The ethical dilemma described in the case study is a frequent consequence of the relationship between the psychologist and the patient. Some of the issues in the scenario concern the neglection of the APA standard “Avoiding Harm, 3.04” and the potential violation of “Multiple Relationships, 3.05” (American Psychological Association, 2017). Namely, Dr. Washington should have thoroughly explained the associated restrictions in communication, including the prohibition of social networks, to prevent harm to the patient. This approach would have allowed mitigating this issue in the future. As a result, if Dr. Washington rejects the friend request, it would be a violation of APA 3.04 due to emotional harm.
At the same time, if Dr. Washington accepts the friend request, they would violate APA 3.05 since the psychologist cannot be in the doctor-patient relationship and friends with the patients. Ultimately, it is a complex ethical issue, and I would recommend Dr. Washington send a brief message to the customer, explaining the situation and declining the friendship. Moreover, I would generally recommend ignoring such requests to adhere to APA 3.05, but since the patient was suffering from self-harming behavior, it might be more reasonable to provide a short explanation to prevent the patient from over-thinking.
The current scenario is a frequent occurrence in counseling services. According to Asay and Lal (2014), approximately 73% of the interviewed psychologists were concerned about ethical issues over communication in social networks with their clients and colleagues. Nevertheless, the examined case study demonstrates a frequent scenario, and nearly 25% of professionals google their clients, which might potentially lead to APA 3.04 and 3.05 violations (Asay & Lal, 2014). To avoid this type of ethical dilemma, it is crucial to explain the communication etiquette between the psychologist and the patient, including the rationale for this approach. Moreover, it might be an efficient approach to implement additional policies in the workplace, such as providing patients with a comprehensive briefing outlet concerning the communication restrictions in the doctor-patient relationship.
References
American Psychological Association. (2017). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct. Web.
Asay, P. A., & Lal, A. (2014). Who’s Googled whom? Trainees’ Internet and online social networking experiences, behaviors, and attitudes with clients and supervisors. Training and Education in Professional Psychology, 8(2), 105.