A counselor conducts a study in her private practice. She offers free counseling services to 25 of her clients who agree to participate in the study. However, after 8 weeks of multiple free counseling sessions for each of the participants in the study, she realized that she could no longer financially afford it. Hence she asks all her clients, regardless of study participation, to resume payment for services offered. Which of the following ethical principles did the counselor transgress in this scenario?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The counselor transgressed the ethical principle of fidelity by not fulfilling her promise to provide free counseling services for the duration of the study to the 25 clients who agreed to participate. They may have continued participation based on this promise, and the counselor's failure to fulfill it could harm the trust and rapport between them.

A Counselor Conducts a Study in Her Private Practice