This ambiguity can be problematic when dealing with ethical decisions, even for the most competent psychologist. Gallardo, M. E., Johnson, J., Parham, T. A., & Carter, J. (See also Standards 1.02, Conflicts Between Ethics and Law, Regulations, or Other Governing Legal Authority, and 1.03, Conflicts Between Ethics and Organizational Demands. Gallardo and colleagues (2009) referenced Paul (1967) to answer the above question with another question, “What treatment, by whom, is most effective for this individual, with that specific problem, and under which set of circumstances?” (p.429). When interpreting assessment results, including automated interpretations, psychologists take into account the purpose of the assessment as well as the various test factors, test-taking abilities, and other characteristics of the person being assessed, such as situational, personal, linguistic, and cultural differences, that might affect psychologists' judgments or reduce the accuracy of their interpretations. 2.03 Maintaining CompetencePsychologists undertake ongoing efforts to develop and maintain their competence. 1.03 Conflicts Between Ethics and Organizational Demands  Psychologists may barter only if (1) it is not clinically contraindicated, and (2) the resulting arrangement is not exploitative. (a) Psychologists provide services, teach, and conduct research with … Intervention. The American Psychological Association’s Council of Representatives adopted this version of the APA Ethics Code during its meeting on Aug. 21, 2002. (d) Psychologists appropriately document written or oral consent, permission, and assent. Kerns, R. D., Berry, S., Frantsve, L. M., & Linton, J. C. (2009). American Psychological Association. Psychologists responsible for education and training programs take reasonable steps to ensure that the programs are designed to provide the appropriate knowledge and proper experiences, and to meet the requirements for licensure, certification, or other goals for which claims are made by the program. 8.15 Reviewers (1990). ), 6.02 Maintenance, Dissemination, and Disposal of Confidential Records of Professional and Scientific Work Psychologists try to eliminate the effect on their work of biases based on those factors, and they do not knowingly participate in or condone activities of others based upon such prejudices. She also states that ethical decision making involves a commitment to applying the Ethics Code to construct rather than discover solutions to ethical dilemmas. If the demands of an organization with which psychologists are affiliated or for whom they are working are in conflict with this Ethics Code, psychologists clarify the nature of the conflict, make known their commitment to the Ethics Code, and to the extent feasible, resolve the conflict in a way that permits adherence to the Ethics Code.take reasonable steps to resolve the conflict consistent with the General Principles and Ethical Standards of the Ethics Code. Psychologists do not accept as therapy clients/patients persons with whom they have engaged in sexual intimacies. (a) Psychologists do not base their assessment or intervention decisions or recommendations on data or test results that are outdated for the current purpose. (n.d.). What competencies were you able to develop in researching and writing the course Comprehensive Project? This does not preclude psychologists from requiring that such individuals or groups be responsible for costs associated with the provision of such information. This model involves “the psychologist asking himself or herself a variety of questions to review personal reactions, determine the facts of the case, make a preliminary plan, examine the legal consequences of the initial plan, identify and assess options to refine the initial plan, choose a course of action, and implement the decision and evaluate the outcome” (p. 153). ), 7.01 Design of Education and Training Programs This means what does any given psychologist do on any given day? Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 40(4), 354-360. 3.03 Other Harassment If this Ethics Code establishes a higher standard of conduct than is required by law, psychologists must meet the higher ethical standard. )), S5-S26. Introduction and Applicability Shiles (2009) states that professional competency is not a fixed construct, meaning that psychologists are either incompetent or competent. Yet, it is associated with poor mental and behavioral health as well as lower wellbeing and negative relational strategies. Component I of his model is ethical sensitivity. (a) When psychologists conduct research or provide assessment, therapy, counseling, or consulting services in person or via electronic transmission or other forms of communication, they obtain the informed consent of the individual or individuals using language that is reasonably understandable to that person or persons except when conducting such activities without consent is mandated by law or governmental regulation or as otherwise provided in this Ethics Code. This clarification includes the psychologist's role and the probable uses of the services provided or the information obtained. 