a dilemma between moral values, which are confidentiality, and the need to protect other people from potential harm. On the other hand, this may present some tension for decision-makers because although confidentiality is crucial, there are times when it must be weighed against risks to others. The more competing interests involved, the more complex it may be to find a resolution because the careful weighing of each factor must be considered.

Cultural and Social Orientation Impact on Relationship Between Major Players

The roles of client, psychologist, researcher, and participant are predefined in psychology by cultural and social norms. These norms enable individuals to comprehend the way others will behave or are supposed to behave towards them. In the current case, the professor holds a dual role since she functions as a professor and a confidant. University professors, due to their long, often close relationships with students, sometimes find themselves developing a supportively secure and trustworthy relationship with their students (Guzzardo et al., 2020).

Therefore, the fact that Bonnie would confide in her professor suggests that the professor has been successful in building this type of relationship. However, this relationship complicates the situation when it comes to ethical decision-making. Cultural expectations may lead the professor to feel a personal obligation to respect the student’s wishes, particularly when the student has placed trust in the professor by disclosing such sensitive information. On the other hand, the professor is obliged to consider the wider ethical guidelines that often bind the academic and professional environments in which they function.

These guidelines often support the duty to protect as more important than the duty of confidentiality when harm is at stake. Social norms also favor the notion that educators must take action whenever a student’s safety may be compromised, regardless of how adverse the personal consequences or how reluctant the student may be.

Criteria of Ethical Decision Making

There are various criteria a professional must use in their case when making an ethical decision. In the current case, the professor will be comparing Bonnie’s right to privacy against his responsibility for taking care of her safety. This means that, in such cases, the professor should make an ethical decision while trying to prevent harm. This is known as the principle of nonmaleficence, which supports the duty to report abuse since one would be contributing to further physical harm and even death by not acting on it.

The ethical guidelines set out by professional organizations such as the American Psychological Association may also impose duties to protect vulnerable individuals from harming themselves and others, even when reporting might be against the victim’s will. It is important that the decision to report is based on legal and institutional mandates that require mandatory reporting. However, such ethical imperatives are counterbalanced against the probable emotional aftermath for Bonnie, wherein reporting without consent might make her feel betrayed or resentful. Therefore, the professor must balance demands from the law, the severity of abuse, and the consequences of her actions to protect the well-being of the student.

Impact of Contemporary Issues on Ethical Decision-Making

Contemporary social and legal issues have deeply influenced current-day consideration of ethics related to abuse. Conscious awareness, such as that provided on the nature of domestic violence or an increased concern over victims’ rights, increases the emphasis on mandatory reporting in certain areas of abuse, especially those that seriously endanger the individual. Ethics within the field of psychology have expanded in relation to protection for all individuals against a threat that, more likely than not, may lead to violence or death (Avasthi et al., 2022).

The professor can, therefore, take action based on these current perceptions about ethics that protect vulnerable individuals’ rights, even if it entails a breach of confidentiality. The professor must also report Bonnie’s case because people in positions of power or authority, such as educators, are expected to reactively pursue intervention and protection measures where warranted.

Ethical Analysis

Ethical Issues in the Case

The most central ethical issue here involves the responsibility of the professor to protect Bonnie from further harm and respect Bonnie’s wish for confidentiality. On one hand, considering the severity of the abuse and the likelihood of serious physical harm, the professor is morally obliged to take the necessary steps to prevent harm. On the other hand, the professor is faced with an ethical dilemma because she must balance the need for privacy and self-determination because Bonnie may feel betrayed or even alienated if the professor acts contrary to her wish not to report abuse. Besides, she can also suffer from emotional damage, which, in turn, damages the professor-student relationship.

However, the situation complicates the responsibilities that are tied to being in a position of authority. While the professor wants to protect the student, the implications of not acting or acting can be profound. This is an ethical dilemma that is even more complicated because, in many jurisdictions, educators have a legal as well as a duty to report abuse, making the professor’s decision both an ethical and a legal one. The question the professor must answer is whether to respect Bonnie’s privacy and confidentiality or to prioritize her immediate safety by reporting the abuse.

Eight-Step Ethical Decision-Making Model

The eight-step ethical decision-making model can be used to resolve the ethical dilemma in Bonnie’s case. The steps below can be followed in the decision-making process to ensure that the interests of all parties involved in the case are met.

