My position on using technology can have disadvantages and advantages. The main disadvantages would be my concerns with confidential, the risk of breach of client’s confidentiality is much greater. However, the advantage is if the client has a physical disability that prevents them from attending counseling they would be able to receive the help they need. One ethical violation could be to provide services to a minor without parental permission; it is the responsibility of the counselor to ensure that the client is old enough to give informed consent. The ACA (2005) Standard A.2.d. states when counseling minors, counselors must obtain informed consent from the parents or legal guardian prior to initiating therapy with a minor client. A few challenges would be losing the personal touch of face to face counseling making it harder to read emotions of clients. Also, online may have individual posing as counselors, but are unlicensed (Patrick & Flanagan, 2008).
My position on the use of technology and counseling services is that I would prefer to do face to face counseling. But, if the client was physically unable to attend the sessions I would do videoconferencing. It would allow the client and counselor to visually see one another. The identity could be confirmed, which would minimize possibilities for confidentiality breach. One implication would be ensuring the client has proper resources to successfully attend to the different sessions using video conferencing. Standard A.12.d provides reasonable access to computer applications when providing technology-assisted distance counseling services (ACA, 2005).
American Psychological Association. (2005). Ethical Principles of Psychologists and
Code of Conduct. American Psychologist, 57, 1060-1073.
Patrick P., & Flanagan, A. (2008). ACA and division journal content analysis: Computer technology (1990-
2005). Journal of Technology in Counseling.http://jtc.colstate.edu/Vol4_1/Lawson/Lawson.htm.
A.12.b. Technology-Assisted
Services
When providing technology-assisted distance counseling services, counselors determine that clients are intellectually, emotionally, and physically capable of using the application and that the application is appropriate for the needs of clients.
A.12.c. Inappropriate Services
When technology-assisted distance counseling services are deemed inappropriate by the counselor or client, counselors consider delivering services face to face.
The new technology subsection on World Wide Web sites (A.12.h.) has many important ethical imperatives, including the need to verify the identity of a cyberclient. Why is that important?
For the purposes of confidentiality, it is important to know that the person you are communicating with at any given time is the same person with whom you obtained informed consent and with whom you established a counseling relationship. In other words, you need to know that the individual at the other end of the cybercounseling is your actual client and not a parent, partner, friend or hacker.
I would first save Standard A.12.e., “Laws and Statutes.” Technology-assisted counseling, whether conducted by telephone, Internet, e-mail or other application, often results in the crossing of jurisdictional lines. So laws which apply in Texas may not apply in New York. It is incumbent upon a counselor to know and be in compliance with all laws in both their state or jurisdiction and the state or jurisdiction of the client.
Use Of Computer Technology In CounselingPresentation Transcript
1. Use of Computer Technology in Counseling Mark