Ethics and the Use of Technology in Rehabilitation Counseling

Abstract

Standards for technology ethics were first introduced into the Code of Professional Ethics for Rehabilitation Counselors in 2002. Since that time, the proliferation of technology has enhanced practice, changed the American vernacular, and become infused in the delivery of services to and teaching of individuals, families, and groups. The 2010 revision to the Code updates and reinforces standards involving behavior, accessibility, confidentiality, informed consent, security, assessment, records, legal issues, advertising, research and publication, counseling unavailability, disclosure, and distance counseling. However, it introduces new standards that are absent from the literature in the counseling and helping professions specific to technology ethics involving consultative and distance group counseling as well as in teaching, supervision, and training.

Music Therapy Ethics "2.0": Preventing User Error in Technology

“…Concerns regarding confidentiality breaches increase as computer-mediated therapy can more easily capture, copy, transfer, and disseminate information (Barros-Bailey & Saunders, 2010). Although a music therapist would obtain consent before recording a video chat music therapy session, would the music therapist be comfortable if the client recorded the session without the therapist's knowledge and then posted portions on YouTube?…”

Critical incidents in the marriage of psychology and technology: A discussion of potential ethical issues in practice, education, and policy.

“…As called for by Baker and Bufka (in press), this cdtical-incidents survey is designed to gather information about problems that health professionals are encountedng in their use of technology. For example, issues regarding client confidentiality and pdvacy are likely common ethical issues related to technology (as alluded to by Koocher & Keith-Spiegel, 2008), and such confidentiality issues have been reported as the area of greatest concem in certain therapeutic contexts (Barros-Bailey & Saunders, 2010). Considedng that e-mail consultation, teleconferencing and videoconferencing, electronic client records, fiash ddve storage, Intemet-based storage, and the use of social-networking media are very common today, new opportunities adse for violations of confidentiality and pdvacy that are directly related to the technology itself We report here a qualitative survey study to identify cdtical incidents that elucidate areas of concem among psychology professionals in regard to the integration of technology in their daily occupational activities.…”

Vocational Rehabilitation Agency Guidance on Social Media Use: A Policy Analysis

“…Data from a study about social media use among counseling staff ( n = 1,447) indicated that only 28% of counselors feel prepared to assist consumers with improving their online reputations and only 31% feel prepared to assist them with online professional development activities (Goe & Ipsen, 2016). In part, this may relate to concerns over ethics in counseling practice or lack of clear procedures or guidelines for working with consumers in online job search activities (Barros-Bailey & Saunders, 2010; Chapin & Byrne, 2013; Lehmann & Crimando, 2011).…”