Professionals involved with group work face ethical challenges specific to the group context. Seeking to contribute to an ethical discourse in group work, this article aims to understand how the ethical norms of group work organizations define group ethics. Methodologically, we conducted a critical analysis of the major themes found in ethical documents of the American Group Psychotherapy Association, the International Association for Group Psychotherapy and Group Processes, and the Association of Specialists in Group Work. The analysis identified: a) principles of bioethics principlism in all documents, b) different descriptions of group work, the group leader and the participant, and c) an emphasis on ethics for the therapist as a professional, rather than for group work. The analysis suggests that the documents seek to contribute to the institutionalization of the profession and meet a social demand for accountability of the professional practice.
Codes of ethics; Group dynamics; Psychotherapy group
