Assessment 2: Ethical Issues in Substance Abuse Counselling
Course: Addictions and Substance Use Counselling Level: Undergraduate / Postgraduate Diploma Weighting: 40% Due Date: End of Week 4 (2026 Semester 1) Word Count: 1000–1200 words (excluding reference list) Format: APA 7th edition, double-spaced, submitted via LMS
Overview Substance abuse counselling requires practitioners to balance professional codes of ethics with the lived realities of clients who experience addiction as a chronic, relapsing condition. Traditional ethical models that prioritise individual autonomy and rational choice often clash with the relational demands of effective treatment. This assessment asks you to examine how care ethics can reshape service delivery in addiction treatment settings.
Task Description Write a critical essay that compares traditional ethics (Kantian or principle-based) with care ethics in the context of substance abuse counselling. Argue whether care ethics offers a more effective foundation for clinical practice. Support your position with reference to long-term sobriety outcomes, integrated care models, and the reduction of stigma. Draw on at least three peer-reviewed sources published since 2018.
Requirements
- Clearly define both ethical frameworks and apply them to addiction services.
- Discuss how care ethics supports individualised treatment, therapeutic relationships, and whole-person care.
- Evaluate evidence linking relational approaches to reduced relapse and improved client engagement.
- Address one common misconception (for example, the view that addiction is purely a “choice”).
- Use APA 7th edition for in-text citations and the reference list.
- Submit as a Word document through the course portal. Late submissions incur a 5% daily penalty.
Marking Rubric
| Criterion | Excellent (80–100%) | Good (60–79%) | Satisfactory (50–59%) | Needs Improvement (<50%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Depth of understanding of ethical frameworks | Precise definitions and accurate contrasts between traditional and care ethics | Clear definitions with minor inaccuracies | Basic definitions without clear contrast | Incomplete or inaccurate definitions |
| Application to substance abuse counselling | Insightful, specific examples of how each framework shapes treatment decisions | Relevant examples with some application | General examples | Limited or no application |
| Critical analysis and argumentation | Strong, evidence-based argument for one framework; acknowledges limitations | Balanced argument with supporting evidence | Argument present but descriptive | Weak or absent argument |
| Use of evidence and academic sources | At least three recent, high-quality sources integrated effectively | Two or more credible sources used | One or two sources, some integration | Inadequate or irrelevant sources |
| Structure, writing, and APA formatting | Logical flow, academic tone, error-free APA | Mostly clear structure with minor APA issues | Some organisation but noticeable errors | Poor structure and frequent APA errors |
Paper writing help notes:
Traditional ethics rest heavily on reason, logic, and individual autonomy. Care ethics also draw on reason yet allow emotional connections and relationships to guide decisions about right and wrong. In substance abuse services a clinician who follows traditional ethics might view a client’s continued use as a personal failing that requires strict boundaries and no extra compassion. A clinician guided by care ethics, however, recognises that addiction is a disease and therefore responds with the same support one would offer someone with any chronic illness. This relational stance makes it possible to tailor treatment to the client’s unique circumstances, culture, and stage of change. The result is a stable therapeutic alliance that clients can rely on during moments of lapse or relapse. As argued in Ethical Imperatives to Overcome Stigma against People with Substance Use Disorders, treating addiction as a moral weakness rather than a treatable condition undermines recovery efforts (Adams, 2020).
Care ethics therefore moves beyond isolated decision-making and creates the conditions for integrated care that addresses co-occurring mental health needs, housing instability, and family dynamics at the same time. Recent qualitative data from treatment programs confirm that clients who experience genuine compassion from counsellors stay engaged longer and report higher motivation for sustained change.
Students searching for guidance on this topic often ask whether care ethics conflicts with professional codes that require clear boundaries. In practice the two approaches are compatible when counsellors maintain ethical limits while still offering consistent empathy; the key difference lies in the emotional tone and flexibility of the relationship rather than in abandoning professional standards. Updated supervisor competencies from the NAADAC Code of Ethics (2025) explicitly encourage this balanced stance by requiring both fidelity to standards and ongoing self-reflection about personal bias toward clients with substance use disorders.
References Adams, V. J. M. (2020). Ethical imperatives to overcome stigma against people with substance use disorders. AMA Journal of Ethics, 22(8), E663–E668. https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/article/ethical-imperatives-overcome-stigma-against-people-substance-use-disorders/2020-08
McCuistian, C., et al. (2023). Ethical dilemmas facing substance use counselors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Substance Abuse: Research and Treatment, 17. https://doi.org/10.1177/11782218231158338
NAADAC. (2025). NAADAC/NCC AP code of ethics. https://www.naadac.org/code-of-ethics
Sorensen, J. L. (2024). Ethical issues in treating substance use disorders. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs. https://doi.org/10.1080/02791072.2024.2394765
Williamson, L. (2021). Creating an ethical culture to support recovery from substance use disorders. Bioethics. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8639939/
Research Essay Topics Examples
- Ethical Issues in Substance Abuse Counselling Care Ethics vs Traditional Ethics Essay Example 2026
- ethical issues substance abuse counselling care ethics long-term sobriety
- Why Care Ethics Improves Outcomes in Substance Abuse Treatment
- How relational ethics reshape addiction services beyond individual autonomy
- Compose a 1000–1200 word APA essay comparing traditional ethics with care ethics in substance abuse counselling and argue for the approach that best supports long-term sobriety and integrated care.
- Prepare a 3- to 4-page paper that examines ethical frameworks in substance abuse counselling, applies care ethics to real-world treatment challenges, and evaluates evidence for improved client outcomes.
- Write a critical essay analysing how care ethics versus principle-based ethics affects counselling practice with clients who have substance use disorders.
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Assignment (Week 6 – Assessment 3) Discussion Board: Case Study Analysis – Confidentiality and Duty to Warn in Addiction Counselling Post an initial 300–400 word response that applies the NAADAC Code of Ethics to a provided case vignette involving a client who discloses imminent harm to self or others while in outpatient treatment. Then reply to at least two classmates with 150-word responses that identify one additional ethical principle at stake and propose a reasoned course of action. Reference at least one peer-reviewed source published since 2020. Focus on balancing client autonomy, public safety, and therapeutic alliance.