Ethical Issues In The Treatment Of Communication Apprehension - A Survey Of Communication Professional

This study assessed the understanding and application of ethical decision making principles by communication professionals in the treatment of communication apprehension (CAA). Data collected from 342 communication professionals suggested that professionals teach and practice with a high level of implicit ethical standards. Consistent with research in the psychotherapy field, it was found that communication professionals hold the highest standards in terms of what they believe they should do in comparison to what they believe they and other professionals would do when faced with particular ethical conflict situations. In addition, it was found that communication professionals discriminate among areas of ethical responsibility, generally holding the highest level of ethical response to informed consent issues as compared to competence limits and advertising practices issues. Communication professionals also hold high levels of ethical response to the intervention of CAA when utilizing therapeutic (as compared to instructional) methods, and when working within a private practice (as compared to classroom) context. A preliminary set of ethical guidelines in the treatment of CAA is presented