Ethics

Question 1

1. The primary value underlying the existence of Ethical Principles is:
   a. confidentiality of therapist-client communication.
   b. the continued prosperity of the field of psychology.
   c. the advancement of the welfare of society as a whole.
   d. the advancement and protection of the welfare of the patients and clients
   of psychologists.

Answer 1

1. D.
   As stated in the preamble of the APA Ethics Code “it has as its goals the
   welfare and protection of the individuals and groups with whom
   psychologists work, and the education of members, students, and the public
   regarding ethical standards of the discipline”.

Question 2

2. Pro bono work is:
   a. required by the Ethical Principles.
   b. encouraged by the Ethical Principles.
   c. discouraged by the Ethical Principles.
   d. prohibited by the Ethical Principles.

Answer 2

2. B
   General principle B (Fidelity and Responsibility) states: “Psychologists
   strive to contribute a portion of their professional time for little or no
   compensation or personal advantage.”

Question 3

3. A psychologist who works as a university professor has not updated his
   lectures in 10 years. A colleague files a complaint with an ethics committee
   against this psychologist. What is the General Ethical Principle underlying
   this case?
   a. Competence
   b. Fidelity and Responsibility
   c. Integrity
   d. Beneficence and Non-maleficence

Answer 3

3. B.
   General Principle B, Fidelity and Responsibility, states: “Psychologists are
   aware of their professional and scientific responsibilities, and…consult with,
   refer to, or cooperate with other professionals and institutions to serve the
   best interest of those with whom they work.”

Question 4

4. In regards to the personal conduct of a psychologist, the APA’s Code of
   Conduct:
   a. states that it can never serve as grounds for a complaint of unethical
   behavior.
   b. states that it does not ordinarily fall within the scope of the Principles, but
   implies that, under certain circumstances, it can be grounds for a complaint
   of unethical behavior.
   c. states that it is within the purview of the Ethical Principles.
   d. does not address the issue.

Answer 4

4. B
   The introduction states: “These activities shall be distinguished from the
   purely private conduct of psychologists, which is not within the purview of
   the Ethics Code.”

Question 5

5. A psychologist is dating a graduate student in his class. The student is
   older than others in the class (she is approximately the same age as the
   psychologist). She has returned to school after 15 years. The psychologist’s
   behavior is:
   a. unethical only if he is engaging in a sexual relationship with the student.
   b. unethical regardless of whether he is engaging in a sexual relationship
   with the student.
   c. ethical because their appears to be little potential for harm.
   d. ethical as long as it does not violate any university regulations.

Answer 5

5. B
   The psychologist is engaging in a dual relationship with clear potential for
   harm or exploitation.

Question 6

6. You routinely waive the co-payment of your less wealthy clients who are
   covered by insurance, since you offer patients who are not covered an
   adjustable fee based on a sliding scale. This is:
   a. legal and ethical
   b. illegal but ethical
   c. legal but unethical
   d. unethical and illegal

Answer 6

6. D.
   Accepting payments from insurance companies legally binds you to the
   service contract. You cannot deceive insurance companies about any aspect
   of your financial arrangements with patients. Waiving or reducing
   co-payment would be legal and ethical ONLY IF the insurance company
   knew that you were doing so and consented to this arrangement.

Question 7

7. You are seeing a client who is in therapy as a condition of probation. The
   client says he wants to terminate therapy. You should:
   a. tell the client he must stay in therapy.
   b. tell the client he can leave if he wishes, but explain the legal ramifications
   of doing so.
   c. terminate therapy immediately.
   d. call the client’s probation officer immediately or as soon as possible.

Answer 7

7. B
   When providing services at the request of third parties, psychologists must
   clarify the use of the service they provide and the information they obtain.

Question 8

8. When is it acceptable to use a collection agency to collect fees from a
   client?
   a. never
   b. when the client owes you a considerable amount of money, and you are
   unsuccessful in your attempts to reach him.
   c. when the client has been given an opportunity to pay, and has been
   informed of the practice in advance.
   d. anytime a client owes you money.

Answer 8

8. C
   6.04e states psychologists inform the recipient of services that he intends to
   use a collection agency or legal measures to collect payment and provides
   and opportunity to make prompt payment.

