Integrating philosophy and psychology in teaching a graduate course in ethics.

Recent surveys of doctoral and master's programs in clinical psychology suggest that there are major gaps in the frequency and quality of ethical training. After describing a model of the ethical decision-making process, we present a thorough and formal course in ethical issues that integrates the perspectives of psychology and philosophy. The course was team taught by a philosopher and a psychologist to 10 second-year master's-level students in clinical psychology. The first section of the class addressed underlying philosophical issues, including ethical frameworks and principles; the second portion focused on a series of issues that had important value dimensions, including "health and disease," virtue, and several key ethical principles; and the final section focused on applications of these basic concepts to situations typically encountered by psychologists. A follow-up survey of those students engaged in clinical practice 3 months after the completion of the course revealed that they perceived the course to have had a positive impact both attitudinally and behaviorally. Suggestions for others planning to teach such courses are offered