Ethics

Question 1

Animals in Research

Answer 1

Standard 8.09 requires psychologists to “acquire, care for, use, an dispose of animals in compliance with current federal, state, and local laws and regulations and with professional standards” and to make reasonable efforts to minimize the discomfort, infection, illness, and pain of animal subjects.” It also states “when it is appropriate than an animal’s life be terminated, psychologists proceed rapidly, with an effort to minimize pain and in accordance with accepted procedures.”

Question 2

Avoiding Bias in Language

Answer 2

The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association provides guidelines for avoiding bias in language related to race/ethnicity/gender/age/and sexual orientation. For example, it recommends putting “people first” (e.g. clients with a disability rather than disabled clients); being specific when referring to race and avoiding using Whites as a comparison group; and using emotionally neutral terms (e.g. people with a disease rather than people affected by a disease)

Question 3

Barter

Answer 3

Standard 6.05 states that “psychologists may engage in marter for their services only when 1) it is not clinically contraindicated and 2) the resulting arrangement is not exploitative

Question 4

Child Abuse Reporting

Answer 4

Although the specific laws vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, all jurisdictions require psychologists to report known or suspected causes of child abuse to the appropriate authorities

Question 5

Client Access to Records

Answer 5

Client access to records is determined by law but, in general, the psychologist is the owner of the physical record while the client has the right to inspect the contents of the record

Question 6

Client Testimonials

Answer 6

Standard 5.05 states that “psychologists do not solicit testimonials from current therapy clients/patients or other persons who because of their particular circumstances are vulnerable to undue influence

Question 7

Client Welfare

Answer 7

Standard 3.04 addresses client welfare in a general way and states that psychologists “take reasonable steps” to avoid and minimize

Question 8

Clients receiving services from another professional

Answer 8

Standard 10.04 states that “in deciding whether to offer to provide services to those already receiving health services elsewhere, psychologists carefully consider the treatment issues and the potential client’s/patient’s welfare. Psychologists discuss these issues with the client/patient… and proceed with caution.”

Question 9

Collection agencies

Answer 9

Standard 6.04 states that “if the recipient of services does not pay for services as agreed, and if psychologists intent 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.”

Question 10

Competence

Answer 10

Standard 2.01 requires psychologists to “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.”

Question 11

Competence to stand trial

Answer 11

Laws related to competence to stand trial were derived from the standard set forth in Dusky v. United States (1960), which defines a defendant as incompetent if, as the result of mental defect or illness, the defendant lacks “sufficient present ability to consult with his lawyer with a reasonable degree of rational understanding, and a rational as well as a factual understandings of the proceedings against him.”

Question 12

Complaints and respondents

Answer 12

Standard 1.08 states that “psychologists do not deny persons employment, advancement, admissions to academic or other programs, tenure, or promotion, based solely upon their having made of their being the subject of an ethics complaint. This does not preclude taking action based upon the outcome of such proceedings or considering other appropriate information.”

Question 13

Confidentiality

Answer 13

Confidentiality refers to the obligation of psychologists to protect clients from unauthorized disclosure of information revealed in the context of the professional relationship. Confidentiality is an ethical principle and, in some situations, a legal requirement.

Question 14

Consultation

Answer 14

Standard 4.06 states that “when consulting with colleagues,

1) psychologists do not disclose confidential information that could lead to the identification of a client/patient, research participant, or other person or organization with whom they have a confidential relationship unless they have obtained the prior consent of the person or organization or the disclosure cannot be avoided and
2) they disclose information only to the extent necessary to achieve the purposes of the consultation

Question 15

Cost analysis

Answer 15

Cost analysis refers to techniques that are used to assess the costs of an intervention in order to facilitate decision-making about the intervention. Methods of cost analysis include cost-benefit, cost-effectiveness, cost-utility, feasibility, cost-minimization analysis, and cost-offset analysis