Question 9

9. You want to work with clients from an ethnic group you have not worked
   with before. Your best option would be to:
   a. refer such clients to another therapist.
   b. read books about the ethnic group while you are working with the clients.
   c. seek supervision and/or consultation before taking on such clients and
   continue supervision/consultation while working with them.
   d. see the clients, since we are all human beings why can’t we just get along?

Answer 9

9. C
   2.01c states psychologists planning to provide services in new areas of
   competence “undertake relevant education, training, supervised experience,
   consultation, or study”.

Question 10

10. You are an army psychologist. A General requests information from you
    regarding a Colonel you have evaluated. As an ethical psychologist you
    should:
    a. get a signed release from your client before you provide the General any
    information.
    b. give him the information he requests since you are working for the army.
    c. refuse to release information because your client has a right to
    confidentiality.
    d. get a new job. Ethical psychologists do not participate in transforming
    human beings into killing machines.

Answer 10

10. A
    Tell the General that you do not disclose information regarding recipients of
    your services without first obtaining their consent.

Question 11

11. You are working for a large corporation as an industrial psychologist.
    You observe more than one incident of sexual harassment. Which of the
    following is your best course of action in this situation?
    a. You should observe the incidents, and prepare yourself to discuss them if
    questioned later.
    b. You should observe the situation, and to the extent possible take action to
    intervene.
    c. You shouldn’t do anything unless the perps are fellow psychologists and
    APA members.
    d. You should file a report with the APA Ethics Committee.

Answer 11

11. B
    Psychologist take reasonable steps to avoid harming those they work with
    and to minimize harm when it is foreseeable and unavoidable

Question 12

12. Which of the following best describes the Ethical Standards’ position on
    barter with clients/patients?
    a. barter for goods is permitted, barter for services is not
    b. barter is ethical under all circumstances
    c. barter is unethical under all circumstances
    d. barter is permissible if it is not clinically contraindicated and if it is not
    exploitative.

Answer 12

12. D
    6.05 “Psychologists may barter only if 1) it is not clinically contraindicated,
    and 2) the resulting arrangement is not exploitative.

Question 13

13. Which of the following statements is true regarding computerized
    interpretations of tests such as the MMPI-2?
    a. Computerized interpretive reports are legitimate and valuable, and they
    tend to be good substitutes for a clinician’s own impressions.
    b. Computerized interpretive reports are legitimate and valuable when
    accompanied by a personal evaluation.
    c. Computerized interpretive reports are permitted by the Ethical Standards,
    even though they are notoriously unreliable.
    d. The use of computerized interpretive reports is unethical

Answer 13

13. B
    9.06 When interpreting assessment results, including automated
    interpretations, psychologists take into account the various factors that may
    influence the results and indicate any significant limitations.

Question 14

14. You are the only psychologist working in a medical clinic and you are
    about to leave to take another job. You are concerned that some of the files
    contain data that is outdated. You would be best advised to:
    a. remove obsolete data from the files
    b. take your files with you
    c. ensure that the files are kept in a locked cabinet
    d. give your files to the director

Answer 14

14. A
    9.04 a) “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.”

Question 15

15. You are hired by an organization to assess the intelligence of a group of
    new employees. You train an assistant with a BA in sociology but a minor in
    psychology to administer the WAIS-III and write the interpretive report.
    Which of the following is true of this situation?
    a. You have acted ethically because the supervisee is receiving adequate
    supervision.
    b. Not enough information is provided to determine if you have acted
    ethically; you need to consult the test manual to determine if the assistant is
    qualified to write the report.
    c. it is unethical only if the psychologist signs the report.
    d. it is unethical because the assistant should not be writing the interpretive
    report.

Answer 15

15. D
    Clearly a person with a BA is not qualified to interpret the results of the
    WAIS-III.

Question 16

16. You administer multiple personality and intelligence tests to a client.
    The client later asks to see the results. You should:
    a. provide the client with the raw test data, since he has a legal right of
    access to it.
    b. provide the client with an oral and written summary of the results in clear,
    understandable language.
    c. evaluate the client’s intellectual ability, and provide the results if you feel
    he is capable of understanding them.
    d. tell the client that you cannot provide him with the information he
    requested.

