13/06/2018
Ethical Issue Analysis
In the recent years, adoption and professional ethics have drawn considerable attention and debate from caregivers, counselors and society as a whole. Today, the news is dominated by numerous cases of a vulnerable population, infertility and economic challenges which make parents either sell or adopt children (Bailey, 2015). Adopted children have different challenges making them different from normal children. Therefore, the society expects people who have adopted children to treat them in an ethical manner. Such is the story of a school counselor, Janna, and young Alex who schools at Constance Elementary in Ohio. Janna was given the responsibility of working with Alex who was 7 years old, adopted from an orphanage in Romania and having anti-social behavior and aggression. In Alex class, there are 25 students, and he is required to interact with them. However, at the orphanage, though there were many children and few staffs, Alex preferred to spend time in his room and not to play, talk and interact with them. As a school counselor, Jana will be interacting with Alex nearly on a daily basis. Based on the information, this paper will critically analyze family, individual, ethical and cultural issues Jana consider when interacting with Alex, adoptive parents, his teacher, and his school principal.
Applied Ethical Principles and Standards
In the past adoption in America was regarded as taboo due to the controversy which surrounds it. However, since it is caused by societal social challenges, today adoption is widely accepted. Studies have discovered that Americans now understand that adoption is a great alternative for nurturing families (Perkins, 2014). Despite increased adoption, people who take care of the adopted children are still faced with ethical dilemmas. According to Perkins (2014) some of the questions which linger in their heads is the feeling about parenting with no genetically relationship, how tell people about their adopt child, how the adopted child will cope with abandonment or no history, how to open discussion about birth parent and the ideas about race. Different culture usually affects the relationship between a foster child and a caregiver. The cultural differences may be in terms of time, language, and cuisine.
Bailey (2015, p.90) opined that the series of global adoptees from 1990s as well as ones from Eastern Europe such as Romania has led to a number of kids getting into formal schools and attempting to adopt a new family, new language and new culture. These children are often adopted at the age of going to school and depending on where their family stayed; they find it hard to understand English because it is their second language. Therefore, unless they find sufficient support, they struggle to adapt. For Instance, Jana is an America who speaks English while Alex is from Romania which its official language is Romanian. Alex has a behavioral problem which makes him not to effectively interact with others. Culture in an individual is inculcated as a result of where he lives. Western culture promotes individualism.
Rubin, Coplan and Bowker (2009), if a particular behavior is perceived as acceptable, the caregivers or parents are likely to encourage it. Contrary if a behavior is seen as abnormal or maladaptive parents will discourage it. Romania being and individualistic society caregivers of Alex at orphanage home would have encouraged his anti-interaction behavior. According to the deontological ethics human decision are bounded by certain rules in which they must follow. However, for one to cope in another country, having a common culture language could be of great help in improving how Alex relates with other people (Wood, 2008, p.15). Therefore, the school counselor may ask herself how she can positively create a culture which identifies with his birth culture.
Psychology experts advise that a counselor or a psychologist working with children under foster care can take language classes to learn the kid’s local language so as to initiate better interaction (Perkins, 2014). Similarly, before the child get used to foreign foods, perhaps the psychologist can take him at a restaurant offering cuisine from the child’s nation. These are two vital ways to help or improve cultural learning. In addition, when using this strategy the child feel that the caregiver appreciates and prides in their nation of birth. At this point, the counselor can ask Alex if he is interested in knowing another culture.
On the other hand, Jankowska (2015, p.1) argued that children under international adoption and foster care face a number of risks in foreign countries including behavioral, emotional and academic challenges. Rubin, Coplan and Bowker (2009) in their research held that interaction between a child and his peers improve the socialization, reasoning and morality. Rubin, Coplan & Bowker (2009) also stated that exchanges among young people allowed them understand themselves as an object and a subject. Alex was lacking this form of development hence counseling strategies were required. As stated earlier, interaction between a counselor and a child under foster must observe ethical, family, cultural and individual issues. Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct offer guidance to counselors on how to handle adopted children. American Psychological Association (1992) stated that counselors must maintain expertise whenever they are dealing with human differences. For example Jana is working and supporting Alex who is only 7 years old male child. There is a big gap in their ages.
Also, Alex comes from Romania, meaning differences in ethnicity, and economic status, which may affects their relationship. However, since professional psychologist and counselors undergo extensive training an experience, they are required to maintain their competency. Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct hold that psychologists must observe virtue of respect when performing their job (American Psychological Association, 1992). Respect must be shown in terms of attitude and respecting opinion of others. Jankowska (2015) posited that positive attitude towards a child under foster children develops more close and a greatly effective relationship with them. Counselors and psychologist needs to show these children motherly love so as to overcome emotional problems and detachment from other people.
From ethical point of view, counselors have responsibility of duty. The reason to stay true to serving others can be deduced from Kantian concepts on moral responsibility. The Kantian concept of the moral responsibility normally emerges from the idea that an individual is a moral agent. It argues that a person as a moral agent is not just rational and able to provide a rational choice, but also one whose behavior is enlightened by higher sense of duty. Meeler (2015) claimed that this sense of duty talked about is inculcated in the universal law principle that Kant calls the categorical imperatives. Thus, the responsible does not mean one maximizes personal utility as some accountants and financial officers do, but actions which confide with the moral principles that can be considered universal ethical laws.
In his arguments, Aristotle regarded the condition for moral duty to incorporate the deliberation and rational choice (Velasquez et al., 2015). It held that a person has a responsibility especially people who provide services to humanity to act voluntarily without being coerced. Psychologists are human too and have emotions too. As professionals, they understand that their own issues may interfere there practice. Therefore, when dealing with adopted children from other backgrounds they should shun actions which can lead to harm or further affect the behavior of adopted child (American Psychological Association, 1992). For instance, Jana should not hit or force Alex to interact with peer but use communication to help him know how to relate with others.
Alternative Solutions
On the flipside, psychology also faces various ethical dilemmas when dealing with children with anti-interaction behavior and aggression. Some of the dilemma is whether to tell Alex about adoption. Uys and Harty (2013) contended that dealing with ethical dilemma is like making any other decision which involves a number of processes. Ethical decision making entrails follow the process of identifying the decision, gathering information and then choosing the alternatives. Nevertheless, several alternatives present people with ethical dilemma. For instance, Jana is presented with alternatives of teaching the child Alex a new language or interacting with him using his country of birth language.
All the two alternatives are ethically right. Teaching him English which is his second language could help him interact with the children in school. On the other hand, speaking to him in Romanian (his first language) may enable Jana to find out why he does not play and interact with others. Another dilemma for Jana will be whether to tell Alex that he was adopted or not. Telling Alex that he is adopting child under foster system may affect his performance in school because he may feel detached from his country and close parents. Not telling Alex the truth means it will be difficult to solve his current behavior of anti-interaction and aggression. In making decision, Jana needs to analyze if the decision she wants to make is ethical. From virtue ethics point of view, honesty is a right practice.
According to Wood (2008) virtues are make us act of behave in a manner that builds our greatest potential. Society holds various virtues in high regard and dictates that we must live with them. Further, honesty is a universal rule hence a duty. Deontological ethics as one of the approaches used to make ethical decisions. Wood (2008, p.16) posited that deontological ethics is also referred to as duty-based approach, and implies to that the righteousness or the wrongness of a particular action depends on whether is in line with universal rule which everyone is willing to follow. Therefore, in decision making process, one must act within the limits of the rule because it believed they are the right decisions. Telling Alex the truth is not only right but also help in him overcome his challenges.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this paper has established failure in adherence to the tenets of professional ethics in adoption has become a real threat to helping children overcome their challenges. Studies hold that interaction in consideration to culture, individual and ethics help caregivers effectively relate with children under foster care system. Communication and motherly relationship have been identified as the greatest strategy to help adopted children to overcome emotional, behavioral and academic challenges. As the 21st century unfolds, modern caregivers must learn these approaches to make adoption successful.
