未成年人團體諮商之倫理困境與因應策略

Ethical Dilemmas and Coping Strategies in Group Counseling for Minors

未成年人為特殊之當事人族群，諮商心理師在提供未成年當事人專業服務時可能會遭遇相關之倫理議題，並需對所面臨的倫理困境找出因應之道。研究目的：本研究探討諮商心理師從事未成年人團體諮商時所遭逢之倫理困境及其因應策略。研究方法：研究採深度訪談法，對9位諮商心理師進行個別訪談，並運用內容分析法進行質性資料分析。研究結果：一、引發倫理困境的議題有：團體的招募與篩選的問題、雙重關係的困境、保密的困難、知後同意與自主權的議題、團體動力的潛在負向影響問題、干擾團體之成員的處理議題，以及協同領導者之不當行為的處理議題等；二、倫理困境之因應策略包括：由領導者進行篩選、避免團體被標籤、避免成員作過多自我揭露、轉介個別諮商、拿捏保密內容、採用團體技巧處理團體歷程或個別成員議題等。研究結論：基於研究結果，本研究提出與對諮商心理師從事未成年人團體諮商實務工作之建議。

Counselors must consider special ethical issues when serving clients who are minors so as to provide complete service and protect their welfare. Purpose: The goal of this study is to understand the ethical difficulties and coping strategies of counselors conducting group sessions with minors. Methods: Two male and seven female counselors (mean age 34) were individually interviewed in depth for 1 to 1.5 hours. All interviews were audio taped. Content analysis was used to analyze the data. Results: Analysis of the interviews revealed the following ethical dilemmas for group counselors of minors: recruitment and screening, dual relationships, client autonomy and informed consent, confidentiality, the negative influence of group dynamics, disruptive group members, and inappropriate behaviors of the co-leader. The coping strategies of the counselors included screening by counseling group leaders rather than by teachers, avoiding labeling the group, preventing excessive self-disclosure by members, referrals, managing confidentiality, and applying group counseling skills to cope with group processes or individual issues. Conclusions: Based on the analysis, 3 insights for group counselors of minors were identified. First, the limitations of minors' cognitive ability and their interpersonal needs make them more vulnerable to a dual relationship. Second, school age children may have difficulty understanding the meaning of confidentiality. Moreover, adolescents find it hard to build a relationship with group counseling leaders and are easily affected by peers. These ethical issues relate to the developmental stage of the minors. Third, the difference in group counseling ethical issues between school counseling groups and community counseling groups is the completion of screening and minors' autonomy. In order to deal with these ethical issues, leaders should develop coping strategies according to the minors' developmental stage. For example, counselors can remind members of confidentiality, increase members' motivation to participate, and observe group dynamics. Also, it is important to establish a beneficial and secure group atmosphere, and imperative that only group topics corresponding to the characteristics and limitations of school age children and adolescents be selected. In addition, leaders should cooperate with parents and other teachers, educate other professionals to understand the ethics of counseling, and assist minors in adapting to their environment after group counseling.