Answer 16

16. B
    9.04 a) Pursuant to the signed release, the psychologist may release test data
    to the client/patient or other persons identified in the release. The
    psychologist may also refrain from releasing actual data to protect a
    client/patient from misuse of that information.

Question 17

17. The use of personality tests such as the MMPI-2 in the selection of
employees is:
a. clearly unethical
b. likely to be unethical
c. likely to be ethical
d. clearly ethical

Answer 17

17. A
    The Ethics Code prohibits misuse of assessment instruments. The MMPI
    although a personality test, is normed on an inpatient clinical population and
    thus would not be an appropriate choice.

Question 18

18. A psychologist publishes the following ad in the local newspaper:
    YOUR PROBLEM WILL BE SOLVED
    I.M. Goode, Ph.D.
    Graduate, Very Impressive U.
    Licensed Psychologist, #111222
    Specializing in Co-dependency
    RESULTS GUARANTEED
    The ad is:
    a. ethical
    b. unethical because the last line is misleading
    c. unethical because the first and last lines are misleading.
    d. unethical because the first and last lines are misleading, and
    codependency is not a recognized DSM-IV diagnosis

Answer 18

18. C
    There are no guarantees in life, and making absolute statements about
    people’s problems is misleading and may be establish unrealistic
    expectations of positive results.

Question 19

19. The psychologist grants an interview to a reporter about a recent therapy
    breakthrough. The reporter mistakenly writes that the psychologist holds a
    Ph.D. and an Ed.D. The psychologist had provided the reporter with an
    accurate statement regarding his credentials and believes it is a relatively
    minor mistake. He does not take action to correct the error. In this case, the
    psychologist has:
    a. acted ethically since the reporter is responsible for the mistake.
    b. acted ethically since the error is unlikely to cause harm.
    c. acted unethically since the psychologist should not have discussed a
    therapy technique with a reporter.
    d. acted unethically since the psychologist should have attempted to correct
    the error.

Answer 19

19. D

The psychologist must make an effort to correct the error.

Question 20

20. Which of the following is true regarding the use of testimonials in
    advertisements or other public statements?
    a. use is unethical under all circumstances.
    b. use is ethical under all circumstances
    c. use is unethical whenever testimonies are solicited
    d. use is unethical whenever they are solicited from persons vulnerable to
    undue influence

Answer 20

20. D
    5.05 Testimonials: Psychologists due not solicit testimonials from current
    client/patients or others who are vulnerable to undue influence.

Question 21

21. You receive a call from a client who tells you that she is receiving
    therapy from someone else, but she now wants to see you. You should:
    a. call the therapist to discuss the situation.
    b. not see the client until she has terminated her relationship with the other
    therapist.
    c. make an appointment to discuss the situation further.
    d. ask the client why she doesn’t want to see the other therapist, and if she
    has a good reason, set up a series of appointments.

Answer 21

21. C
    10.04 Psychologists carefully consider the treatment issues and the clients
    welfare and attempt to minimize the risk of confusion and conflict

Question 22

22. After three sessions, a man you are treating in conjoint marital therapy
    says he wants to see you in individual treatment. You should:
    a. refer him to another therapist.
    b. tell him to wait until marital therapy is over.
    c. set up an appointment.
    d. offer a therapeutic interpretation of his request.

Answer 22

22. A
    10.02 makes clear that in conjoint therapy situations, psychologists should
    avoid performing potentially conflicting roles. A referral would be your
    most ethical course of action.

Question 23

23. A client in therapy at a community agency is being seen by a
    newly-licensed therapist. The therapist consults a supervisor on a regular
    basis about the case. The client knows that the therapist has just received her
    license but does not know that the case is being supervised. A year later,
    when the therapist leaves the case, the client is referred to the supervisor.
    The client perceives that her new therapist has exceptional insight into her
    situation and asks him how he got to be such a great therapist. The therapist
    replies that he has been supervising the case for a year. The client becomes
    upset and files a complaint with an ethics committee. Which of the
    following best describes the issues in this case?
    a. No ethical violation has occurred, since the client apparently benefitted
    from the supervision.
    b. An ethical violation has not occurred unless either the intern or the
    supervisor revealed confidential information about the client to others.
    c. An ethical violation has occurred because the intern abandoned the client
    by referring the case to her supervisor.
    d. An ethical violation has occurred because the client was not informed that
    the therapist was supervised.

