The practice of psychology in rural communities: Potential ethical dilemmas
Ethics and Behavior 13 (4):367 – 384 (2003)
| Abstract | The practice of psychology in rural areas offers unique challenges for psychologists as they try to provide optimal care, often with a minimum of resources. Psychologists are frequently required to be creative and flexible in order to provide effective services to a wide range of clients. However, these unique challenges often confront psychologists with ethical dilemmas and problems for which their urban-based training has not prepared them. The author examines how certain characteristics of rural communities may lead to specific ethical dilemmas. By being a part of a small community, psychologists will inevitably face multiple relationship dilemmas. Confidentiality is harder to maintain in a small town, particularly with its informal information-sharing network. To provide services to meet community needs, with a limited number of referral options, psychologists typically need to be generalists. This may lead to concerns about scope of practice, training, and experience with diverse populations. Psychologists also face other competency issues, such as a lack of supervision and consultation resources. Other concerns addressed include the psychologist's visibility in the community, having clients know about the psychologist's personal life, and the blurring of professional and personal roles. Suggestions are made for coping with each of these ethical issues, although more quantitative research and discussion are needed on the practice of psychology in rural areas. | |||||||||
| Keywords | No keywords specified (fix it) | |||||||||
| Categories | ||||||||||
| Options |
|
|||||||||
Download options| PhilPapers Archive |
Upload a copy of this paper Check publisher's policy on self-archival Papers currently archived: 5,709 |
| External links |
 |
| Through your library | Configure |
Similar books and articlesRachel Kalbeitzer (2009). Psychologists and Interrogations: Ethical Dilemmas in Times of War. Ethics and Behavior 19 (2):156 – 168.
Sally Clayton & Bruce Bongar (1994). The Use of Consultation in Psychological Practice: Ethical, Legal, and Clinical Considerations. Ethics and Behavior 4 (1):43 – 57.
Olga Voskuijl & Arne Evers (2007). Tensions Between the Prescriptive and Descriptive Ethics of Psychologists. Journal of Business Ethics 72 (3):279 - 291.
Elise MacKay & Patrick O'Neill (1992). What Creates the Dilemma in Ethical Dilemmas? Examples From Psychological Practice. Ethics and Behavior 2 (4):227 – 244.
Frederick T. L. Leong & Brent Lyons (2011). Ethical Challenges for Cross-Cultural Research Conducted by Psychologists From the United States. Ethics and Behavior 20 (3):250-264.
Gerald P. Koocher (2008). Ethics in Psychology and the Mental Health Professions: Standards and Cases. Oxford University Press.
Martin Lakin (1988). Ethical Issues in the Psychotherapies. Oxford University Press.
Jeffrey E. Pfeifer & John C. Brigham (1993). Ethical Concerns of Nonclinical Forensic Witnesses and Consultants. Ethics and Behavior 3 (3 & 4):329 – 343.
Jeffrey L. Brown & Karen D. Cogan (2006). Ethical Clinical Practice and Sport Psychology: When Two Worlds Collide. Ethics and Behavior 16 (1):15 – 23.
Gerald P. Koocher (1998). Ethics in Psychology: Professional Standards and Cases. Oxford University Press.
Analytics
Monthly downloads |
Added to index2009-01-28Total downloads22 ( #56,280 of 549,700 )Recent downloads (6 months)1 ( #63,425 of 549,700 )How can I increase my downloads? |
My notes
Discussion
