EPPP Practice Questions: Ethics Big 6

Question 1

Vicarious liability is most likely to be an issue when a psychologist is acting in the role
of:
a. supervisor.
b. faculty member.
c. advocate.
d. mentor.

Answer 1

a. supervisor.
When a psychologist is liable for the actions of his/her supervisee or employee, this is referred
to as vicarious liability.

Question 2

Of the cases processed by the APA’s Ethics Committee as the result of revocation of a
psychologist’s license by a state licensing board, the most common underlying cause for
the loss of licensure is which of the following?
a. nonsexual dual relationship
b. sexual misconduct
c. confidentiality
d. practicing outside the boundaries of one’s competence

Answer 2

b. sexual misconduct
Loss of licensure is the most frequent reason for complaints processed by the APA’s Ethics
Committee, and sexual misconduct is the most common underlying cause of the loss of
licensure. See, K. S. Pope and M. J. T. Vasquez, Ethics in psychotherapy and counseling,
New York, Wiley, 2007.

Question 3

Dr. A. T. Tester, a licensed psychologist, is scheduled to testify on behalf of the
prosecution in a criminal case. He receives a request from the defendant to act as a fact
witness. As an ethical psychologist, Dr. Tester should:
a. explain to the defendant’s attorney that he cannot do so since this would constitute a
dual role, which is prohibited by ethical standards.
b. agree to do so only if he is able to get permission from the defendant and the plaintiff
(or their attorneys) or from the court.
c. agree to act as a fact witness only after clarifying his responsibilities and role
expectations with all parties.
d. agree to act as a fact witness since this does not conflict with his other role.

Answer 3

c. agree to act as a fact witness only after clarifying his responsibilities and role
expectations with all parties.
The Specialty Guidelines for Forensic Psychology and the Ethics Code both caution against
dual (multiple) roles in forensic settings but notes that, in some cases, they are acceptable.
However, as noted in the Ethics Code, when a psychologist becomes involved in a dual
relationship, he/she should “clarify role expectations and the extent of confidentiality” at the
outset and subsequently as changes occur.

Question 4

During a court-ordered evaluation of a defendant to determine her competence to stand
trial, she reveals information to you that confirms her guilt. You should:
a. use your discretion in determining what to include in the evaluation report.
b. include the information in the evaluation report since privilege is waived in this
situation.
c. include only information relevant to the defendant’s competence in the evaluation
report.
d. not provide the court with any information from the evaluation until the defendant
signs a release.

Answer 4

c. include only information relevant to the defendant’s competence in the evaluation report.
In this situation, the defendant is protected by laws that prohibit the use of evaluation data to
determine a defendant’s guilt without his/her consent.

Question 5

Which of the following best describes the provisions of the APA’s Ethics Code regarding
pro bono services?
a. The Ethics Code advises against providing free services to clients.
b. The Ethics Code recommends providing free services to clients.
c. The Ethics Code requires psychologists to provide free services to clients-in-need.
d. The Ethics Code does not address providing free or low-cost services to clients.

Answer 5

b. The Ethics Code recommends providing free services to clients.
“Pro bono” services are provided for the public good without compensation. Although the
term “pro bono” is not used in the Ethics Code, General Principle B (Fidelity and
Responsibility) states that “psychologists strive to contribute a portion of their professional
time for little or no compensation or personal advantage.” Because free or low-cost services
are mentioned in the General Principles (which provide aspirational guidelines), this means
that the Code recommends – but does not require – psychologists to provide these services.

Question 6

Which of the following best describes requirements regarding the acceptance of
contingent fees as provided in the Specialty Guidelines for Forensic Psychology (APA,
2011)?
a. Psychologists may provide services to a party in a legal proceeding on the basis of
contingent fees.
b. Psychologists may provide services to a party in a legal proceeding on the basis of
contingent fees only when the amount of the fees is “reasonable and consistent with
current standards.”
c. Psychologists should seek to avoid providing professional services to a party in a legal
proceeding on the basis of contingent fees.
d. Psychologists are prohibited from providing professional services to a party in a legal
proceeding on the basis of contingent fees only when doing so represents an
unacceptable dual relationship.

Answer 6

c. Psychologists should seek to avoid providing professional services to a party in a legal
proceeding on the basis of contingent fees.
This issue is addressed in Paragraph 5.02 of the Specialty Guidelines for Forensic Psychology
(APA, 2011), which states that “forensic practitioners strive to avoid providing professional
services on the basis of contingent fees.”

