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School psychologists and ethical challenges

journal contribution
posted on 2017-07-01, 00:00 authored by M Kapoulitsas, Tim CorcoranTim Corcoran
This research explored how psychologists working in the Victorian secondary state school system construct meaning around ethical practice. The specific aims of the research were to examine psychologists understanding of ethics in practice within schools and to explore challenges they faced regarding professional ethics when working in the education system. A qualitative design was adopted to explore the topic. Five psychologists working in the Victorian state education system were interviewed, and the data were analysed using thematic analysis. Two themes presented from the transcripts: legalities and ethics and varied peer support. The psychologists reported having to confront often and repeated ethical challenges, but despite this, positioned themselves as ethical practitioners. Ethical practice was portrayed as a complex construct that is always socially and politically embedded. Subsequently, discussion on the topic should extend beyond the sole practitioner. The research provides future direction for policy development and workplace procedures, including access to professional supervision.

History

Journal

Educational and Developmental Psychologist

Volume

34

Pagination

48-61

Location

Cambridge, Eng.

ISSN

2059-0776

eISSN

2059-0784

Language

eng

Publication classification

C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Copyright notice

2017, Australian Psychological Society

Issue

1

Publisher

Cambridge University Press