Question 16

Deception in research

Answer 16

Standard 8.07 states that deception is acceptable only when the following conditions are met:

a) The use of deception is justified by the study’s significant prospective scientific, educational, or applied value and effective nondeceptive alternative procedures are not feasible
b) Prospective participants are not deceived about conditions that can be “reasonably expected to cause physical pain or severe emotional distress”
c) Participants will be debriefed “preferably at the conclusion of their participation, but no later than at the conclusion of the data collection

Question 17

Education and Supervision

Answer 17

Standard 7.01 through 7.06 address education and supervision and require psychologists to act competently and responsibly when teaching, supervising, and designing education and training programs and to avoid misrepresenting themselves or their work when performing these functions

Question 18

Ethical Violations by Colleagues

Answer 18

Standard 1.04 encourages psychologists to handle ethical violations informally by discussing the matter with the offender when an informal resolution appears appropriate, while Standard 1.05 states that psychologists make a formal report to the Ethics Committee, state licensing board or other appropriate authority when the problem involves “substantial harm” and is not appropriate for an informal resolution or has not been resolved satisfactorily by an attempt at an informal resolution. These standards also require that before psychologists take any action, they must consider the issue of client confidentiality

Question 19

Fact vs. Expert Witness

Answer 19

A fact witness is a person “who testifies as to what he/she has seen, heard, or otherwise observed regarding a circumstance, event or occurrence as it actually took place… Fact witnesses are generally not allowed to offer an opinion, address issues that they do not have personal knowledge of or respond to hypothetical situations”

Expert witness is a person “who by reason of education or specialized experience possesses superior knowledge respecting a subject about which persons having no particular training are incapable of forming an accurate opinion or deducing correct conclusions. A person who has been qualified as an expert witness by the court is allowed to offer opinions and provide testimony based on hypothetical scenarios.

Question 20

General Guidelines for Providers of Psychological Services

Answer 20

The General Guidelines were adopted “as a means of self-regulation in the public interest,” and its provisions are general and aspirational. It delineates basic guiding principles for all providers of psychological services (Except for those who teach psychology, conduct research, or write and edit scientific manuscripts), and its goal is to “improve the quality, effectiveness, and accessibility of psychological services.”

Question 21

Guidelines for Child Custody Evaluations in Family Law Proceedings

Answer 21

The goal of the Guidelines for Child Custody Evaluations is to “promote proficiency” in the conduct of child custody evaluations, and it provides aspirational guidelines that are intended to facilitate the continued systematic development of the profession and help facilitate a high level of practice by psychologists.” It states that determining the “psychological best interests” of the child is the primary purpose of a child custody evaluation and that the child’s welfare is always of paramount importance

Question 22

Guidelines for Providers of Psychological Services to Ethnic, Linguistic, and Culturally Diverse Populations

Answer 22

The Guidelines for Providers of Psychological Services to Ethnic, Linguistic, and Culturally Diverse Populations presents aspirational principles and guidelines for psychologists working with members of ethnic, linguistic, and culturally diverse populations. It emphasizes the importance of competence and presents recommendations for incorporating cultural issues and knowledge into practice

Question 23

In-person solicitation

Answer 23

Standard 5.06 states that “psychologists do not engage, directly or through agents, in uninvited in-person solicitation of business from actual or potential therapy clients/patients or other persons who because of their particular circumstances are vulnerable to undue influence.” It also identifies two exceptions to this prohibition:

• making collateral contacts for the purpose of benefiting an already engaged therapy client/patient
• providing disaster or community outreach services

Question 24

Informed Consent and Assent

Answer 24

Standard 3.10 states that “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. It also states that “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’s preferences and best interests
4) obtain appropriate permission from a legally authorized person

Question 25

Informed Consent for Research

Answer 25

Standard 8.02 states
When obtaining informed consent, psychologists inform patients about
1) the purpose of the research, expected duration, and procedures
2) their right to decline to participate and to withdraw from the research once participation has begun
3) the foreseeable consequences of declining or withdrawing
4) reasonably foreseeable factors that may be expected to influence their willingness to participate such as potential risks, discomfort, and adverse effects
5) any prospective research benefits
6) limits of confidentiality
7) incentives for participation
8) whom to contact for questions about the research and research participants’ rights

