Because of these human variables, we believe that building resilience and confronting vulnerabilities in psychologists’ lives is a form of primary prevention. When applied to professional behavior, such actions include addressing the emotions and personal values of individual psychologists well before problematic ethical behavior arises. By drawing on the science of prevention (Coie et al., 1993), we can bolster psychologists’ protective factors and minimize risks of ethical missteps.
Four factors affecting resilience and vulnerability
Psychologists and students who want to enhance their resilience and minimize their vulnerabilities may benefit from carefully reflecting on where they stand in relation to four dimensions: desire, opportunities, values and education (DOVE). Each of these dimensions can foster ethical behavior and personal resilience. At the same time, each may represent vulnerabilities that can lead to ethical breaches. We do not claim that these four represent an exhaustive list. Rather, we propose them as a beginning of the discussion. The four are:
1. Desire to help. Why do people choose to be psychologists? One common answer is that psychologists want to help others. However, desire to help can also create vulnerability. As Behnke (2008) observed, “There’s no one thing that has gotten more psychologists in [ethical] trouble than the desire to be helpful.”
A typical example is the well-intentioned boundary violation. Under normal circumstances, a good person who wants to be helpful may lend small amounts of money to a friend or accept an invitation to a social function. Psychology students are trained, as a general rule, not to cross such boundaries in professional circumstances because doing so may reduce treatment effectiveness, harm clients, or lead to being manipulated. Learning the skills to properly channel our desire to help others is not easy, especially when emotions, deep value differences, or interpersonal conflicts are involved.