The Ethics of Informed Consent

Abstract

Although social work students and practitioners readily identify self-determination as a core value and ethical standard, they are less likely to be aware of the parameters constituting informed consent, and how it applies to the multicultural context of many therapy situations. This article draws on the areas of ethics and law to show how they intersect with the needs of a diverse, multicultural client group that encompasses the poor, the elderly, immigrants, and those in ethnic and racial minority populations. It presents informed consent as a process that enhances, supports, and facilitates personal autonomy and interpersonal and social relationships in multicultural social work practice.

Key Words:

• Informed consent
• ethics
• law
• multicultural context
• social work practice