The ethical issues do not exist in a vacuum but rather, they evolve, adapt and emerge with the socio-cultural and socio-economic context of a certain society. Over the past years, the field of the professional ethics has gained attention. Most of the discussion on ethical issues began in the 1960s with the blending of medicines, legalities, and ethics that are now known as the bioethics. The emergence of this ethics was to discuss how the healthcare and research regulations and decisions could be made, and the long-term implication they could have to research. The ACA code of ethics has been in existence since 1960 (Association, 2014). The original code of ethic was established in 1961 with the aim of solving the ethical dilemmas and the professional issues that surround counselors and professionals on a daily basis at work. The modern ACA code of ethics was established in 2005 but was later replaced by the new version developed in 2014. However, there have been establishment of a modern ACA code of ethics that differs with the original code of ethic though supporting the ethical issues between the counselors and patients.
First, the aim of creating the ACA code of ethics in 1960 was because the physicians were strangers to their patients due to three factors. The first factor is, during the First World War medical research and experimentation, brought attention to humans as the test subjects and that their rights could just be recognized on their behalf. Also, the modern organization and structuring in the healthcare delivery moved patients from their known surrounding and clinics to intimidating large hospitals. Finally, the medical technological booms brought about the life-saving inventions. However, this is different with today's healthcare model whereby the patients evaluates the educated professionals and are encouraged to make their own determination on their course of treatment as outlined in the modern ACA code of ethics. Also, the modern ACA code of ethics aims to strengthen behaviors and to codify principles that protect rights of all individuals. Unlike the original code of ethic of 1961 which did not have much attention on protecting the patient, the modern code of ethics strives to protect human participants from harm, and make it inclusive of race, age, culture, ethnicity, immigration status, education levels, disability, gender, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status among others (Berstoff, 1996).
Another difference between the two codes of ethics is that the original code of ethics was divided into six sections while the modern ACA code of ethics is divided into nine sections (Association, 1961). The nine sections of the Modern ACA code of ethic includes counseling relationship, confidentiality and client's privacy, the professional responsibility, the relationship with other professionals, evaluation, assessment and the interpretation. Also, other sections are supervision, training and teaching, the research and publication section, also the the distance counseling, technology, and the Social Media and lastly, resolving the ethical issues. The modern ACA code of ethic contains sections that were never before in the original ACA code of ethics of 1961 (Association, 2016). The distinct differences exist due to diversity in the field of research and the need to protect and maintain client's security and confidentiality.
Besides, the current ACA code of ethics has included a section that was never included in the original ACA code of ethic. The section talks about the ethic of using the social media with the clients. The section presents the newly expanded guideline for preventing and protecting the imposition of the counselor distance counseling, personal values, dual relationship, and confidentiality. Additional guidelines include diversity, multiculturalism, record keeping, and use of the technology, end-of-life-care, selection as well as the selection of the interviews (Shaw & Shaw, 2006). Therefore, with an increase in research and use of human being participants, the modern ACA code of ethics aims at protecting the participants and promoting social media in research as never before.
References
Association, A. C. (2014). ACA Code of Ethics. Alexandria: American Counseling Assocation.
Association, A. C. (2016, April 4). 2014 ACA Code of Ethics. Retrieved from Counseling.org: http://www.counseling.org/Resources/aca-code-of-ethics.pdf
Association, A. P. (1961, October). Ethica Standards. Retrieved from Counseling.org: www.counseling.org/docs/default-source/library-archives/archived-ethics/code-of-ethics-1961.pdf?sfvrsn=2
D, Berstoff. (1996). The virtue of principle ethics. The Counseling Psychologist, 86-91.
Shaw HE & Shaw SF. (2006). Critical ethical issues in online counseling: assessing current practices with an Ethical Intent Checklist. Journal of Counseling Development 84 (1), 41-53.
