Welcome to the Nexus of Ethics, Psychology, Morality, Philosophy and Health Care

Welcome to the nexus of ethics, psychology, morality, technology, health care, and philosophy

Vignette Warehouse (39)

A Few Notes About These Ethical Dilemmas

First, these vignettes are meant to be teaching tools.  

Next, most vignettes have more than one ethical issue that can be addressed.  While confidentiality has been preserved, the dynamics of each case are isomorphic to a real clinical situation faced by a practicing psychologist.

Third, many ethical dilemmas are usually not choices between right and wrong, but among competing ethical principles geared toward doing good.  Hopefully, the teacher will use the Acculturation Model to help blend professional, ethical obligations with personal values and beliefs.

Finally, since these are teaching tools, any teacher, supervisor, or mental health professional can use these vignettes as part of ethics education.  These vignettes are not free to use without permission if you are making money from their use, such as continuing education activities as in lectures, podcasts, or publications.

While these teaching tools have been developed by psychologists, the vignettes are likely similar to those dilemmas faced in other mental health, counseling, or helping professions.










Dilemma 9: Psychologist as Character Witness

Dilemma 10: Multiple Relationships Revealed

Dilemma 11: An Unexpected Inheritance

Dilemma 12: A Request for Assistance

Dilemma 13: Troubles in the ICU

Dilemma 14: The Psychology of Advertising

Dilemma 15: To Evaluate or Not to Evaluate

Dilemma 16: Money Matters

Dilemma 17: Titles, Roles and Boundaries

Dilemma 18: Co-authorship with a Former Patient

Dilemma 19: A Missing Patient

Dilemma 20: Has the Psychologist Done Too Much?

Dilemma 21: A Phone Call From a Friend

Dilemma 22: A Duty to Report?

Dilemma 23: A Simple Request

Dilemma 24: An Institutional Conflict

Dilemma 25: A Questionable Letter

Dilemma 26: A Political Donation

Dilemma 27: To Skate or not To Skate

Dilemma 28: Another Point of View

Dilemma 29: A Blog Attacks

Dilemma 30: The Purloined Patient

Dilemma 31: The Near Death of a Salesman

Dilemma 32: The Ghost of Internet Past

Dilemma 33: Breaking Bad (or Good)

Dilemma 34: A Dreadful Voicemail

Dilemma 35: Initial Telepsychology Session for Free?

Dilemma 36: The Cancellation Conundrum

Dilemma 37: The Fabricated Letter