Date of Conferral
12-18-2024
Degree
Ph.D.
School
Counselor Education and Supervision
Advisor
Jason Patton
Abstract
Interpersonal conflicts and moral distress due to authority figures' unethical and illegal practices are widely discussed topics in the literature. Coping with these experiences and becoming a whistleblower, however are understudied in the counseling field, and are often stigmatized yet advocated for in our codes of ethics. The purpose of this qualitative autoethnographic study is to (1) show moral distress exists in the for-profit sector of substance use disorder treatment; (2) moral distress results from counselors discovering evidence of unethical and illegal activities; (3) moral distress results from the act of blowing the whistle and (4) offers a roadmap for whistleblowing that will supply the prospective whistleblower to discern whether to whistleblow or decide to opt out for self-preservation. Through the autoethnographic theoretical framework personal experiences of the researcher described and critiqued cultural beliefs, practices, and experiences. Further, deep and careful self-reflection was used to interrogate the intersections between self and society; and through this process exploring how one can figure out the process of what to do, how to live, and find meaning of their struggles. Data was analyzed using open coding via observation and document analysis to address the research questions. This study bridged the gaps in the literature regarding my study’s larger concerns involving whistleblowing, the phases of whistleblowing, the for-profit sector, moral distress, and expansion of the definition of moral distress. From this, implications for positive social change included a call to action to counselor organizations, and further, my findings could result in creation of structures that empower, support, and protect all parties involved in substance use disorder treatment care.
Recommended Citation
Nayar, Kapil, "Autoethnographic Examination of Moral Distress While Working for the For-Profit Substance Use Disorder Treatment Sector" (2024). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 16847.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/16847
