Cutting and Self-Harm by Chris Simpson Ph.D

Author:Chris Simpson Ph.D.
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: ABC-CLIO
Published: 2015-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

ETHICAL AND LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS

Ultimately, the school maintains a responsibility to the student. This includes, first and foremost, the safety of the student. In their book, Suicide, Self-Injury, and Violence in the Schools, Juhnke, Granello, and Granello (2011) identify some ethical considerations to account for when addressing the needs of the self-injuring student. To begin, as previously discussed, the school is advised to develop policies that address the referral and management of self-injurious behavior within the school setting. In addition to meeting the requirements of school policy, these policies must also be in compliance with state laws.

In regard to training school personnel, it is advisable to include all school personnel in trainings previously described. Of course, teachers, principals, librarians, nurses, and counselors would be included in these trainings. But other school personnel including administrative staff, cafeteria staff, and any other employees who are in regular contact with students can be an impactful part of a student’s support. No one can truly know who a student will seek out for support. Therefore, ethically, all personnel should be equipped with information on how to best address self-injury.

A frequently expressed concern among school personnel pertains to confidentiality. Many school counselors, teachers, and administrative staff feel conflicted when self-injury is revealed and the student pleads for the behavior to be kept secret. It is hard to make a blanket statement about confidentiality. If a student shares that she or he is self-injuring, trust can be delicate, and the prospect of breaking confidentiality threatens that the student will no longer confide her or his difficulties with the staff member. This is a valid concern. However, confidentiality cannot be guaranteed, especially when the self-injury possesses a level of lethality. In other words, while self-injury is frequently not an indication of suicidal intention, assessment of that possibility should not be overlooked. And, of course, parents have the right to know if their child is potentially in some form of danger. So many variables come to the surface when broaching this subject. Generally, confidentiality must be forfeited if the severity of the behavior cannot be determined or if it is determined that the student is a danger to him- or herself. A general line of delineation should be determined by school administration and shared in self-injury training. This will again contribute to the overall sense of confidence and calm of school personnel. Consequently, this will almost always contribute to the best interests of the self-injuring student.

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