Ethical Violations and Complaints

Question 1

Ethics code consiss of 4 sections

Answer 1

Introduction and Applicability

Preamble (aspirational, non-enforced)

General Principles (aspirational, non-enforced)

Ethical Standards (mandatory, enforceable)

Question 2

Cooperating with the ethics committee

Answer 2

Ethics investigation, proceeding, and requirements of APA/affiliate, failure to cooperate is an ethics violation

Question 3

Ethical violations

Answer 3

Handled by ethics committee or state licensing board or the court. When a complaint is received it is reviewed to determine whether a breach of ethics occurred

Question 4

Ethics Committee Actions

Answer 4

Reprimand/sanction if there was an ethics violation but it is not likely to cause harm to another person or the profession

Censure if there is an ethics violation that was likely to harm another person but not substantially harm another person, and not otherwise sufficient gravity to warrant more severe sanction

Expulsion if ethics were violated and likely to cause substantial harm to a person or profession

Stipulated resignation if the respondent committed a violation of the ethics code or failed to show good cause why they should not be expelled

Question 5

Ethics actions (directives)

Answer 5

Reprimand or censure may include: cease and desist the activity, obtain supervision or additional training, be evaluated for and if approprate receive treatment, probationary monitoring, corrective action, educative letter

Question 6

Violations by colleagues

Answer 6

Encourage informal discussion with the offender when appropriate

Formal report to ethics committee, state licensing board or other appropriate authority when the problem involves substantial harm

Always consider the issue of client confidentiality before taking action