Faculty and Student Perceptions of Dual Relationships Within Counselor Education: A Qualitative Analysis

Abstract

The authors undertook this study to identify how counselor education faculty and students determine the ethical appropriateness of dilemmas portraying dual relationships in friendships, mentoring, monetary interactions, and romantic‐sexual relationships. Faculty and student perceptions of scenarios that depict dual relationships between faculty and students were assessed and analyzed using qualitative methods. Results suggest that, unlike most students, faculty trust the ability of counselor educators to maintain objectivity and avoid student exploitation even sometimes while engaged in dual‐role relationships. Furthermore, faculty may be unaware of students' concerns regarding the fairness of such relationships and the impact they have on the student body.