• Step 1: Identify the Problem: The main issue is the conflict in the professor’s mind concerning her discretion about confidentiality versus reporting Bonnie’s abuse to keep her safe.
• Step 2: Identify the Potential Issues Involved: Some of the issues that come into play include mandatory reporting laws, the professor’s professional responsibility to care for students, student autonomy, and psychological repercussions due to Bonnie’s betrayal of trust.
• Step 3: Reflect on the Relevant Ethical Policies: The professor should consult policies within the institution and the law, like obligatory reporting laws, which require that abuse be reported so that the victim is saved. Such policies exist to avoid injury and ensure that professionals live up to their responsibilities concerning the protection of vulnerable parties.
• Step 4: Consultation: The professor might seek help from a campus counselor or some form of legal advisor to understand his obligation in all its dimensions. This consultation will also make her aware of any exceptions and additional steps.
• Step 5: Consider the Possible Consequences: The consequence of reporting will likely be a loss of trust in the relationship between the professor and Bonnie. Conversely, the consequences of not reporting would involve more victimization or even death. The professor needs to balance the potential risks involved that might affect the safety of the student against the emotional and relational impact of making the report.
• Step 6: Consider the Rights of All Individuals Involved: The professor must consider Bonnie’s right to privacy and self-determination, but such a right must be weighed against her right to protection from harm.
• Step 7: Select the Course of Action: Morally, it would be right to report the abuse to the campus authorities and law enforcement because, legally, the student needs to be protected. This decision justifies the principle of beneficence because it promotes the best interest of the student in avoiding further harm.
• Step 8: Evaluate the Action: Once the decision to report has been made, the professor needs to consider the outcome of the action taken and whether it actually prevented harm to the student. Extra support, such as counseling, may be offered to Bonnie to help deal with the emotional aftermath of such a situation.

Strategy Comparison

Another ethical strategy in this case might be an approach where the abuse is kept confidential and not reported. This approach poses a problem because it willfully overlooks any danger that could come Bonnie’s way. The premises of confidentiality are overruled where the application of ethics of protection and safety is necessary to an individual who may be exposed to substantive harm. The opposing strategy that includes protecting confidentiality is harmful because such methods would possibly lead to more violent incidents, hence breaching the primary ethical principle of not doing harm.

Whereas reporting the abuse is within legal and ethical parameters and confidentiality, in this case, it may place Bonnie in more danger. Therefore, the approach to reporting the incident is more ethically justifiable and is upheld by legal guidelines that are set forth for the protection of vulnerable populations.

Multiple Role Relationship Issues

The ethical issue in Bonnie’s situation is further impacted by the dual role of the professor because she functions as an educator and confidant. Professors are often close to their students and can, therefore, encourage openness with the students regarding personal problems. However, such closeness cannot protect the professor from liability when the student presents a danger either to themselves or others.

The professional duty of care owed by the educator to the student must be balanced against the safety interests of the student. In this context, the moral duty to protect the student must take precedence over the personal and emotional consequences for both client and counselor.

Multicultural Competence Issues

The professor should be aware of the complex cultural factors operating in Bonnie’s reluctance to report her situation to on-campus authorities. Cultural attitudes relating to authority, police, and domestic violence could have a significant impact on Bonnie’s perception and her decision to refuse intervention. For example, she may be afraid of social judgment or believe that calling the police would worsen the situation.

The professor should take these cultural issues into consideration, but it is important to remember that the main issue here is Bonnie’s safety. A culturally sensitive discussion regarding the reporting process can also help Bonnie understand the need to seek assistance while alleviating apprehensions or concerns she may have about contacting law enforcement as well.

Alignment with Current Ethical Guidelines

The decision to report the abuse aligns with the current ethical guidelines, focusing on the aspect of not harming vulnerable individuals. For example, the ethical code by the American Psychological Association pronounces the responsibility of the professional to safeguard the well-being and safety of individuals whenever they are in a position where they may get harmed. This approach reflects the fact that ethics in psychology represents a field in continuous development, especially regarding the protection of victims of abuse. Therefore, what could be said about the ethical strategy chosen by the professor is that ethics within the field of psychology do not remain the same but develop further based on modern challenges and problems.

Conclusion

Influence of Culture and Social Orientation

The professor’s approach is informed by cultural values promoting autonomy and a duty to care for the most vulnerable. In this case, the professor weighs cultural respect for privacy against the moral imperative of doing no harm, recognizing that in abusive situations, the latter supersedes the former.

Diversity and Equality

Issues of diversity and equality feature in forming the professor’s ethical strategy. He must be sensitive to the student’s cultural background and the possible reasons for her reluctance to involve the authorities but make sure that Bonnie’s right to safety is maintained. This strategy recognizes that cultural differences, regardless of the ethical responsibility to protect the vulnerable, are paramount.

Controversial Issues in Ethics

The development of an ethical strategy reflects the evolving conception of abuse and the shifting role of educators regarding their responsibility to report or not to report. While previous conceptions of ethics, represented by the traditional model, emphasized the importance of confidentiality above other considerations, contemporary conceptions emphasize the importance of preventing harm. The professor’s reporting was thus consistent with more contemporary ethical analysis.

