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Ethics Code intent
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Specific standards to cover most situations encountered by psychologists.
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Ethics Code goals
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The welfare and protection of individuals and groups with whom psychologists work and the education of members, students, and public regarding ethical standards of the discipline.
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To develop a dynamic ethical practice requires
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* A commitment to act ethically
* encourage ethical behavior by students, supervisees, employees, and colleagues
* consult with others concerning ethical problems
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General Principles vs Ethical Standards
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* Aspirational - highest ethical ideal of the profession to guide and inspire; unenforceable; cannot use to sanction/discipline
* Lowest standards of behavior, enforceable, can discipline
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Principle A: Beneficence and Non-Maleficence
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Strive to benefit, do no harm. Resolve conflicts of obligation while doing no harm, guard against misusing own influence; Be aware of own mental health on ability to help others.
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Principle B: Fidelity and Responsibility
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Est. relationships with clients based on trust; be aware of responsibilities and uphold standards; accept responsibility for own behavior; manage conflicts of interest; consult, refer, cooperate; monitor others' ethical compliance; some pro-bono work
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Principle C: Integrity
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Promote accuracy, honesty, truthfulness; no cheating/fraud; keep word; use deception with care
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Principle D: Justice
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Everyone deserves equal access/quality of services; be aware of biases and operate w/in boundaries of competence
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Principle E: Respect for people's rights and dignity
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Respect dignity/worth of ppl along with rights (privacy, confidentiality, self-determination); special respect for vulnerable populations; respect for individual differences and knowledge of own biases (reduce/minimize); refrain from participating in prejudicial activities
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Principles mnemonic:
Benefit Fidel in just respect
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Beneficence & Non-Maleficence
Fidelity & Responsibility
Integrity
Justice
Respect for people's rights and dignity
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If you learn of misuse or misrepresentation of your work...
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...take reasonable steps to correct of minimize this misuse and misrepresentation
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If your ethical commitments conflict with the law...
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...make known your commitment to the standards and take steps to resolve the conflict in accordance with the code. If you can't, obey the law.
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If your organization's demands conflict with the ethics code...
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...make known your commitment to the ethics code and try to resolve in accordance with the code.
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If a colleague has committed an ethical infraction...
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...if resolvable in an informal way, go to them personally (if appropriate and doesn't violate confidentiality)
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If a colleague has committed an ethical violation that risks significant or substantial harm and not appropriate for informal resolution...
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...refer to the state or national committee on professional ethics, to the state licensing board, or to the appropriate institutional authorities. Doesn't apply if an intervention would violate confidentiality.
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Not complying with ethics investigations....
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...is an ethics violation
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If you have been the subject of an ethics investigation can you be denied employment, advancement, admission to academic programs, tenure or promotion?
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No. But those things can be revoked based upon the outcome of such proceedings.
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Boundaries of competence...
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Practice only what you know based on education, training, supervised experience, consultation, study, or professional experience
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To improve competence...
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Consult, seek new education or retraining, get supervised experience or study; continuing ed
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What should you do if someone presents for services that are outside of your competence?
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Refer unless it's an emergency, in which case provide but only until the emergency has ended or other services are available.
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If someone presents for services that are somewhat similar to your qualifications but probably outside of your competence - and they have no other mental health services available to them - what should you do?
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May provide services in order to make sure services aren't denied, but must also make a reasonable effort to obtain the competence required by using research, training, consultation, and study
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How should you proceed using innovative or new treatments?
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Make aware the dangers or risks as a part of informed consent and strive to ensure competence by using relevant research, training, consultation, etc.
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What should psychologists do to ensure competence in forensics?
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Maintain an accurate understanding of the laws and administrative rules covering their roles.
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Upon what should a psychologist's work be based?
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Scientific and professional knowledge of the discipline
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In delegating work to others, what issues need to be considered?
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* The person to whom work is delegated must not have multiple relationships or objectivity concerns to the population with whom they'll work.
* They better be competent and you'd better see to it that they are
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What should you do if you realize you're functioning under some sort of impairment or your personal problems may interfere with your work?
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Refrain from or limit work activities; seek consultation to see if you should limit, suspend, or terminate work; get help/assistance
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Sexual harassment is...
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* sexual solicitation, physical advances, verbal or nonverbal conduct that is sexual in nature that occurs in connection with your work is either:
1) unwelcome, offensive, creates a hostile work/ed enviro and you know or are told this;
2) sufficiently severe or intense to be abusive to a reasonable person in same context.
