When values of different cultures conflict: Ethical decision making in a multicultural context.

Abstract

Summary Psychologists need to respect the cultural values of their pa-tients. However, patients from diverse cultural backgrounds maypresent goals and values that appear to conflict with Westernvalues. When this occurs, psychologists should try to engage in arespectful dialogue in which they clarify the values, appreciate thatsome cultures may express a value in a manner different from howit is expressed in Western cultures, and seek a therapeutic solutionthat satisfies both their own professional values and the values oftheir patients. However, if there is a serious threat to a fundamentalvalue, such as a threat to the safety of a child or vulnerable adult,and no acceptable solution can be found, it may be appropriate toallow Western notions of beneficence to temporarily trump respectfor autonomy. References Alcohol at a glance. (n.d.). Retrieved December 6, 2006, from http://www.methodist.org/uk/static/factsheets/fs_alcohol.htmAmerican Psychological Association. (2002). Ethical principles of psy-chologists and code of conduct. American Psychologist, 57, 1060–1073.American Psychological Association. (2003). Guidelines on multiculturaleducation training, research, practice, and organizational change forpsychologists. American Psychologist, 58, 377–402.Baumrind, D. (1971). Current patterns of parental authority. Developmen-tal Psychology Monographs, 4 (1, Pt. 2).Beauchamp, T., & Childress, J. (2001). Principles of biomedical ethics.New York: Oxford University Press.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2005). Behavioral risk factorsurveillance system. Retrieved December 6, 2006, from http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/brfss/list.asp?cat AC&yr 2005&qkey 4411&state AllChen, S. W., & Davenport, D. (2005). Cognitive behavior therapy withChinese American clients: Cautions and modifications. Psychotherapy:Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 42, 101–115.Chin, J. L. (1994). Cultural preferences and children’s needs. Ethics andBehavior, 4, 81–82.Council for the Parliament of the World’s Religions. (2003). Toward adeclaration of a global ethic. Retrieved July 14, 2003, from http://www.conjure.com/CTS/ethic.htmlCulture and sex role expectation. (1994). Ethics and Behavior, 4, 75–76.Dube, S., Anda, R., Whitfield, C., Brown, D., Felitti, V., Dong, M., &Giles, W. (2005). Long-term consequences of childhood sexual abuse bygender of victim. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 28, 430–438.Fowers, B. (2005). Virtue and psychology: Pursuing excellence in ordinarypractices. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.Fowers, B., & Davidov, B. (2006). The virtue of multiculturalism: Personaltransformation, character and openness to the other. American Psychol-ogist, 61, 581–594.Haberman, D. (1998). Confucianism: The way of the sages. In L. Steven-son & D. Haberman (Eds.), Ten theories of human nature (pp. 25–44).New York: Oxford University Press.Harper, M. (2006). Ethical multiculturalism: An evolutionary conceptanalysis [Electronic version]. Advances in Nursing Science, 29, 110–124.Huang, C. (1997). Introduction. In The Analects of Confucius (C. Huang,Trans.) (pp. 3–13). New York: Oxford University Press.Jenkins, A. (2005). Hamlet, theoretical psychology, and “the view frommanywheres.” Journal of Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology, 25,133–152.Knapp, S., & VandeCreek, L. (2004). A principle-based analysis of theMULTICULTURALISM AND ETHICAL DECISION MAKING