Question 7

A psychologist has received a subpoena from an attorney requesting that she testify in
court about a former client and provide the court with records related to the client’s
treatment. The psychologist does not have a release from the client to do so. The
psychologist should:
a. testify and release the records as requested.
b. testify but refuse to release the records without a court order.
c. not appear in court without a signed release from the client.
d. appear in court and claim the privilege on behalf of the client.

Answer 7

d. appear in court and claim the privilege on behalf of the client.
Assuming that the subpoena is valid, the psychologist must appear as requested but should
assert the privilege on the client’s behalf.

Question 8

An expert witness is recognized by the court to be qualified to offer opinions on a specific

issue. To qualify as an expert witness, a psychologist must:
a. have a valid professional license.
b. have a relevant doctoral degree from an accredited school.
c. have appropriate education, training, and experience.
d. be certified as a forensic psychologist by the ABPP.

Answer 8

c. have appropriate education, training, and experience.
Requirements for expert testimony are provided in state and federal law. For example,
Federal Rule of Evidence 702 states: “A witness who is qualified as an expert by knowledge,
skill, experience, training, or education may testify in the form of an opinion or otherwise if:
(a) the expert’s scientific, technical, or other specialized knowledge will help the trier of fact to
understand the evidence or to determine a fact in issue; (b) the testimony is based on
sufficient facts or data; (c) the testimony is the product of reliable principles and methods;
and (d) the expert has reliably applied the principles and methods to the facts of the case.”

Question 9

Dr. Opt assists with hiring decisions at the mental health clinic where he works. He
recommends that an applicant for a staff psychologist position not be considered because
of an unresolved charge of sexual harassment that has been filed against her with the
Ethics Committee. Dr. Opt’s recommendation about the psychologist is:
a. consistent with the provisions of the Ethics Code.
b. a violation of the provisions of the Ethics Code.
c. ethical as long as the psychologist is considered when she is acquitted of the charge.
d. not addressed by the Ethics Code.

Answer 9

b. a violation of the provisions of the Ethics Code.
This response is most consistent with Standard 1.08 (Unfair Discrimination Against
Complainants and Respondents) of the Ethics Code, which states that “Psychologists do not
deny persons employment, advancement, admissions to academic or other programs, tenure,
or promotion, based solely upon their having made or their being the subject of an ethics
complaint.”

Question 10

A licensed psychologist who provides individual and group therapy to adolescents and
adults learns that she is HIV+. In terms of ethical requirements, the psychologist:
a. should refrain from initiating any professional activities that might be adversely
affected by her medical condition.
b. should obtain supervision to ensure that her medical condition does not impair her
ability to provide effective services to clients.
c. should inform her clients of her medical condition “as early as is feasible.”
d. is not obligated to take any special actions or precautions in this situation.

Answer 10

a. should refrain from initiating any professional activities that might be adversely
affected by her medical condition.

Standard 2.06 requires psychologists to “refrain from initiating an activity when they know or
should know there is a substantial likelihood that their personal problems will prevent them
from performing their work-related activities in a competent manner.” Personal problems
include emotional, social, health-related and other personal issues.

Question 11

A client you have been seeing in therapy for several sessions tells you that her former
therapist made repeated sexual advances toward her and that is why she stopped seeing
him. She also says that she doesn’t want you to say anything about it to anyone. The
psychologist is someone you see frequently at professional meetings. As an ethical
psychologist, you:
a. inform the client that you are ethically required to report the psychologist to the
Ethics Committee or state licensing board.
b. attempt to resolve the issue informally by talking to the psychologist.
c. convince the client that it is in her best interests to file a report with the state licensing
board herself.
d. tell the client that you will maintain confidentiality.

Answer 11

d. tell the client that you will maintain confidentiality.
This response is most consistent with the provisions of Standards 1.04 and 1.05, which
require psychologists to give priority to client confidentiality when deciding how to handle
knowledge about unethical behavior by a colleague.

Question 12

Dr. S. Towne is the only mental health professional in Micropolis, population 912, and
the next town is 105 miles away. She finds that some of her clients have problems that are
outside her area of training. Dr. Towne should:
a. see the clients only if they are in a crisis situation.
b. use only interventions that she already has experience using.
c. refuse to see the clients until she receives adequate training.
d. obtain supervision or consultation by telephone.

Answer 12

d. obtain supervision or consultation by telephone.
Although the Ethics Code requires psychologists to provide only services within the
boundaries of their competence, there are exceptions. It is, for instance, perfectly acceptable
for psychologists to acquire new skills and to treat new problems – but only when appropriate
supervision or consultation are obtained. This is a difficult situation, but response d is the
best given the circumstances and the alternatives provided in the responses.