Answer 23

23. D
    Psychologists are ethically bound to discuss “appropriate issues” as early as
    possible in the therapeutic relationship.

Question 24

24. You have been seeing a client for six months. Over the course of the past
    month, he has repeatedly mentioned that he is very unhappy with your
    psychotherapy. You should:
    a. seek consultation.
    b. begin the process of termination and provide referrals to another therapist.
    c. encourage the client to schedule more frequent sessions.
    d. help the client work through his resistance.

Answer 24

24. B
    10.10 Psychologists terminate therapy when it becomes reasonably clear
    that the client no longer needs the services, is not likely to benefit, or is
    being harmed by continued service.

Question 25

25. A male psychologist provides an adult female client brief
    behaviorally-oriented therapy focused on anxiety reduction. After 4
    sessions, the woman feels she has made progress and wishes to terminate.
    The psychologist agrees, terminates the relationship, and tells the woman he
    will be available if she decides to re-enter therapy. Eighteen months later,
    the psychologist meets the woman at a party and strikes up a conversation.
    The psychologist asks the woman out on a date, they two months, and
    consumate their relationship sexually. In this situation, the psychologist has
    acted:
    a. clearly unethically because he engaged in a sexual relationship with a
    former client.
    b. clearly unethically because he abandoned the client by terminating
    therapy after 4 sessions.
    c. probably unethically, unless he could demonstrate that he did not exploit
    or otherwise take advantage of the client.
    d. ethically, since the therapeutic relationship is clearly over, no exploitation
    is involved, and he waited two months to consummate the relationship.

Answer 25

25. A
    10.08 a) Psychologists do not engage in sexual intimacies with a former
    client/patient for at least 2-years after cessation or termination of therapy.

Question 26

26. The term “privilege”
    a. is defined by law
    b. comes from both the law and the Ethical Standards
    c. means the same thing as the term confidentiality
    d. refers to the client’s right to dictate the course of therapy

Answer 26

26. A
    Privilege is a legal term that refers to a client’s right to prevent confidential
    information from being released in a legal proceeding.

Question 27

27. You are seeing a family and you notice bruises on the son’s body. The
    parents say that their child has been seen by a pediatrician but that they
    forgot to mention the bruises to him. When you ask the parents how the
    child got injured, the parents say that he “fell down the stairs”, but cannot
    provide any further details. The boy is silent and withdrawn and seems
    afraid of you. You should:
    a. conduct further investigation to determine if a child abuse report is
    necessary.
    b. tell the parents to have the pediatrician call you.
    c. refer the parents back to the pediatrician for treatment of the child’s
    bruises.
    d. file a child abuse report with the appropriate state agency.

Answer 27

27. D
    Psychologists are mandatory reporters and thus must report reasonable
    suspicions of child abuse they encounter in their professional capacity.

Question 28

28. Which of the following is true of confidentiality in a group therapy
    session?
    a. Group members are legally obligated to maintain confidentiality.
    b. Group members have no obligation to maintain confidentiality.
    c. Group members are on their own honor to maintain confidentiality.
    d. At the outset of therapy, group members must sign a legally binding
    contract to maintain confidentiality.

Answer 28

c. Group members have no legally enforceable obligation to maintain the
confidence of what they hear from other members in session. Group leaders
should stress the need to respect confidentiality from the outset of therapy.

Question 29

29. A client’s insurance company calls and asks you for some information
    about the client’s diagnosis and treatment. You should:
    a. refuse to give them information.
    b. give information only with the consent of the client.
    c. give information only after you verify the intent of the inquiry.
    d. give only information that is not damaging to the client.

Answer 29

29. B
    Although HIPAA may apply here, information about a client seen in therapy
    is confidential and can only be released with the client’s consent.