Resolving Multiple Relationships

Bonnie’s situation involves multiple relationships by making sure the student is aware of the limits of confidentiality at the very beginning of the professor-student relationship. This would avoid misunderstandings and clarify what kind of disclosures can be kept confidential.

Addressing Multicultural Competence

To further address multicultural competence, the strategy selected to resolve Bonnie’s issue may involve providing Bonnie with culturally sensitive resources and support. This may include referring her to counseling services that are focused on supporting individuals from diverse backgrounds and helping her through the barriers associated with seeking help.

Conclusion

In conclusion, reporting the abuse is ethically justified because it coincides with the professor’s professional commitment not to harm the student. The decision also respects the complexity of the situation while making the safety of the student the highest priority. However, the professor’s role as a supportive educator and mandatory reporter should be balanced in a manner that sustains the core ethical principles of psychology, which include nonmaleficence, beneficence, and justice.

References

Avasthi, A., Grover, S., & Nischal, A. (2022). Ethical and legal issues in psychotherapy. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 64 (Suppl 1), S47-S61. https://doi.org/10.4103/indianjpsychiatry.indianjpsychiatry_50_21

Guzzardo, M. T., Khosla, N., Adams, A. L., Bussmann, J. D., Engelman, A., Ingraham, N., Gamba, R., Jones-Bey, A., Moore, M. D., Toosi, N. R., & Taylor, S. (2020). “The ones that care make all the difference”: Perspectives on student-faculty relationships. Innovative Higher Education, 46(1), 41–58. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10755-020-09522-w

Lomas, T., Roache, A., Rashid, T., & Jarden, A. (2019). Developing ethical guidelines for positive psychology practice: An ongoing, iterative, collaborative endeavor. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 15(6), 716-721. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2019.1651892

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PSY 570 Final Project Guidelines and Rubric

Overview

The final project for this course is the creation of a case study analysis. The final project represents an authentic demonstration of competency. This competency is shown by the development of specific skill sets, including the following: case study identification, understanding ethical conflict in psychology–related work settings, increased knowledge of the origin and rationale for ethics orientation in the psychology profession, specific knowledge of the core ethical principles that govern professional behavior, an overview of specific standards as they apply to sub–specialties in psychology, a practical model for ethical decision making, and consideration of alternative decision–making models.

The project is divided into four milestones, which will be submitted at various points throughout the course to scaffold learning and ensure quality final submissions. These milestones will be submitted in Modules One, Three, Five, and Seven. The final project will be submitted in Module Nine.

By understanding the ethical principles of the psychology profession, you will learn how to inform your decision making when it comes to protecting and serving the populations you serve. It is also important that the contemporary psychologist be able to address issues that are unique to their time. Some of these challenges ask you to reconsider ethical frameworks and to be more precise in the language you use to define ethical decision making.

This course allows you to explore and apply important ethical concepts to potential situations. These skills are essential for proper behavior in the psychology profession.

This assessment addresses the following course outcomes:

• Assess the impact of the current and emerging ethical codes on the practice of psychology for their influence in developing ethical decision–making strategies
• Assess the influence of culture and social orientations on the development and practice of ethical standards of conduct for consideration when developing ethical strategies
• Distinguish between ethically supported and ethically unsupported strategies for resolving ethical dilemmas in practice
• Develop strategies for incorporating empathy for diverse perspectives into ethically responsible practices
• Develop strategies for evaluating and resolving ethical dilemmas that integrate ethical decision–making models

Prompt
The summative assignment for this course is a case study analysis. The case study is one way for you to showcase the skill sets you have learned in this course coupled with your area of professional interest. You will choose a case study from a pre–determined list.

You should choose a case study that is relevant to your concentration or a particular career field in which you are interested in working.

You will utilize codes of ethics pertinent to your chosen area of interest in psychology to approach this case study analysis. You will develop an ethical strategy for addressing the ethical issues present in your case study and analyze your strategy for how it relates to important ethical concepts in psychology.

Your case study choice, including the ethical conflict in the case study, will be submitted once for peer and instructor review and then be resubmitted as a developing case study analysis following feedback that incorporates suggestions.

Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:

I. Introduction: For this part of the assessment, begin your case study analysis by examining the many factors that influence codes of ethics in psychology.

A. Summarize the chosen case study. Be sure to include the important people and key interactions in the case study. This will be used later in your analysis.

B. Assess culture and social orientation and their influence on ethical behavior and the existing codes of conduct. Be sure to provide examples to support your claims.

C. Assess how interactions between the important roles (client, psychologist, researcher, participant) in psychology are influenced by culture and social orientation and how that influence informs ethical conduct in psychology.