Question 13

During the initial session with a therapy client, the client tells Dr. Goodenough that she
and her husband are having “marital problems” and that she thinks they may need
couples counseling. As the client describes her husband, Dr. Goodenough realizes that she
had an affair with him 15 years ago in graduate school, long before he married the client.
Dr. Goodenough’s best course of action would be to:
a. make an appointment with the husband to discuss the matter with him before setting
up a couples session.
b. see the wife in individual therapy and refer them to another therapist for marital
counseling.
c. see the couple in therapy only if she feels her previous relationship will not interfere
with her objectivity.
d. not see the wife or the couple in therapy and make a referral to another therapist.

Answer 13

d. not see the wife or the couple in therapy and make a referral to another therapist.
This is covered by Standard 10.07, which prohibits psychologists from providing therapy to
former sexual partners. In addition, providing therapy to the wife only would violate
Standard 3.06, which states that psychologists refrain from engaging in professional activities
when “personal, scientific, professional, legal, financial, or other interests or relationships
could reasonably be expected to (1) impair their objectivity, competence, or effectiveness in
performing their functions as psychologists.”

Question 14

A colleague at the mental health clinic where you are employed tells you that one of his
clients has admitted to sexually abusing his daughter. The colleague says he is not going
to report the abuse since it was mild in nature and the client has expressed remorse,
promised not to do it again, and is willing to continue therapy. In addition, he feels that
reporting the abuse would be detrimental to the community since the client is a
widely-known, well-respected person. You should:
a. attempt to discuss the matter further with the colleague and encourage him to make a
report to the appropriate child abuse reporting authority but do not make a report
yourself.
b. file a complaint against the colleague with APA or the state licensing board.
c. contact the appropriate child abuse reporting authority and provide them with
information about the abuse and with the colleague’s name.
d. contact the appropriate child abuse reporting authority and provide them with
information about the abuse but refuse to give them the colleague’s name if they request
it.

Answer 14

c. contact the appropriate child abuse reporting authority and provide them with
information about the abuse and with the colleague’s name.
This issue is addressed by Leland Swenson in Psychology and the Law for the Helping
Professions, Brooks/Cole, Pacific Grove, CA, 1997. He states that “Any required reporter who
knows that another required reporter has not reported must report the evidence of abuse as
well as identify the nonreporter” (p. 413).

Question 15

The police arrive at your office with an arrest warrant for one of your clients. They tell
you that they need the client’s most recent address and telephone number. You should:
a. provide them with the information they request since they have a warrant.
b. make a copy of the warrant for your files before providing them with the information
they request.
c. tell them you will have to get a signed waiver from the client before you can release
any information about him.
d. not give them any information about the client.

Answer 15

d. not give them any information about the client.
Before providing information about a client (including the fact that he/she is a client), the
psychologist would have to be provided with a search warrant, court order, or signed release
from the client.

Question 16

You have just evaluated a child at the request of his mother. The child’s mother and
father are separated and have joint custody. You receive a call from the father who says
that he and his new girlfriend will be joining the mother when you meet with her to discuss
the results of the evaluation. You call the mother, but she says she doesn’t want the
girlfriend to be present at the meeting or to have information about the evaluation. You
should:
a. comply with the mother’s request since she is the one who paid for the evaluation.
b. explain to the mother that you have to do what the husband requests since they have
joint custody.
c. tell the father that you will meet with him and his girlfriend at another time.
d. meet with the mother and father either together or separately but don’t include the
girlfriend.

Answer 16

d. meet with the mother and father either together or separately but don’t include the
girlfriend.
This response is most consistent with requirements regarding confidentiality. Legally (and
ethically), the child’s parents have a right to information about the child and test data should
only be released to them. Although there might be circumstances when it would be
appropriate to provide evaluation data to other interested parties, there is nothing in this
question to suggest that this is the case in this situation.

Question 17

You are a psychologist in private practice. In response to your growing caseload, you
decide to bring in a second psychologist. The psychologist will be provided with office
space and some secretarial services, and you will charge him 50% of fees collected from
the patients you refer to him. This is:
a. unethical because referral fees are prohibited by the Ethics Code.
b. unethical because 50% is exploitative.
c. ethical as long as 50% is standard in your area of practice.
d. ethical as long as the 50% reflects your actual expenses.

Answer 17

d. ethical as long as the 50% reflects your actual expenses.
Referral fees are not entirely prohibited but, in situations like this one, must reflect the costs
incurred by the person making the referral.

