Ethical Dilemmas and Coping Strategies Experienced by Counselors in Multicultural Counseling in Korea

The purpose of this study was to explore the types of ethical dilemmas experienced by counselors in South Korea during multicultural counseling and to understand how they cope with such situations. In-depth interviews were conducted with 14 counselors who had prior experience in multicultural counseling, and the collected data were analyzed using a consensual qualitative research (CQR) method. The analysis identified six domains and 15 categories of ethical dilemmas: professional attitude, social responsibility, respect for client welfare and rights, counseling relationship, information protection and management, and psychological assessment. Coping strategies were classified into six domains and 13 categories, including internal and external collaboration and structural clarification, education and knowledge exploration, utilization of diverse resources, conducting counseling with respect for clients’ needs and context, role expansion and process coordination, and Counselor self-reflection. Based on these findings, the study offers insights into understanding ethical dilemmas in multicultural counseling settings and suggests practical implications for coping strategies.