Can be one time serious act or multiple small acts.
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In terms of harm you should...
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Take steps to minimize or avoid, including foreseeable harm.
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Multiple relationships are...
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When you are in a professional role with a person and
1) at the same time in another role with them
2) in a relationship with a person closely associated with or related to that person
3) promise to enter into another form of relationship in the future with that same person or a closely related other
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How should you handle multiple relationships?
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They are not inherently unethical. You should avoid them, though, if they could reasonably be expected to impair your objectivity, competence, or effectiveness or other risks exploitation or harm.
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What should you do if you are involved in a multiple relationship that later becomes potentially harmful?
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Take steps to resolve the conflict and clarify roles with respect for that individual and compliance with the Code.
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What should you do if you're required by law, institutional policy, or extraordinary circumstance to engage in more than one role in judicial or administrative proceedings?
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At the very beginning, clarify role expectations, confidentiality, and continue awareness and clarity in an ongoing, revisited way, particularly if any circumstances change.
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What is a conflict of interest?
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Personal, scientific, financial, professional, legal, financial, or other issue impairs objectivity, competence, effectiveness in performing work; and/or exposes someone else to harm or exploitation. (Avoid this.)
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What should you do if asked by a third party to provide services for someone else?
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At the very beginning clarify to all involved the nature of the relationship with each, role of the psychologist, confidentiality issues, who is the client, probable use of services and information obtained.
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Do you have an ethical obligation to cooperate with other mental health professionals regarding a client?
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Yep.
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What is informed consent?
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A process, not an event. Unfolds in an ongoing way, over time, and should be revisited, particularly if any circumstances trained. Strive to make a thorough and culturally/linguistically appropriate explanation of the therapeutic process, confidentiality, expectations regarding prognosis, fees, involvement of third parties, limits and risks, etc. Also applies to research, assmt, and consulting. BE SURE to provide adequate time for q and a.
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How should you seek consent with persons who are legally unable to provide it?
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Seek assent. Provide a culturally and linguistically appropriate explanation. Consider their preferences and best interests. Obtain appropriate consent from their legal representative. Take steps to protect their rights and welfare.
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What should you do in terms of informed consent if services are legally mandated or court ordered?
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Inform the individual of the nature of the services, including whether they are court-ordered/mandated; explain limits of confidentiality and who'll be getting the info.
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What should you do if you're providing services through an organization?
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Explain:
* The nature and objective of the services
* The intended recipients
* Who the clients are
* Relationship you will have with each person and the organization
* Probable uses of services and info obtained
* Who will have access to the info
* Limits of confidentiality
* As soon as feasible, provide results to appropriate individuals
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What should you do if by law or organizational roles you can't provide feedback or information regarding services to individuals within an org. context?
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Tell them at the very beginning.
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What should you do about possible interruption of services?
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Have a plan in place for facilitating services should you become incapacitated/dead, such as a professional will. Inform clients about potential interruptions due to non-payment at the beginning.
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In terms of maintaining confidentiality...
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...you have PRIMARY OBLIGATION to take reasonable precautions to protect confidential information in any medium.
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In terms of informed consent regarding confidentiality, you should...
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...discuss with clients all limits to confidentiality and how information from your services will be or could be used at the outset of a therapeutic relationship (unless contraindicated) and thereafter as new circumstances may warrant. If you use electronic records, inform of risks related to this and adhere to HIPAA.
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Before recording voice or image of clients you should...
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...get their permission. Preferably in writing. (Document or it didn't happen.)
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In terms of privacy, what should be included in reports?
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Only information germane to the report itself.
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In terms of minimizing privacy, you should discuss confidential information obtained in your work...
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...only for scientific or professional purposes with ppl concerned with the matter. De-identify any teaching material.
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You may make disclosures of confidential information w/o a release in which circumstances?
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* To provide needed professional services
* obtain appropriate consultation
* Protect client, others, self from harm
* obtain payment for services (only minimum info needed)
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When and how can you use your cases for teaching and writing purposes?
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* If you've deidentified the material
* If you've gotten their permission
* There is legal authorization for doing so
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Even if you've retained others to create promotions/advertising for your services...
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...you bear the ultimate responsibility for the content.
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Advertising should...
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...be clearly recognizable as such (no phony promotions through fake paid for "news items); accurate and not misrepresentative of any of your qualifications or exaggerating outcome; should never solicit testimonials.
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