D. When making ethical decisions in your chosen area of concentration, how would you decide whether an ethical strategy is supported or unsupported?
In other words, what criteria should professionals in your selected concentration or area of interest use to determine which opinions on ethics to consider in shaping their response to the particular situation?

E. How do contemporary problems impact the need for reconsidering supported opinions on ethics in your concentration or chosen area of interest in psychology? Be sure to provide examples to support your claims.

II. Ethical Analysis: For this part of the assessment, use the Eight–Step Ethical Decision–Making Model to show how you would resolve the conflicts or ethical issues in your case study.

A. Describe the ethical issues in your chosen ethical scenario and relate the issues to the important people identified previously. You might consider the following: What are the questions you wish to answer and the ethical issue that must be addressed?

B. Develop an ethical strategy for your chosen scenario using an Eight–Step analysis to address the ethical issues. Be sure to explain how your ethical strategy follows supported ethical guidelines. You might consider the following: What steps would you take to address the issue? What ethical principles and standards inform this strategy?

C. Assess how your strategy differs from an opposing ethical strategy that could be used to address this situation and justify why your strategy would be preferable. Be sure to explain whether the opposing strategy follows supported ethical guidelines. You might consider the following: What other principles or standards could be implemented? What counterarguments may arise in response to your strategy? How would you answer them?

D. Assess your strategy for how it addresses ethical problems associated with multiple role relationship issues. You might consider the following: Does your strategy consider the appropriateness of the different relationships psychologists can have with clients?

E. Assess your strategy for how it addresses ethical problems associated with multicultural competence issues. You might consider the following: Does your strategy consider issues of diversity and culture with regard to your chosen ethical issue?

F. Assess your strategy for your chosen ethical scenario for how it aligns with current and emerging ethical codes in your chosen area of interest on the practice of psychology in your concentration or area of interest. You might consider the following: How does your strategy follow more modern opinions on ethics? How does your strategy reflect that ethics in psychology is not stagnant?

III. Conclusion: For this part of the assessment, develop a conclusion explaining the different influences on your own strategy. Be sure to incorporate peer and instructor feedback you have received in order to properly reflect on your strategy.

A. Explain the influence of culture and social orientation on the development of your ethical strategy. You might consider the following: What cultural implications did you feel you had to consider when developing your strategy?

B. Explain the influence of diversity and equality on the development of your ethical strategy. You might consider the following: What diversity and equality issues were in the ethical scenario, and how were they addressed? How did this influence your thought process and decisions while developing your ethical strategy?

C. Explain how controversial issues in ethics have shaped emerging ideas in ethics. Be sure to provide your thoughts on this and how the development of your strategy was or was not influenced by controversial issues. You might consider the following: Did you follow a strictly traditional model, or did you use a more modern approach? How did this influence your thought process and decisions while developing your ethical strategy?

D. Explain how your strategy could be changed to further address issues of multiple role relationships and justify your claims. In what ways does your strategy lack in its consideration of multiple role relationships?

E. Explain how your strategy could be changed to further address issues of multicultural competence and justify your claims.  In what ways does your strategy lack in its consideration of multicultural competence?

F. Develop a conclusion summarizing your ethical strategy and how you believe it could be implemented to solve the chosen ethical scenario.

Milestones

Milestone One: Case Study Selection

In Module One, you will select a case study in your area of interest to analyze for your final project, the Case Study Analysis. In the Case Study Selection discussion, you will identify your selected case study, describe your interest in the case, and identify the central ethical conflict.

This milestone will be graded with the Milestone One Rubric.

Milestone Two: Case Study Summary
In Module Three, you will write a summary of your chosen case study, including important people and key interactions. You will assess the culture and social orientation and their influence on the case and examine the ethical conflict of the case. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone Two Rubric.

Milestone Three: Applying the APA Code of Ethics
In Module Five, you will describe the ethical issues in your chosen case, apply the APA Code of Ethics to your chosen case, and identify and explain the cultural and social considerations in your chosen case.

This milestone will be graded with the Milestone Three Rubric.

Milestone Four: The Ethical Decision–Making Process
In Module Seven, you will list the eight–step ethical decision–making model, discuss an alternative or opposing model of decision–making, and put your case study conflict through the eight step model.

This milestone will be graded with the Milestone Four Rubric.

Final Submission: Case Study Analysis
In Module Nine, you will submit your final project. It should be a complete, polished artifact containing all of the critical elements of the final project. It should incorporate feedback gained throughout the course.

This submission will be graded with the Final Project Rubric.

What to Submit
The case study analysis paper should be in APA format. It should be 8–10 pages, double–spaced, using 12–point Times New Roman font, one–inch margins, and discipline–appropriate APA citations.