The Family Autobiography Assignment: Some Ethical Considerations

✍ Scribed by RONALD W. GOODMAN; ANNIE CARPENTER-WHITE

• Publisher: American Counseling Association
• Year: 1996
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 523 KB
• Volume: 35
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0011-0035
• DOI: 10.1002/j.1556-6978.1996.tb00226.x

✦ Synopsis

The famlly autobiography assignment in counselor education is discussed from the standpoint of ethics related to dual relationships. self-disclosure. and student and famlly reactions. Instructional recommendations are provided. Surveys among counselor education programs (Gladding. Burggraf. & Fenell, 1987; Meadows & Hetrick. 1982; Peltier & Vale. 1986; Ribordy. 1987) have reported a dramatic upsurge in marriage and family counsellng (MFC) course offerings. In the wake of this increased interest. the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs developed an MFC program specialty in 1990 to address tra1n1ngstandards. and theAmeI1can Counseling Association solidified the professional identity ofMFC by chartering a new member association in 1989. the International Association of Marriage and Family Counsellng. Because ofthese developments. it seems safe to conclude that MFC-oI1ented training activities will continue to thrive in counselor education programs. One such training activity involves using the family autobiography (Duncan & Fraser. 1987; Green & Saeger. 1982; Piercy & Sprenkle. 1984) to assist students in learning family systems concepts. Lawson and Gaushell (1988) made a strong case for the use of the family