9.10 Explaining Assessment Results 10.04 Providing Therapy to Those Served by Others In situations in which deception may be ethically justifiable to maximize benefits and minimize harm, psychologists have a serious obligation to consider the need for, the possible consequences of, and their responsibility to correct any resulting mistrust or other harmful effects that arise from the use of such techniques. (See also Standard 2.04, Bases for Scientific and Professional Judgments. American Psychological Association. A quick look at both the AASP and APA ethical guidelines reveal several areas linked to developing and maintaining cultural competence. American Psychological Association. APA may impose sanctions on its members for violations of the standards of the Ethics Code, including termination of APA membership, and may notify other bodies and individuals of its actions. They provide opportunity for the prospective participants to ask questions and receive answers. The standards in this Ethics Code will be used to adjudicate complaints brought concerning alleged conduct occurring on or after the effective date. (e) In those emerging areas in which generally recognized standards for preparatory training do not yet exist, psychologists nevertheless take reasonable steps to ensure the competence of their work and to protect clients/patients, students, supervisees, research participants, organizational clients, and others from harm. 9.08 Obsolete Tests and Outdated Test Results Gallardo and colleagues (2009) state some of these challenges include negotiating boundaries within the therapeutic context, giving and providing solutions, and struggling with internal personal values when they differ from that of the client. A psychologist refrains from entering into a multiple relationship if the multiple relationship could reasonably be expected to impair the psychologist's objectivity, competence, or effectiveness in performing his or her functions as a psychologist, or otherwise risks exploitation or harm to the person with whom the professional relationship exists. American Psychological Association. 10.06 Sexual Intimacies with Relatives or Significant Others of Current Therapy Clients/Patients When psychologists agree to provide services to a person or entity at the request of a third party, psychologists attempt to clarify at the outset of the service the nature of the relationship with all individuals or organizations involved. (b) In the absence of a client/patient release, psychologists provide test data only as required by law or court order. (b) Where scientific or professional knowledge in the discipline of psychology establishes that an understanding of factors associated with age, gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, language, or socioeconomic status is essential for effective implementation of their services or research, psychologists have or obtain the training, experience, consultation, or supervision necessary to ensure the competence of their services, or they make appropriate referrals, except as provided in Standard 2.02, Providing Services in Emergencies. ), (b) Psychologists conducting intervention research involving the use of experimental treatments clarify to participants at the outset of the research (1) the experimental nature of the treatment; (2) the services that will or will not be available to the control group(s) if appropriate; (3) the means by which assignment to treatment and control groups will be made; (4) available treatment alternatives if an individual does not wish to participate in the research or wishes to withdraw once a study has begun; and (5) compensation for or monetary costs of participating including, if appropriate, whether reimbursement from the participant or a third-party payor will be sought. Principle E: Respect for People's Rights and Dignity Those portions of test materials that include client/patient responses are included in the definition of test data. ), 2.05 Delegation of Work to OthersPsychologists who delegate work to employees, supervisees, or research or teaching assistants or who use the services of others, such as interpreters, take reasonable steps to (1) avoid delegating such work to persons who have a multiple relationship with those being served that would likely lead to exploitation or loss of objectivity; (2) authorize only those responsibilities that such persons can be expected to perform competently on the basis of their education, training, or experience, either independently or with the level of supervision being provided; and (3) see that such persons perform these services competently. The services are discontinued as soon as the emergency has ended or appropriate services are available. If an apparent ethical violation has substantially harmed or is likely to substantially harm a person or organization and is not appropriate for informal resolution under Standard 1.04, Informal Resolution of Ethical Violations, or is not resolved properly in that fashion, psychologists take further action appropriate to the situation. Inquiries Journal provides undergraduate and graduate students around the world a platform for the wide dissemination of academic work over a range of core disciplines. Psychologists create, and to the extent the records are under their control, maintain, disseminate, store, retain, and dispose of records and data relating to their professional and scientific work in order to (1) facilitate provision of services later by them or by other professionals, (2) allow for replication of research design and analyses, (3) meet institutional requirements, (4) ensure accuracy of billing and payments, and (5) ensure compliance with law. 0. Requesting psychologists obtain prior written agreement for all other uses of the data. By remaining ignorant and incompetent of clients’ cultures, psychologists risk unethical behavior and harm to their clients. (See also Standards 8.03, Informed Consent for Recording Voices and Images in Research; 8.05, Dispensing with Informed Consent for Research; and 8.07, Deception in Research. However, these studies present relatively unaddressed ethical concerns. American Psychologist, 18, 56-60. This is a critical aspect of forensic psychological practice as well. (c) Psychologists claim degrees as credentials for their health services only if those degrees (1) were earned from a regionally accredited educational institution or (2) were the basis for psychology licensure by the state in which they practice. This section consists of General Principles. 