Question 26

Informed Consent for Therapy

Answer 26

Standard 10.01 states
When obtaining informed consent to therapy… 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 and provide sufficient opportunity for the client/patient to ask questions and receive answers

Question 27

Insanity

Answer 27

Insanity is a legal concept and most definitions reflect the rule set forth by the American Law Institute, which states that a person is not guilty by reason of insanity when, because of a mental disease or defect, “that person lacks substantial capacity to appreciate the wrongfulness of the act or lacks substantial capacity to behave according to the requirements of the law”

Question 28

Interruption and Termination of Therapy

Answer 28

Standard 10.10 requires psychologists to “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” and, when doing so, to “provide pretermination counseling and suggest alternative service providers as appropriate.” An exception to this general rule states that pretermination counseling or referral is not necessary when a psychologist is terminating therapy with a client because the client or a person the client has a relationship with poses a threat to the psychologist

Question 29

Malpractice

Answer 29

For a client or other person to bring a claim of malpractice against a psychologist, four conditions must be met:

1) The psychologist must have had a professional relationship with the person that established a legal duty of care
2) There must be a demonstrable standard of care that the psychologist has breached
3) The person suffered harm or injury
4) The psychologist’s breach of duty within the context of the standard of care was the proximate cause of the person’s harm or injury

Question 30

Multiple Relationships

Answer 30

Standard 3.05 states that a psychologist refrains from entering into a multiple relationship if it could reasonable 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

Question 31

Obsolete Tests

Answer 31

Standard 9.08 states that psychologists “do not base their assessment or intervention decisions or recommendations on data or test results that are outdated for the current purpose… and do not base such decisions or recommendations on tests and measure that are obsolete and not useful for the current purpose

Question 32

Personal Problems

Answer 32

Standard 2.06 states

a) Psychologists refrain from initiating an activity when they know or should know that there is a substantial likelihood that their personal problems will prevent them from performing their work-related activities in a competent manner and
b) When psychologists become aware of personal problems that may interfere with their performing work-related duties adequately, they take appropriate measures, such as obtaining professional consultation or assistance, and determine whether they should limit, suspend, or terminate their work-related duties

Question 33

Privilege and Holder of the Privilege

Answer 33

Privilege is a legal concept that protects a client’s confidentiality in the context of legal proceedings. Most jurisdictions have laws that establish privilege for communications between licensed mental health practitioners and their clients. The client is ordinarily “the holder of the privilege” but a psychologist can claim the privilege on behalf of a client, and there are legally defined exceptions to privilege

Question 34

Pro Bono Services

Answer 34

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 not compensation or personal advantage.” Because pro bono services are addressed in the Ethics Code’s aspirational General Principles rather than in its mandatory Ethical Standards, this means that pro bono services are recommended by the Code but are not required

Question 35

Publication Credit

Answer 35

Standard 8.12 states:

a) Psychologists take responsibility and credit, including authorship credit, only for work they have actually performed or to which they have substantially contributed… and
b) Principle authorship and other publication credits accurately reflect the relative scientific or professional contributions of the individuals involved, regardless of their relative status

Question 36

Referral Fees

Answer 36

Standard 6.07 states “When psychologists pay, receive payment from, or divide fees with another professional, other than in an employer-employee relationship, the payment to each is based on the services provided (clinical, consultative, administrative, or other) and is not based on the referral itself”

Question 37

Responding to a Subpoena

Answer 37

1) The first step is to determine if the subpoena is a legally valid demand
2) If the subpoena is valid, a formal response is required, but the psychologist should first contact the client to discuss the implications of providing the requested information
3) If the client consents to disclosure and there is no valid reason for witholding the information, the psychologist should provide the requested information. If the client does not consent, the psychologist or his/her attorney can attempt to negotiate with the party who issued the subpoena
4) If the client does not consent and the requesting party continues to demand that the information be provided, the psychologist can seek guidance from the court informally through a letter or have his/her attorney file a motion to quash the subpoena or a motion for a protective order