Question 30

30. A client tells you that he is planning to shoot his ex-girlfriend. You
    know that the client owns a gun and has a history of violent behavior. You
    should:
    a. attempt to get him to change his mind.
    b. warn the police and attempt to warn the ex-girlfriend.
    c. be sure to maintain the confidentiality of this disclosure.
    d. provide a therapeutic interpretation of his statement.

Answer 30

30. B
    The client clearly poses a clear and imminent danger to an identifiable
    victim. You have a valid reason to break confidentiality in this case, and
    warning the police as well as attempting to warn the victim would be the
    best way to meet the duty to protect.

Question 31

31. During a session, a client of yours that you know to be HIV positive,
    casually claims that he has been engaging in unprotected sex. You believe
    he is telling the truth. Is this sufficient grounds for you to break
    confidentiality and notify the authorities?
    a. Yes. You should always break confidentiality whenever an individual
    makes a claim like this.
    b. Yes, if you genuinely believe his statement is truthful.
    c. No, because there is no identified third party who is at risk.
    d. No, confidentiality is sacred and it must be protected regardless of the
    circumstance.

Answer 31

31. C
    In this case, you may not have sufficient grounds to break confidentiality.
    According to APA recommendations, disclosure should occur when 1) there
    is an identifiable third party who is at risk, 2) the third party is unaware that
    he/she is at risk, and 3) the client has refused or is not considered reliable to
    inform the third party.

Question 32

32. If you receive a subpoena to testify about one of your former clients, you
    should first:
    a. ignore the subpoena because the individual in question is a former client.
    b. try to work out a compromise with the requester of information.
    c. agree to provide any information requested in the subpoena.
    d. find out if the subpoena is legally valid.

Answer 32

32. D
    The APA recommends that a psychologist first determines the validity of the
    subpoena before taking action.

Question 33

33. Which of the following is true of deception in research?
    a. it can be used only if justified by the study’s prospective scientific value.
    b. it can be used in any study, as long as participants are debriefed
    afterward.
    c. it can be used if justified by the study’s prospective value, as long as
    subjects are debriefed within three years from the end of the study.
    d. it can be used in any study, as long as informed consent is obtained.

Answer 33

33. A
    Standard 8.07a states psychologists do not use deception in research unless
    such techniques are justified by the study’ significant prospective value and
    equally effective non-deceptive alternative procedures are not feasible.

Question 34

34. A graduate student complains to her supervisor that her research study is
    causing harm to subjects. The supervisor tells her not to worry about it.
    Later, one of the subjects is determined to have been emotionally harmed by
    the research procedures. Who is responsible for the apparent ethical
    violation?
    a. the graduate student
    b. the supervisor
    c. the graduate student and supervisor
    d. the host institution.

Answer 34

34. B
    Psychologists are responsible for the ethical conduct of research conducted
    by them or by others under their supervision.

Question 35

35. A student complains to the Ethics Committee about Dr. John Henry,
    who showed slides of male and female genitalia in his physiological
    psychology class and then announced that the final slide was a photo of his
    own penis. In response to the Committee’s inquiry, Dr. Henry claims that he
    included the slide in order to shock the students into paying better attention
    in class. In this case, the instructor has acted:
    a. ethically and professionally correct. Even though his methods are
    unorthodox, a professor has the right to choose his or her own method of
    teaching.
    b. ethically, but not politically correct. Though the psychologists actions are
    likely to offend some on campus, his actions are not barred by the Ethical
    Standards.
    c. unethically - the teacher has unnecessarily risked offending his students.
    d. unethically - the teacher should have shown the slide to a consultant
    before using it in his class.

Answer 35

35. C
    Psychologists must make reasonable efforts to avoid engaging in conduct
    that is personally demeaning to their students.

Question 36

36. Informed consent to research is:
    a. always necessary
    b. necessary, unless dispensing with it clearly poses no harm or is
    scientifically justifiable.
    c. unnecessary, except in research which poses a clear risk of serious harm
    to participants.
    d. never necessary.

Answer 36

36. B
    A psychologist should obtain informed consent from participants before
    conducting research. Some exceptions do exists, however, such as
    naturalistic observations or anonymous questionnaires.