8.05 Dispensing with Informed Consent for Research (1953). 9.03 Informed Consent in Assessments (See also Standard 2.04, Bases for Scientific and Professional Judgments.). Recognize therapist impairment and burnout. Complaints will be adjudicated on the basis of the version of the Ethics Code that was in effect at the time the conduct occurred. These standards are as follows: (a) Psychologists provide services, teach, and conduct research with populations and in areas only within the boundaries of their competence, based on their education, training, supervised experience, consultation, study, or professional experience. Results: As a result, the concept of ethical competence can be defined in terms of character strength, ethical awareness, moral judgement skills and willingness to do good. Psychologists respect the dignity and worth of all people, and the rights of individuals to privacy, confidentiality, and self-determination. The APA has previously published its Ethics Code as follows: American Psychological Association. Information regarding the process is provided to the student at the beginning of supervision. Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct. Barnett, J. E. (2008). As in any scientific field, new discoveries are being made constantly and it is a psychologist’s ethical, personal, and professional responsibility to keep up with these new discoveries and utilize them whenever possible to advance the field of psychology. Psychologists responsible for education and training programs take reasonable steps to ensure that there is a current and accurate description of the program content (including participation in required course- or program-related counseling, psychotherapy, experiential groups, consulting projects, or community service), training goals and objectives, stipends and benefits, and requirements that must be met for satisfactory completion of the program. (2010). Their intent is to guide and inspire psychologists toward the very highest ethical ideals of the profession. Psychologists may refrain from releasing test data to protect a client/patient or others from substantial harm or misuse or misrepresentation of the data or the test, recognizing that in many instances release of confidential information under these circumstances is regulated by law. In doing so, they perform many roles, such as researcher, educator, diagnostician, therapist, supervisor, consultant, administrator, social interventionist, and expert witness. “Competencies” are elements of competence (Kaslow et al., 2004) that are observable, measurable, containable, practical, derived by experts, and flexible (Stratford, 1994). ), (e) If the recipient of services does not pay for services as agreed, and if psychologists intend to use collection agencies or legal measures to collect the fees, psychologists first inform the person that such measures will be taken and provide that person an opportunity to make prompt payment. (c) Psychologists planning to provide services, teach, or conduct research involving populations, areas, techniques, or technologies new to them undertake relevant education, training, supervised experience, consultation, or study. They indicate any significant limitations of their interpretations. (a) After research results are published, psychologists do not withhold the data on which their conclusions are based from other competent professionals who seek to verify the substantive claims through reanalysis and who intend to use such data only for that purpose, provided that the confidentiality of the participants can be protected and unless legal rights concerning proprietary data preclude their release. (c) Except under exceptional circumstances, a student is listed as principal author on any multiple-authored article that is substantially based on the student's doctoral dissertation. (a) Psychologists include in written and oral reports and consultations, only information germane to the purpose for which the communication is made. Ethical standards of psychologists. Accordingly, a shared collective duty for the welfare of ... Assessment of Ethical Competence in Psychology. Component II is moral judgment which involves formulating the morally ideal course of action through reasoning. Developing Ethical Competence in Health Care Organizations. (See also Standard 10.10, Terminating Therapy.). (a) Psychologists acquire, care for, use, and dispose of animals in compliance with current federal, state, and local laws and regulations, and with professional standards. To the degree to which they exercise control, psychologists responsible for announcements, catalogs, brochures, or advertisements describing workshops, seminars, or other non-degree-granting educational programs ensure that they accurately describe the audience for which the program is intended, the educational objectives, the presenters, and the fees involved. Principle B: Fidelity and Responsibility Illinois General Assembly Home Page. Competency Benchmarks: A Model for Understanding and Measuring Competence in Professional Psychology Across Training Levels. (1981). Standard of recognising limits of competence… The first obligation is becoming familiar with professional and scientific knowledge. (See also Standards 3.12, Interruption of Psychological Services, and 10.09, Interruption of Therapy.). 