Self Disclosure in Self Disclosure in Ethics EducationEthics Education

Pedagogical Tool Pedagogical Tool

Or Or

Educational PhilosophyEducational Philosophy

OverviewOverview

• Background on self disclosureBackground on self disclosure• Use of self disclosure in therapyUse of self disclosure in therapy• Self disclosure in educationSelf disclosure in education

– StudentStudent– FacultyFaculty

• Educational Context Philosophy Educational Context Philosophy – Professional DevelopmentProfessional Development– Self Awareness / reflectionSelf Awareness / reflection– Factors that inhibit / enhanceFactors that inhibit / enhance

Therapist Self Therapist Self DisclosureDisclosure

• Key element - based on the client Key element - based on the client or therapist?or therapist?

• DeliberateDeliberate– Self RevealingSelf Revealing– Self InvolvingSelf Involving

• Naturally OccurringNaturally Occurring

• AccidentalAccidental

Disclosure in therapyDisclosure in therapy

• Effectiveness of peer models (AA)Effectiveness of peer models (AA)• Normalizes experienceNormalizes experience• Alleviates embarrassmentAlleviates embarrassment• Positive modeling of coping strategiesPositive modeling of coping strategies• Provides hopeProvides hope• Increase rapport, complianceIncrease rapport, compliance• Enhances positive client expectationsEnhances positive client expectations• Strengthens the relationshipStrengthens the relationship• Normalizes client reactionsNormalizes client reactions• Models appropriate interpersonal Models appropriate interpersonal functioningfunctioning

•Are these factors / Are these factors / benefits the same or benefits the same or different from, our different from, our experience…in teachingexperience…in teaching

Disclosure in Disclosure in SupervisionSupervision

• Serve as didactic learning Serve as didactic learning • To improve supervisor allianceTo improve supervisor alliance• Facilitate trainee disclosureFacilitate trainee disclosure

Something to ponder: Are the what’s of self Something to ponder: Are the what’s of self disclosure less important then the how's of disclosure less important then the how's of

self disclosure?self disclosure?

Disclosure in the Disclosure in the ClassroomClassroom

• Generally one sided: Student → Generally one sided: Student → Faculty Faculty – Self awareness is critical to Self awareness is critical to development of professional skillsdevelopment of professional skills• Counter-transference, diversity, personal Counter-transference, diversity, personal sense of mastery/confidence, professional sense of mastery/confidence, professional identity, comfort level working with the identity, comfort level working with the process of self revelationprocess of self revelation

– Self reflection / disclosure common in Self reflection / disclosure common in supervision and trainingsupervision and training

– How much is up to the studentHow much is up to the student

Research on Faculty Research on Faculty DisclosureDisclosure

•??

Disclosure in the Disclosure in the classroomclassroom

• Student writing assignmentsStudent writing assignments

• Therapy / Clinic supervisionTherapy / Clinic supervision

• Professional development Professional development seminarsseminars

• Class discussionsClass discussions

Disclosure in the Disclosure in the ClassroomClassroom

• Fear of failure / embarrassmentFear of failure / embarrassment• Lack of disclosure skillsLack of disclosure skills• Desire to collaborateDesire to collaborate• Reflects interest in the subject Reflects interest in the subject • Deepens understanding and Deepens understanding and learninglearning

• Enhances students idea of role Enhances students idea of role identity “what it means to be a identity “what it means to be a psychologist”psychologist”

Group Exercise Group Exercise

Does self disclosure have a Does self disclosure have a place in ethics education?place in ethics education?

Have you ever had an experience Have you ever had an experience where someone in a perceived where someone in a perceived authority self disclosed as a authority self disclosed as a response to your situation or response to your situation or

dilemma?dilemma?

How did this impact you?How did this impact you?

Themes?Themes?

Student ExperienceStudent Experience

The James Madison The James Madison ApproachApproach

Discussions with our Discussions with our studentsstudents

• InfrequentInfrequent– Hierarchy Hierarchy

• ““closes the gap”closes the gap”

– Limited common groundLimited common ground

• TypesTypes– PersonalPersonal– Reflective on similar experiencesReflective on similar experiences– Casual Casual

Discussions with our Discussions with our studentsstudents

• Too much in either directionToo much in either direction– Stiffness breeds avoidance, fear to Stiffness breeds avoidance, fear to approach, don’t want to appear stupidapproach, don’t want to appear stupid

– ““Buddy” turns off, leads to unwanted Buddy” turns off, leads to unwanted sharing, uncomfortablesharing, uncomfortable

• Role ModelRole Model– Requires disclosureRequires disclosure– How to become a professionalHow to become a professional

• Learning from mistakesLearning from mistakes• Seeking consultationSeeking consultation

• ““it can’t happen to me”it can’t happen to me”

• ““I don’t think less of the I don’t think less of the professor”professor”

• ““This is just a regular guy. If This is just a regular guy. If he can do it (become a he can do it (become a professional), so can I.”professional), so can I.”

Discussions with our Discussions with our studentsstudents

• ““Who is it for”Who is it for”• Growth orientedGrowth oriented

– Faculty don’t always knowFaculty don’t always know• Contained within making a pointContained within making a point

• War StoriesWar Stories

• Inadvertent learning: Inadvertent learning:

• Acculturation ModelAcculturation Model– Talks of stresses associated with Talks of stresses associated with developmental identitydevelopmental identity

– NeedsNeeds• Training, role modelingTraining, role modeling• Suggests utility of sharing own Suggests utility of sharing own personal ethical models, issuespersonal ethical models, issues

• Acculturation TasksAcculturation Tasks– Communication AbilityCommunication Ability– Responsibility and AccountabilityResponsibility and Accountability– Time management/ self careTime management/ self care– Self understanding / self Self understanding / self reflectionreflection

– Personal and professional identityPersonal and professional identity– Critical thinking / analysisCritical thinking / analysis

Professional Development: Training for Professionalism as a Foundation for Competent Practice in Psychology.By Elman, Nancy S.; Illfelder-Kaye, Joyce; Robiner, William N.Professional Psychology: Research and Practice. 2005 Aug Vol 36(4) 367-375

Ethical Code re: Student Ethical Code re: Student DisclosureDisclosure

• 7.04 Student Disclosure of Personal Information7.04 Student Disclosure of Personal InformationPsychologists do not require students or Psychologists do not require students or supervisees to disclose personal information in supervisees to disclose personal information in course- or program-related activities, either course- or program-related activities, either orally or in writing, regarding sexual history, orally or in writing, regarding sexual history, history of abuse and neglect, psychological history of abuse and neglect, psychological treatment, and relationships with parents, peers, treatment, and relationships with parents, peers, and spouses or significant others except if (1) the and spouses or significant others except if (1) the program or training facility has clearly identified program or training facility has clearly identified this requirement in its admissions and program this requirement in its admissions and program materials or (2) the information is necessary to materials or (2) the information is necessary to evaluate or obtain assistance for students whose evaluate or obtain assistance for students whose personal problems could reasonably be judged to be personal problems could reasonably be judged to be preventing them from performing their training- or preventing them from performing their training- or professionally related activities in a competent professionally related activities in a competent manner or posing a threat to the students or manner or posing a threat to the students or others.others.

Ethical Code re: Faculty / Ethical Code re: Faculty / Supervisor DisclosureSupervisor Disclosure

•??• 4. Privacy And 4. Privacy And ConfidentialityConfidentiality

• 3.08 Exploitative Relationships3.08 Exploitative Relationships• 3.05 Multiple Relationships3.05 Multiple Relationships• 3.04 Avoiding Harm3.04 Avoiding Harm• 2.06 Personal Problems and Conflicts2.06 Personal Problems and Conflicts

Questions for the Questions for the GroupsGroups

• What is needed to create an atmosphere What is needed to create an atmosphere conducive to disclosure in the classroom? conducive to disclosure in the classroom?

• Should faculty self disclose? What is the Should faculty self disclose? What is the role or utility of Faculty disclosure? role or utility of Faculty disclosure? Are there special considerations / Are there special considerations / cautions? Is this a true self disclosure cautions? Is this a true self disclosure or simply a “war story”?or simply a “war story”?

• What methods can be used to enhance self What methods can be used to enhance self reflection and learning that do not reflection and learning that do not require disclosure or is disclosure a require disclosure or is disclosure a necessary component of training?necessary component of training?

Questions for groupsQuestions for groups

• What differences exist between training What differences exist between training programs and internships that would programs and internships that would affect disclosure and how?affect disclosure and how?

• Are there fundamental differences Are there fundamental differences between therapist disclosure / between therapist disclosure / disclosure in therapy vs. faculty disclosure in therapy vs. faculty disclosure / educational settingsdisclosure / educational settings??

• What are the effects of disclosure on What are the effects of disclosure on classroom dynamics / peer classroom dynamics / peer interactions / student teacher interactions / student teacher interactions and how can these be interactions and how can these be managed?managed?