Question 38

Sexual Harassment

Answer 38

Standard 3.02 prohibits psychologists from engaging in sexual harassment, which it defines as “sexual solicitation, physical advances, or verbal or nonverbal conduct that is sexual in nature, that occurs in connection with the psychologist’s activities or roles as a psychologist, and that either

1) is unwelcome, is offensive, or creates a hostile workplace or educational environment, and the psychologist knows or is told this or
2) is sufficiently severe or intense to be abusive to a reasonable person in the context

Question 39

Sexual intimacies with clients and former clients

Answer 39

Standard 10.05 explicitly prohibits psychologists from having sexual relationships with current clients, while Standard 10.08 forbids a psychologist from having a sexual relationship with a former client for at least two years after cessation of therapy. The latter Standard also states that, even after the two-year limit has passed, a relationship may be acceptable only in the “most unusual circumstances.” Standard 10.07 prohibits psychologists from providing therapy to people with whom they have had sexual relationships in the past

Question 40

Sexual misconduct by psychotherapists

Answer 40

Research on sexual misconduct has found that male therapists engage in sexual and other dual relationships with clients much more often than female therapists. The data also show that male therapists who engage in sexual misconduct are usually older than the female clients they become involved with, with the average therapist being between 42-44 and the client being between 30 and 33. No consistent relationship has been found between risk for sexual misconduct and theoretical orientation, professional experience, or education

Question 41

Sexual relations with students and supervisees

Answer 41

Standard 7.07 states that “psychologists do not engage in sexual relationships with students or supervisees who are in their department, agency, or training center or over whom psychologists have or are likely to have evaluative authority

Question 42

Sliding fee scale

Answer 42

A sliding fee scale is not explicitly addressed by the Ethics Code but is generally considered acceptable as long as the scale is fair and serves the best interests of the client

Question 43

Specialty guidelines for forensic psychology

Answer 43

The goals of the Specialty Guidelines for Forensic Psychology “are to improve the quality of forensic psychological services; enhance the practiece and facilitate the systematic development of forensic psychology; encourage a high level of quality in professional practice; and encourage forensic practitioners to acknowledge and respect the rights of those they serve. It provides guidelines on several issues encountered by practitioners of “forensic psychology”which it defines as “professional practice by any psychologist working within any sub-discipline of psychology when applying the scientific, technical, or specialized knowledge of psychology to the law to assist in addressing legal, contractual, and administrative matters.”

Question 44

Tarasoff Decision

Answer 44

The original Tarasoff decision established a “duty to warn” an intended victim of a therapy client; however, in a rehearing of the case, this was charged to a “duty to protect” an intended victim by warning him/her, notifying the police, or taking other steps. In most jurisdictions, the duty to warn/protect applies only when a client poses a clear and imminent danger to an identifiable victim or victims (although, in some jurisdictions, the duty has been expanded to include an identifiable “class of victims”

Question 45

Test Data and Test Materials

Answer 45

Standard 9.04 defines test data as “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. It also states that “pursuant to a client/patient release, psychologists provide test data to the client/patient or other persons identified in the release. Standard 9.11 requires psychologists to make reasonable efforts to protect the integrity and security of test materials, which include manuals, instruments, protocols, and test questions or stimuli

Question 46

Test Scoring and Interpretation Services

Answer 46

Standard 9.09 states

a) Psychologists who offer assessment or scoring services to other professionals accurately describe the purpose, norms, validity, reliability, and applications of the procedures and any special qualifications applicable to their use and
c) psychologists retain responsibility for the appropriate application, interpretation, and use of assessment instruments, whether they score and interpret such tests themselves or use automated or other services

Question 47

Vicarious Liability

Answer 47

Under certain circumstances, supervisors and employers may be legally responsible for the actions of their supervisees and employees. This is referred to as vicarious liability (respondeat superior)