1.08 Unfair Discrimination Against Complainants and Respondents Areas covered include but are not limited to the clinical, counseling, and school practice of psychology; research; teaching; supervision of trainees; public service; policy development; social intervention; development of assessment instruments; conducting assessments; educational counseling; organizational consulting; forensic activities; program design and evaluation; and administration. (See also Standard 4.05, Disclosures. It is not intended to provide medical or other professional advice. There is always more to learn and the thought of knowing all there is to know is overwhelming. Failure to cooperate is itself an ethics violation. Principle D: Justice 10.07 Therapy with Former Sexual Partners © 2020 Inquiries Journal/Student Pulse LLC. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 40(5), 444-451. (a) Psychologists terminate therapy when it becomes reasonably clear that the client/patient no longer needs the service, is not likely to benefit, or is being harmed by continued service. If every institution providing mental health services, whether it be a hospital, prison, school, or private practice, regularly held ethics rounds, psychologists and other staff members associated with them would be much more knowledgeable about potential ethical problems and how to properly handle them. (See also Standard 8.08, Debriefing.). Psychologists' work is based upon established scientific and professional knowledge of the discipline. These examples, along with many others, are the ongoing debates within the field of psychology today. The focus has been on trait similarity (i.e. (b) Psychologists do not compensate employees of press, radio, television, or other communication media in return for publicity in a news item. They are concerned about the ethical compliance of their colleagues' scientific and professional conduct. Integrating Evidence-Based Practice, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, and Multicultural Therapy: Ten Steps for Culturally Competent Practice. Ethical Notes. (c) When the therapist is a trainee and the legal responsibility for the treatment provided resides with the supervisor, the client/patient, as part of the informed consent procedure, is informed that the therapist is in training and is being supervised and is given the name of the supervisor. (b) If confidential information concerning recipients of psychological services is entered into databases or systems of records available to persons whose access has not been consented to by the recipient, psychologists use coding or other techniques to avoid the inclusion of personal identifiers. (See also Standard 3.12, Interruption of Psychological Services.). (c) Psychologists ensure that all individuals under their supervision who are using animals have received instruction in research methods and in the care, maintenance, and handling of the species being used, to the extent appropriate to their role. This code was written by the Ethics Committee of the British Psychological Society. Psychologists do not publish, as original data, data that have been previously published. (b) For persons who are legally incapable of giving informed consent, psychologists nevertheless (1) provide an appropriate explanation, (2) seek the individual's assent, (3) consider such persons' preferences and best interests, and (4) obtain appropriate permission from a legally authorized person, if such substitute consent is permitted or required by law. 8.09 Humane Care and Use of Animals in Research 8.14 Sharing Research Data for Verification The trainees also raised ethical questions regarding therapist competence, the beneficence and non-maleficence of therapeutic actions, and client autonomy. (See also Standards 2.01, Boundaries of Competence, and 9.06, Interpreting Assessment Results.). If psychologists’ ethical responsibilities conflict with law, regulations, or other governing legal authority, psychologists make known their commitment to this Ethics Code and take steps to resolve the conflict in a responsible manner. (a) The term test data refers to raw and scaled scores, client/patient responses to test questions or stimuli, and psychologists' notes and recordings concerning client/patient statements and behavior during an examination. ), 9.07 Assessment by Unqualified Persons Psychologists respect and protect civil and human rights and the central importance of freedom of inquiry and expression in research, teaching, and publication. This does not preclude taking action based upon the outcome of such proceedings or considering other appropriate information. Also, ethical dilemmas would more likely to be addressed correctly if they had been discussed previously within the confines of an ethics round rather than as one is occurring, at which time emotionality can be high and objectivity can be skewed. Whether it is clinical, research, educational, or administrative in nature, psychologists are required to remain competent in the specific field in which they practice. The definition given states that an ethical dilemma is defined as when “there are good but contradictory ethical reasons to take conflicting and incompatible courses of action” (1984, p. 43). Results from this study suggest the REST-KIT could be a useful resource for trainers and researchers. He also states that knowledge of the professional literature in one’s area of practice is an ethical duty for staying up-to-date with chances in practice patterns and recent developments that may change previously accepted practices. Examples of foundational competencies include graduate coursework, practicum/intern experiences, and the aspirational goals in the APA 2002 Ethics Code. (c) Psychologists do not misrepresent their fees. 10.08 Sexual Intimacies with Former Therapy Clients/Patients the “Birds of a Feather” concept) without a clear answer... American Psychological Association’s Ethical Principles and Code of Conduct. Sporrong, S., Arnetz, B., Hansson, M. G., Westerholm, P., & Hoglund, A. T. (2007). Such action might include referral to state or