Question 18

A new client says that she wants to pay for her therapy sessions with cash and that she
doesn’t want you to keep a record of the sessions or of her payments. If you agree to this
arrangement:
a. you have acted ethically as long as you ascertain that her reasons for making this
request are valid.
b. you have acted ethically since it is up to you to decide what to include in your records.
c. you have acted ethically and legally as long as you include her payments as income on
your income tax forms.
d. you have acted unethically and possibly illegally.

Answer 18

d. you have acted unethically and possibly illegally.
The APA’s Ethics Code and Record Keeping Guidelines require psychologists to maintain
adequate records. This not only protects the welfare of the client but also protects the
practitioner. In addition, many state laws require that client records be maintained and
indicate the minimum information that must be included in such records.

Question 19

Dr. S. Swapper is starting a program for adolescents who are experiencing peer
problems. She tells the editor of the local newspaper that his adolescent daughter (who is
unpopular with her peers) can attend the program for free if the editor writes an article
about the program for the paper. This is:
a. ethical as long as the arrangement doesn’t compromise Dr. Swapper’s objectivity
when working with the editor’s daughter.
b. ethical as long as Dr. Swapper doesn’t tell the editor what to put in the article.
c. unethical because the Ethics Code explicitly prohibits this type of arrangement.
d. ethically dubious but not covered by the Ethics Code.

Answer 19

c. unethical because the Ethics Code explicitly prohibits this type of arrangement.
Standard 5.02 explicitly prohibits psychologists from compensating employees of the press
for publicity about the psychologist and his/her work in a news item.

Question 20

Requiring students in an introductory psychology class to participate in a university
sponsored research project as a requirement for the class is ethical only when:
a. the research is conducted by or under the guidance of a faculty member.
b. the research exposes students to “minimal risk.”
c. students are given a choice of an alternative assignment.
d. students are made aware of the requirement prior to enrolling in the class.

Answer 20

c. students are given a choice of alternative assignments.
This answer is most consistent with the requirements of Standard 8.04(b) of the Ethics Code,
which states that, “when research participation is a course requirement or an opportunity for
extra credit, the prospective participant is given the choice of equitable alternative activities.”

Question 21

When a research study might cause participants pain, deception:

a. is prohibited if the pain is physical but not if it is psychological in nature.
b. is ordinarily prohibited whether it is physical or psychological in nature.
c. is acceptable only if no alternative methods for obtaining the data are available.
d. is acceptable only if it is justified by the study’s “prospective value.”

Answer 21

b. is ordinarily prohibited whether it is physical or psychological in nature.
This response is most consistent with Standard 8.07(b), which states that “Psychologists do
not deceive prospective participants about research that is reasonably expected to cause
physical pain or severe emotional distress.”

Question 22

Which of the following statements is most consistent with the requirements of the Ethics
Code regarding publication credit for publications that are substantially based on a
student’s doctoral dissertation?
a. Authorship credit must reflect each individual’s relative contribution to the research
project.
b. Authorship credit must be “mutually agreed upon” by all individuals who contributed
substantially to the project.
c. The student must be listed as first author except under “exceptional circumstances.”
d. The student must always be listed as first author.

Answer 22

c. The student must be listed as first author except under “exceptional circumstances.”
This answer is most consistent with Standard 8.12(c), which states that, “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.”

Question 23

The Ethics Code requires that a psychologist discuss with a new therapy client the
issue of fees and policy regarding the provision of information to an insurance company:
a. prior to the first consultation.
b. during the first session.
c. when the psychologist deems it appropriate.
d. as early as is feasible.

Answer 23

d. as early as is feasible.
This is addressed in Standard 10.01, which states that, “when obtaining informed consent to
therapy as required in Standard 3.10, Informed Consent, psychologists inform
clients/patients as early as is feasible in the therapeutic relationship about the nature and
anticipated course of therapy, fees, involvement of third parties, and limits of confidentiality.”
Similar language is included in Standard 6.04.

Question 24

A client who terminated therapy with Dr. Jones several months ago calls to request an
appointment because she is now very depressed and is feeling suicidal. In the past couple
of months, Dr. Jones has been reducing his practice because he is starting another
business. The best course of action in this situation is for Dr. Jones:
a. to see the woman until the crisis has passed and then provide her with appropriate
referrals.
b. to explain to the former client that he is no longer accepting clients and refer her to a
colleague.
c. to provide the woman with several referrals and ask her to call him if none of those
turn out to be satisfactory.
d. to provide the woman with several referrals but let her know that he is available by
phone in case of an emergency.

Answer 24

a. to see the woman until the crisis has passed and then provide her with appropriate
referrals.
This course of action best takes the client’s welfare into account and, therefore, is most
consistent with the “spirit” of the Code (see, e.g., Standards 3.04 and 10.09).
Page