Citation

Winograd R. Ethics Behav. 2012; 22(1): 44-59.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/10508422.2012.638825

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

A psychologist with a client who is terminally ill and wishes to discuss end-of-life options, specifically the option of hastening death, is faced with an ethical dilemma as to how to proceed with treatment. Specifically, he or she is bound by the American Psychological Association's (2002) potentially conflicting Principles A and E, which advise a psychologist to "do no harm" as well as "respect...self-determination." In addition, Standard 4 (Privacy and Confidentiality) mandates that a client's personal information is to remain private, unless that client could be in danger of harming himself or herself or others. This article discusses such a nuanced case and provides considerations as well as guidelines for psychologists to effectively navigate through this sensitive and important dilemma. © 2012 Copyright Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.

Language: en

Keywords

suicide; ethics; terminal illness; end-of-life decisions