Question #1
Leo’s situation has put Dr. Vaji in a difficult situation; thus it is an ethical dilemma. Leo is intentionally lying to his supervisors while presenting a different picture to his fellow students who have complained to Dr. Vaji. Leo’s actions that he hides from his supervisors imply that he will not be a good therapist in future, especially to minority patients. APA’s ethical principle of integrity frames this ethical situation better as Leo lacks integrity.
Question #2
Several stakeholders will be affected by Dr. Vaji’s decision. The main stakeholder being Leo as the decision will affect his future. Other students are also stakeholders because they witness Leo’s real behavior. The other supervisor might also be affected by the decision.
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Question #3
Dr. Vaji should collect additional information by sitting down with Leo and probing him to understand his true feelings about other races and cultures. After his assessment, Dr. Vaji can contact his supervisor to ask him whether he’s heard about Leo’s behavior and to keep an eye on him. Dr. Vaji might go against contacting Leo’s supervisors to avoid passing rumors and opinions of other students about Leo. It is important to record Leo’s sessions with clients to get concrete information to help Dr. Vaji make his final decision.
Question #4
Dr. Vaji is not in a potentially unethical multiple relationships as he is Leo’s externship supervisor and his teacher in the Health Disparate class. In his role as an externship supervisor, Dr. Vaji looks out for Leo outside class to identify some of the mistakes he is making and help. As Leo’s teacher, Dr. Vaji helps Leo understand what is required of him as a student. Both roles complement each other and put Dr. Vaji in the best position to help Leo.
Question #5
Leo’s ethnicity does not play an important role in this dilemma as psychologists are supposed to put aside their personal feelings and prejudices. APA ethical standards dictate how therapists should behave regardless of their ethnicity (Fisher, 2009). The dilemma would have been different if Leo identified as a Hispanic or any other minority as he would have an experience of what it is to be a minority.
Question #6
Dr. Vaji is not obligated to do a follow-up meeting with the students who complained about Leo. It is, however, a good idea for Dr. Vaji to inform the students about his decisions and the reasons behind it. The students came to Dr. Vaji on many occasions, and they are interested in the issue. Dr. Vaji can divulge some information to quench their curiosity while keeping to himself confidential information about Leo and the case. Dr. Vaji should also thank the students for stepping up and reporting the issue to him.
Question #7
APA ethical standards are relevant to this issue. Ethical standard 1.08 focuses on unjust discrimination whereas standard 3.04 talks about avoiding harm when dealing with clients. Standard 3.09 suggests the need for cooperation between doctor and patients. Standard 7.04 is particularly relevant to the situation as it talks about the need for supervisors to conceal student personal information (America Psychological Association, 2002). Dr. Vaji has to conceal Leo’s personal information when addressing the issue as it can be unethical. Dr. Vaji might want to follow up with his other supervisors or students, but he has to safeguard Leo’s personal information while doing so. 3.05 states that universities have to do what is best for the student in every situation.
Question #8
Dr. Vaji has many alternatives for addressing the issue. The first alternative is to write Leo’s report using the views of the other students meaning that Leo’s behavior in front of the other students will be used to evaluate his performance. Dr. Vaji can also use on-site supervision as per Leo’s supervisors at different levels. However, if Dr. Vaji uses this alternative, he will make a decision based on what Leo chose to show his supervisors rather than his real behavior. The last and the best alternative is to analyze the situation as per the students’ complaints before making a final decision. Dr. Vaji will take time to develop a clear understanding of the situation and even perform psychological tests to determine Leo’s character.
Question #9
Dr. Vaji is responsible for making the final decision on Leo’s case. Dr. Vaji will come up with a plan to address the issue in the best way possible. The first step is investigating the issue whereby Leo racially discriminated a lady at a bar. The second step is evaluating Leo’s reports from different supervisors to identify any issues and if necessary Dr. Vaji can talk with the supervisors. Lastly, Dr. Vaji will investigate how Leo carries himself in school and outside school. By closely monitoring Leo’s ethical conduct, Dr. Vaji will get a real picture of Leo that will inform his decision making. Dr. Vaji’s final decision should be based on Leo’s ability to treat all clients with dignity and integrity.
References
American Psychological Association. (2002). Ethical Principles of Psychologists
And Code of Conduct. Retrieved from: https://www.apa.org/images/ethics-code- 2017_tcm7-218783.pdf
Fisher, C. B. (2009). Decoding the ethics code: A practical guide for psychologists . Sage.
