Respect, empathy, autonomy, and dignity are four concepts that insist on regard for the individual. All four recognize that the individual has experiences, desires, and needs that can be validated. From an ethical perspective, we might insist they should be validated. Whether as family, community, or practitioner (e.g., a counselor or doctor) these concepts in practice will ideally help the individual further their goals, particularly around self-actualization.

The differences between these four concepts may be slight but are nonetheless important. The major difference is whether the individual is the actor/doer or acted upon/receiver in a particular scenario. For example, "empathy" is a concept under which the individual receives validation of their struggles from the community or practitioner. On the other hand, "autonomy" is a concept under which the individual acts with the freedom to make choices for themselves.

When we speak of respect, autonomy, and dignity, we recognize that an individual has the inherent right to dictate their own course, whether we (community, practitioner) agree with the course or not. For example, healthcare practitioners refer to "the dignity of risk" as part of a care plan that may require input from several stakeholders.

Imagine taking part in planning hospice care for an individual. While many stakeholders—friends, family, social workers, disorder specialists—may have input in a recommended course of treatment, the individual patient has the right to reject any part of, or all, treatment. Assuming the individual has not been deemed a danger to himself or others, or been found legally incompetent, he has the dignity of choosing whether to comply with a recommended treatment plan.