Impact of a Humanistic Approach on Students' Attitudes, Attributions, and Ethical Conflicts

Abstract

22 graduate students in nursing, enrolled in a humanistic psychology course, were exposed to the principles of humanistic psychology and to a debunking of the medical model. Analyses of participants' pre-post responses on three self-report instruments indicated that the humanistic approach apparently increased students' humanistically oriented attitudes toward mental illness, positive attributions to mental patients, and reported ethical conflict in hypothesized clinical decision-making. Followup data generally confirmed the stability of these reported changes.

Why promoting biological ideology increases prejudice against people labelled “schizophrenic”

“…An evidence-based approach to combating prejudice requires consideration of alternatives to promoting biogenetic causal theories. There is strong evidence that viewing ''psychiatric symptoms'' as understandable psychological or emotional reactions to life events is related to reduced fear, distance and discrimination (Arkar & Eker, 1996;Coker, 2005;Morrison, 1980;Morrison, Becker, & Bourgeois, 1979;Morrison & Teta, 1979, 1980Read & Harre, 2001;Read & Law, 1999;Walker & Read, 2002). The recent large German, Russian and Mongolian studies have confirmed this (Angermeyer & Matschinger, 1996a;Dietrich et al, 2004).…”

Moral Reasoning of Counselors: Its Relationship to Level of Training and Counseling Experience

“…Thus, the counselor in this situation may be vulnerable to making an ethical choice that on the surface seems to be insensitive. Moreover, differences in stages of moral reasoning may help explain the variability of the impact of training in ethics that has been noted by several researchers (Baldick, 1980;Granum & Erickson, 1976;Morrison & Teta, 1979;Shertzer & Morris, 1972).…”

Wanted: A Comprehensive Approach to Ethics Research and Education

“…There are data suggesting that certain courses increase participants' awareness of the ethical dimensions of their work. Morrison & Teta (1979) explored the impact of a humanistic psychology course on the attitudes of students in a related field (psychiatric nursing) toward ethically charged issues such as involuntary commitment and the right to refuse treatment. They reported significant gains in sensitivity to the ethical dimensions of such situations at the end of the course.…”

“…In other words, there are no data that support the efficacy of ethics education in changing practitioners' responses with clients. The findings of Morrison and Teta (1979) and Paradise (1976) raise the question of whether formal discussion of ethics is essential or is only one way to increase ethical sensitivity. Discussion of ethics would perhaps be equally valuable if integrated throughout the graduate curriculum.…”