ETHICS RESEARCH

PROJECT: SCHOOL
COUNSELORS AND ETHICS
Mary (Mallie) Humber

Introduction
The American School Counselor Association has an established code of ethics
designed to help guide counselors in their practice and with any ethical
dilemma
Because school counselors are in a unique situation within their school
community, counselors need support and guidance to help them make the best
decisions for all involved
The most recent changes to the ASCA code of ethics took place in 2016,
reflecting the most current issues and concerns related to the school
counseling profession
This set of ethical codes was selected for the purposes of this paper because it
was the ethical code I was most familiar with and is the most up-to-date set of
codes

Summary of ASCA Code of Ethics

Because counselors frequently handle issues that could be considered delicate, at the least,
and ethically questionable, the American School Counselor Association has deemed it
important to provide an ethical framework explaining the rights and responsibilities of all
parties involved in the counseling process
The ASCA Ethical Standards for Counselors begins by explaining the rights of all students,
stating that all students have the right to be respected, be treated with dignity and have
access to a comprehensive school counseling program that advocates for and affirms all
students from diverse populations (ASCA, 2016)
The ethical standards are far-reaching and comprehensive, covering all the various topics that
counselors encounter on a regular basis, such as:
Confidentiality
establishing and maintaining a comprehensive data-informed school counseling program
academic, career and social/emotional plans for students
dual relationships
students who pose a serious and foreseeable harm to themselves and others
serving underserved and at-risk populations
bullying and child abuse
responsibilities to parents/guardians, school and yourself
ethical decision making

Scholarly References
One of the most consistently difficult dilemmas every counselor will face on a regular basis is
that of confidentiality as it relates to your clients
You may frequently be in situations where a clients parents/guardians or teachers may want
information about your counseling sessions or you may struggle with when to inform someone
if you think your client may pose a serious harm to him or herself or others
According to the ASCA standards, keep information confidential unless legal requirements
demand that confidential information be revealed or a breach is required to prevent serious and
foreseeable harm to the student (ASCA, 2016)
When faced with the ethical dilemma of a student who says his mother told him to kill the
neighbors pet, the counselor had to weigh the possibility of the harm that could come to the
student before deciding to breech confidentiality, ultimately deciding the mothers prompt
amounted to child endangerment (Berry et al, 2014)
Another example of an ethical dilemma related to confidentiality is the case of a student who
the counselor believes may be suicidal; she consults with other counselors and will follow their
advice if there is a consensus. The ethical guidelines would support this path because in such
situations, the legal test of what a counselor should have done is whether he or she did what a
reasonable counselor would have done under similar circumstances (Remley and Huey, 2002).

Ways I Can Use the ASCA

Code of Ethics

All counselors should be well-versed in the ethical guidelines established, not only by the
ASCA, but also by the American Counselor Association
Thorough knowledge of both will ensure counselor always make ethical, legal and beneficial
decisions; even if decisions made by counselors are questioned, if you abide by the guidelines
set by these organizations, you will have a basis with which to explain your decision
Because confidentiality is one of the most crucial aspects of a successful counseling
relationship, fully understanding the guidelines as they relate to confidentiality will serve to
protect counselors
It is also important to re-visit these guidelines regularly, and especially when faced with a
difficult decision about when to breech confidentiality
Many counselors will also consult with other counselors they trust to see how they would
handle a particular situation and how they interpret the guidelines
Another important way to use the guidelines would be to inform all participants of the
counseling process of them and your intention to use them through an informed consent
Parents/guardians of minors especially need to understand the limits of confidentiality and
what you can and cannot tell them about your counseling sessions with their child
While it may not be easy for them to understand, maintaining that confidentiality is an
important way to establish trust and openness with your client.

References
American School Counselor Association. (2016). Ethical standards for
school counselors. Retrieved from
http://www.schoolcounselor.org/asca/media/asca/Resource
%20Center/Legal%20and%20Ethical%20Issues/Sample
%20Documents/EthicalStandards2010.pdf
Berry, S., Crews, C., Froeschle Hicks, J.G., Li, J., Noble, N., & Talbert, S.
(2014). An Ethics Challenge for School Counselors: Part 2. Texas Tech
University.
Remley, Jr. T.P. & Huey, W.C. (2002). An Ethics Quiz for School
Counselors. Professional School Counseling, 6(1), 3.