Ethical Dilemmas Experienced by Psychological Counsellors Working at Different Institutions and Their Attitudes and Behaviours as a Response to These Dilemmas.

AbstractThe purpose of this study is to determine ethical experiencing by counsellors who work at different conditions and what they do to solve these as well as obstacles they have to deal with while resolving dilemmas. This is qualitative study which multi-state pattern was used. For this research, 40 counsellors were chosen using maximum diversity sampling method. When findings are examined, it can be seen that psychological counsellors working universities, schools and private psychological counselling centres experience ethical related to environments, voluntarism and determination of service fee respectively. The common ethical experienced all institutions were found out as limitations to entering into multiple relations, and transfer of competences and values. It has been found out that they try to resolve these by taking ethical rules into consideration, receiving help, engaging counsellor process, conducting queries, or trying to stay legal The obstacles to resolution of are determined as political and institutional, lack of competence resolution of ethical dilemmas and personal reasons. These results have been discussed under light of literature and suggestions have been provided.Key WordsPsychological Counsellor, Ethics, Ethical Dilemma, Ethical Behavior, Ethical AttitudesDuring walk of life, it functions as compass for distinguishing between right and wrong terms of value definition. In philosophical sense, it is approached as theoretical examination of practical ethics. When other definitions of ethics are addressed, it can be seen that there are some approaches which view it as the activity of thinking about morals or the science of moral action. Some other approaches suggest that ethics is not about ultimate truth or unchanging principles and that it tells relation of person with him/herself, and that it is related to extent to which he/ she takes others into consideration sense of limited but meaningful function (Akarsu, 1998; Pieper, 1999; Semin & Aras, 2004).In field of psychological counselling, it can be seen that concepts of ethics, values, morals, law and professionalism are used interchangeably. Corey, Corey, and Callanan (1998) have defined and concretized these concepts (cited Erdur-Barker & Cetinkaya, 2007). In few words, how ethical standards will be turned into Professional behaviour is an essential topic psychological counselling which deserves more elaboration (Gumus & Gumus, 2010; Tastan & Yalcin, 2007). Ethical dilemma is defined as a situation which is caused by chaos between two values decision-requiring circumstance or in circumstances when two or more options are encountered and there is difficulty deciding about which one is better; as result of which existing necessities cannot be met by present alternatives (Lindsay & Clarkson, 1999; Noureddine, 2001).In literature, experiencing conflict between suitable ethical standards is shown as reason of an ethical dilemma during psychological counselling process. In addition, it is stated that psychological counsellors are suffering from ethical due to such reasons as complexity application of idiosyncratic but tacit ethical standards, some conditions which prevent clear application of standards or situations that include failure to distinguish between right and wrong and that involve an ethical problem (Ergene, 2004; Gumus & Gumus; 2010). In studies conducted abroad (Bodenhorn, 2006; Capuzzi, 2002; Davis & Mickelson, 2003; Hendrix, 1991; Herlihy & Corey, 2006; Knapp & Vandecreek, 2010; Lawrence & Kurpius, 2000; Lazovsky, 2008; Lindsay & Clarkson 1999; Pope & Vetter, 1992; Rae, Sullivan, Razo, & Alba, 2009) it is stated that most common ethical encountered psychological counselling are privacy, blurriness of boundaries, fuzzy, multiple or conflicting relationships, academic environment, teaching and education problems, and colleague behaviours. …