The four principles: can they be measured and do they predict ethical decision making?

ABSTRACT:

Background

The four principles of Beauchamp and Childress--autonomy, non-maleficence, beneficence and justice--have been extremely influential in the field of medical ethics, and are fundamental for understanding the current approach to ethical assessment in health care. This study tests whether these principles can be quantitatively measured on an individual level, and then subsequently if they are used in the decision making process when individuals are faced with ethical dilemmas.

Methods

The Analytic Hierarchy Process was used as a tool for the measurement of the principles. Four scenarios, which involved conflicts between the medical ethical principles, were presented to participants who then made judgments about the ethicality of the action in the scenario, and their i

SUBMITTER: Page K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3528420 | biostudies-literature | 2012 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature