A consideration of ethical practices of communication professionals in the treatment of communication apprehension

Abstract

Communication apprehension (CA), defined as the fear or anxiety associated with communicating with other persons, is a fairly widespread phenomenon, and several methods are available for intervention within a college or university setting, or by private practitioners. However, communication professionals who utilize these approaches to CA reduction are not bound by a formalized Code of Ethics. The purpose of this study was to assess the attitudes and predicted behaviors of subjects via responses to vignettes which described behaviors judged to be unacceptable according to APA ethical guidelines. Data from 342 communication professionals was collected. It was found that communication professionals in this sample hold relatively high standards for themselves and other communication professionals when asked what they should do, what they would do, and what other communication professionals would do in a given situation. However, subjects reported that they would not always do what they feel they should do, and that other communication professionals generally would not always do what the subjects themselves should or would do. These results parallel similar findings in the clinical ethical decision making literature. Other findings revealed that subjects responded in a manner most in accordance with APA ethical principles when deliberating over matters of Informed Consent, as compared to Competence or Advertising issues. Additionally, subjects were most likely to choose options corresponding with APA requirements when considering methods which were Therapeutic as opposed to those considered Instructional, and when operating in the context of a Private Practice, as opposed to that of a Classroom.

Notes

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Graduation Date

1992

Semester

Summer

Advisor

McGuire, John M.

Degree

Master of Science (M.S.)

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Psychology

Format

Print

Pages

126 p.

Language

English

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Access Status

Masters Thesis (Open Access)

Identifier

DP0022760

Subjects

Arts and Sciences -- Dissertations, Academic; Dissertations, Academic -- Arts and Sciences

Accessibility Status

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