ETHICAL DILEMMA

CASE STUDY
Chance Campbell & Alex Tilley
DILEMMA:
A freshman male athlete student with a 3.0
GPA shares he has trouble eating in front of his
peers - he seems to think he could be in better
physical shape (according to him). During
your counseling meeting, you also find out that
his parents are nutritionists, and having a
healthy diet is a common conversation within
the home. During your second meeting, the
student shares that he has been keeping a
very strict low calorie diet which causes him to
feel physically weak during the school day. He
seems stressed out about his situation and
asks if he can continue to see you for
counseling
 STEP 1: DEFINE THE
PROBLEM
What is your initial reaction?
Emotionally
Feeling "physically weak"
Impacting his ability to learn and compete
Self-esteem and/or body image issues
Possible eating disorder
Intellectually
What is the parent's role?
Who else may be contributing?
Who knows about the issue?
Medical-based issue?
 STEP 2: ASCA, ACA, LAW
ASCA
A.1.b: School counseling should be brief; support students in arranging outside,
long-term counseling
A.2.f: Balancing student's rights to confidentiality with parental rights to be a
guiding voice in their child's life
A.9.a: Inform parents/authorities when a student poses serious and
foreseeable harm to self or others
B.3.j: Refrain from refusing services based on the school counselor's personally
held beliefs
ACA
B.2.a: Confidentiality does not apply in situations where there is serious and
foreseeable harm to self or others

Law
California penal code 270: “if a parent of a minor child willfully omits, without
lawful excuse, to furnish necessary clothing, food, shelter or medical attendance,
or other remedial care for his or her child, he or she is guilty of a misdemeanor"
STEP 3: CONSIDERING CHRONOLOGICAL
AND DEVELOPMENTAL LEVELS
Student is a Freshman

14-15 years old
Piaget's Formal Operation Stage
Imaginary Audience
Body is physically developing
Nutrition is key for both physical
development and learning
Emotional Changes for 14-15 year old
Concern for body image and clothes
Common starting point for eating
disorders
Influenced by peer group
STEP 4:

SETTING
Physical weakness
and possible
mental health
issues- affecting
the student’s
MINOR'S RIGHTS
ability to learn Confidentiality & limits to
confidentiality
If suspected parental
involvement- children have
The right to be a guiding the right to have basic
voice in their child’s life. needs met
Parents are nutritionists
themselves, and may feel
more entitled to their child’s
food choices

PARENTAL RIGHTS
 STEP 5: APPLY MORAL
PRINCIPLES

Autonomy

Nonmaleficence
Fostering independence Don't cause harm
Capability of making decisions

Loyalty
Fulfill our obligation
to the student
Beneficence Justice

To be proactive "treating equals equally and

To prevent further harm unequals unequally but
in proportion to
their relevant differences"
STEP 6: COURSES OF ACTION
1.Maintain confidentiality and provide
counseling services

2. Discuss further with the student. Break

confidentiality & discuss with the parents.
Connect with outside resources and
provide group counseling, as needed.

3. Immediate report to CPS

STEP 7: EVALUATE THE SELECTED
COURSE OF ACTION

Our Verdict: Discuss further with the

student. Break confidentiality &
discuss with the parents. Connect
with outside resources and provide
group counseling, as needed.
STEP 8:
CONSULTATION
Other school counselors (in
the building or phone a
school counseling mentor)
District nurse
School administration

STEP 9: IMPLEMENT THE

COURSE OF ACTION
1. Talk to student first and that will
direct your conversation with the
parents
2. Talk to your team members and
coaches
3. Consider recommending outside
resources and/or small groups if
needed
4. Follow up and consider CPS
 References
American Counseling Association. (2014). ACA code of ethics.

American School Counselor's Association. (2016). ASCA ethical standards for school counselors.

Failure to provide care/neglect, Cal. Penal Code § 270

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, September 23). Young Teens (12-14 years old). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved
November 11, 2021, from https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/childdevelopment/positiveparenting/adolescence.html.

Fostering a healthy body image ... - files.eric.ed.gov. (n.d.). Retrieved November 11, 2021, from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ894784.pdf.

Practitioner’s Guide to Ethical Decision making. (n.d.). Retrieved November 11, 2021, from https://www.counseling.org/docs/default-source/ethics/practioner-39-s-
guide-to-ethical-decision-making.pdf?sfvrsn=f9e5482c_10.

Vistas School Counseling. ACA(WEBusage). (n.d.). Retrieved November 11, 2021, from https://www.counseling.org/knowledge-center/vistas/by-subject2/vistas-
school-counseling/docs/default-source/vistas/the-school-counselor-s-role-in-addressing-eating-disorder.