national committees on professional ethics, to state licensing boards, or to the appropriate institutional authorities. They conduct the research in accordance with the approved research protocol. Psychologists must remain competent in their field to be able to practice ethically. (See also Standard 6.04e, Fees and Financial Arrangements. In their work-related activities, psychologists do not engage in unfair discrimination based on age, gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, socioeconomic status, or any basis proscribed by law. When, despite reasonable efforts, such an examination is not practical, psychologists document the efforts they made and the result of those efforts, clarify the probable impact of their limited information on the reliability and validity of their opinions, and appropriately limit the nature and extent of their conclusions or recommendations. Adults Report Depression”). (d) If limitations to services can be anticipated because of limitations in financing, this is discussed with the recipient of services as early as is feasible. Retrieved June 14, 2010, from http://www.ilga.gov/commission/jcar/admincode/068/06801400sections.html. American Psychologist, 71, 900. Psychologists obtain informed consent from research participants prior to recording their voices or images for data collection unless (1) the research consists solely of naturalistic observations in public places, and it is not anticipated that the recording will be used in a manner that could cause personal identification or harm, or (2) the research design includes deception, and consent for the use of the recording is obtained during debriefing. She states that although current literature suggests that when a psychologist is uncomfortable working with a client’s presenting concern, it may be in the client’s best interest to refer him or her with the understanding that the reason for referral is the psychologist is not competent to work with that particular client, this logic is being used to discriminate against clients. However, despite the central importance of competencies, the discipline of psychology has struggled to identify, define, and operationalize the competencies required by registered psychologists (Nash and Larkin, 2012). (See also Standards 4.01, Maintaining Confidentiality; 4.04, Minimizing Intrusions on Privacy; and 4.05, Disclosures. Licensed clinical psychologists will encounter many ethical dilemmas regarding competency during their careers. ), (b) If it becomes apparent that psychologists may be called on to perform potentially conflicting roles (such as family therapist and then witness for one party in divorce proceedings), psychologists take reasonable steps to clarify and modify, or withdraw from, roles appropriately. 2010 amendments to the 2002 “Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct.” American Psychologist, 65, 493. Psychologists uphold professional standards of conduct, clarify their professional roles and obligations, accept appropriate responsibility for their behavior, and seek to manage conflicts of interest that could lead to exploitation or harm. The current version of the ethics code, which introduced the distinction between … (a) When psychologists agree to provide services to several persons who have a relationship (such as spouses, significant others, or parents and children), they take reasonable steps to clarify at the outset (1) which of the individuals are clients/patients and (2) the relationship the psychologist will have with each person. (1992). Training and Education in Professional Psychology, 3(4(Suppl. What the client may believe is ethical behavior may not be the therapist’s opinion or vice versa. ISSN: 2153-5760. 3.04 Avoiding Harm (2009). [1] These serious illnesses, which have the greatest mortality rate of any psychological disorder, are characterized... Research shows conflicting results when relaying how personality traits play into successful and satisfying romantic relationships. (See also Standard 10.10, Terminating Therapy) (APA Ethics Code, 2002). But how much do emotions really weigh... Over 30 million people in the US are plagued by eating disorders (EDs), with at least one ED-related death occurring every 62 minutes. The Ethical Standards set forth enforceable rules for conduct as psychologists. Another area of competency not outlined by the Cube Model but relevant to all psychotherapists is that of ethical competency (Sporrong et al., 2007). General Principles, in contrast to Ethical Standards, do not represent obligations and should not form the basis for imposing sanctions. According to recent estimates, over nine percent of the United States population has some degree of depression—a proportion that makes depression one of the most common and serious mental conditions in the country (“An Estimated 1 in 10 U.S. All rights reserved. COVID-19 resources for psychologists, health-care workers and the public. The term test materials refers to manuals, instruments, protocols, and test questions or stimuli and does not include test data as defined in Standard 9.04, Release of Test Data. (b) Psychologists do not base such decisions or recommendations on tests and measures that are obsolete and not useful for the current purpose. ), 3.09 Cooperation with Other Professionals , Dean, Danielle M. 2010. When such validity or reliability has not been established, psychologists describe the strengths and limitations of test results and interpretation. Psychologists have a primary obligation and take reasonable precautions to protect confidential information obtained through or stored in any medium, recognizing that the extent and limits of confidentiality may be regulated by law or established by institutional rules or professional or scientific relationship.