Ethics When Working with Minors

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Ethical Concerns When Working With Minors As a future clinical psychologist it is my goal to treat all people with dignity, respect, and an appreciation for who they are. In order to achieve this goal, I will look to the code of conduct and ethical standards that have been established by the American Psychological Association (here after referred to as APA). Having a solid ethical foundation is a necessity in any helping profession. Being able to be an effective helper entails one has the ability to deal with a variety of situations often requiring ethical decision making. One of the best things a psychologist can do for the profession is to understand, implement, and act with the highest ethical standards. The APA sets forth aspirational principles that push every psychologist to reach for an ultimate level of ethical service. This requires the psychologist: avoids harm, acts responsibly, performs their duties with integrity, seeks justice for all, and respect the rights and dignity of all (American Psychological Association, 2010). Special attention must be given to the word “all” especially when working with minors. In our society everyone has legal rights and is entitled to fair and ethical treatment. However, issues can arise when a psychologist provides services to minors. The psychologist must pay careful attention to the laws, while at the same time providing every minor with treatment in accordance to the ethical codes and aspirational principles. The purpose of this paper is to take a comprehensive look at the multitude of issues that can occur when treating minors. Furthermore, this paper will provide ethical reasoning, to aid in solving the ethical dilemmas that must be addressed when working with minors. Psychologists have the ability to work with a diverse population. For the purpose of this paper, the focus will be on the ethical
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