Ethical dilemmas in psychological counseling: what do practitioners do and how do they evaluate it?
https://doi.org/10.24884/2219-8245-2026-18-1-17-36
Abstract
Background. Systematic studies of the professional ethical attitudes and behavior of counseling psychologists are of great importance for the development of an ethical culture in psychological practice. However, despite the rapid development of psychological counseling in Russia, such studies have not yet been conducted.
Study Objective. To examine the frequency of potentially ethically controversial actions in the practice of Russian counseling psychologists, assess their ethical acceptability, and the influence of gender and level of professional training on behavior and beliefs.
Materials and Methods. A total of 161 respondents participated in an anonymous online survey conducted in 2019 and 2023. A methodology developed by K. Pope and B. Tabachnik, adapted for the Russian context, was used. Participants completed a questionnaire and rated the frequency of 75 types of professional behavior and their ethical acceptability on a 5-point scale.
Results. A significant discrepancy was revealed between the ethical beliefs of professionals and their actual practices, particularly in the areas of confidentiality, managing their own distress, informal forms of interaction with clients, and boundaries of competence. "Gray areas" of practice, where there is no ethical consensus among professionals, were identified. Statistically significant gender differences were found: male psychologists were more likely to engage in practices that weaken professional boundaries and were more likely to report sexual fantasies about clients. Having a specialized higher education did not reduce the overall frequency of ethical violations, but only changed their profile, calling into question the effectiveness of current training models.
Conclusions. The study demonstrates the need to develop systematic ethical monitoring in the Russian professional community as a mechanism for collective reflection and professional self-regulation.
About the Authors
Y. V. ZakharovaRussian Federation
Clinical Psychologist, Member of the College of Ethics of Psychologists and Psychotherapists, Member of the Association of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapists
Moscow
N. G. Garanyan
Moscow State Pedagogical University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Doctor of Psychology, Professor, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Counseling and Clinical Psychology
Moscow
M. G. Sorokova
Moscow State University of Psychology and Education
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Candidate of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Associate Professor, Head of the Digital Education Department, Head of the Department PsyDATA Scientific and Practical Center for Comprehensive Support of Psychological Research
Moscow
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Review
For citations:
Zakharova Y.V., Garanyan N.G., Sorokova M.G. Ethical dilemmas in psychological counseling: what do practitioners do and how do they evaluate it? Medical Psychology in Russia. 2026;18(1):17-36. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.24884/2219-8245-2026-18-1-17-36
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