Ethics in Speech-Language Pathology: Beyond the Codes and Canons

Ethical codes such as CASLPA’s Canon of Ethics ensure that clients’ rights are protected over and above what is simply prescribed by law. However, ethical dilemmas often arise in everyday practice for which the canon does not provide specific guidance. For example, is there a moral cost to the quest towards acquiring a better voice or dialect, or “reducing” one’s accent? Four principles of clinical ethics may guide ethical decision-making in speech-language pathology: (1) autonomy; (2) beneficence; (3) nonmaleficence; and (4) justice. Ethical decisions require consideration of a number of factors, including that which is most important to the client – his or her identity. Consequently, speech-language pathologists must not only follow their professional codes of ethics, but they must look beyond the rules and regulations and identify ethical elements within daily practice. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to: (1) review relevant ethical terminology and the foundations of professional codes of ethics; (2) illustrate the application of clinical ethics using a case example; and (3) examine ethical implications for both research and clinical practice. The paper concludes by demonstrating the need for an ongoing clinical ethics forum.