Question 37

37. You are asked by the attorney of a divorced woman to evaluate her. The
    attorney explains that he would like your opinion regarding whether the
    woman is more competent as a parent than her ex-husband. As an ethical
    psychologist, you should:
    a. evaluate the client and make a report.
    b. evaluate the client and the children before filing your report.
    c. evaluate the client, children, and the client’s husband before filing a
    report.
    d. explain to the attorney that no evaluation is necessary. For the right fee,
    the mother could be as competent and the father as incompetent as the
    attorney would like.

Answer 37

37. c
    Psychologist must base their assessment and conclusion on sufficient
    information. Determining the most competent parent involves obtaining
    information on both adults and their interactions with their children. Even
    then, the conclusions should be qualified with limitations.

Question 38

38. The term “insanity”
    a. is a legal term that refers to an individual’s ability to distinguish right
    from wrong.
    b. is a legal term that refers to an individual’s competence to stand trial.
    c. is a psychiatric term that refers to psychosis.
    d. is a psychiatric term that refers to candidates for psychology licensure the
    day before the licensing exam.

Answer 38

38. A
    The term insanity is a purely legal term that refers to a defendant’s ability to
    distinguish between right and wrong.

Question 39

39. If you are asked by a court for your opinion about how dangerous a
    client is to others, you should:
    a. refuse to answer the question, and explain that it is impossible to predict
    future dangerousness.
    b. refuse to answer the question based on therapist-client privilege.
    c. qualify any opinions you offer by explaining that such a question is
    difficult to answer precisely.
    d. do your best to give the court a precise and completely accurate
    prediction.

Answer 39

39. C
    Psychologist should clarify the information upon which they are basing their
    assessment, disclose probable impacts of limited information, and
    appropriately limit the nature and extent of their conclusion or
    recommendation.

Question 40

40.In your capacity as a forensic psychologist, you are ordered by the court
to evaluate a celebrity who has been accused of assault and battery. Part of
your evaluation is used in the trial and becomes a matter of public record. At
the end of the trial, in which the defendant was found guilty, you write a
book which includes information about parts of the evaluation not
mentioned in court. Your actions are:
a. ethical and legal since the evaluation was court ordered.
b. ethical and legal since convicted criminals have no rights.
c. unethical but legal.
d. unethical and illegal. See you in court.

Answer 40

40. C
    The actions described are not illegal, since information disclosed in a
    court-ordered evaluation is not privileged. However, according to the
    Specialty Guidelines for Forensic-Psychologists, psychologists cannot
    publicly disclose information obtained from court-ordered evaluations
    unless it is a matter of public record or they have the consent of the
    evaluated client.

Question 41

41. You are contacted by the APA Ethics Committee in regard to a
    complaint filed against you by your client. The committee asks for your
    records related to the client’s therapy with you. You should:
    a. cooperate fully with the Committee’s request
    b. contact the client and obtain a release of information before cooperating.
    c. contact the client and attempt to settle the matter informally with him.
    d. call your travel agent and find out when the next plane to Tahiti is
    leaving.

Answer 41

41. A
    When you are contacted by an ethics committee in response to a complaint
    by a client, cooperate fully. Confidentiality is not an issue since the
    committee will not pursue a complaint if they don’t already have a waiver
    signed.

Question 42

42. You share an office with one other psychologist. One morning, you
    arrive early to the office and find your partner having sex with one of his
    current patients. You should:
    a. discuss the matter with him in private later.
    b. report him to the ethics committee.
    c. discuss the matter with the patient in private later, and explain to her that
    she has the option of taking action against your partner.
    d. discuss the matter with the patient, and attempt to get her to sign a release
    of information so you can pursue a complaint.

Answer 42

42. B
    Usually, one would attempt to resolve any known or suspected ethical
    violations informally with the other professional. In this case however, the
    violation is so severe that it is not amenable to informal resolution.
    Therefore, you must take further action by filing a report to an ethics
    committee. In filing the report, you should take steps to protect the client’s
    identifying information.

Question 43

43. A client you are currently seeing tells you he had sex with a previous
    therapist. You should:
    a. have the client sign a release of information, and report the psychologist
    to the appropriate ethics committee.
    b. with the client’s permission, contact the psychologist yourself.
    c. report the psychologist to an ethics committee, with or without the client’s
    permission.
    d. outline the rights and options of the client regarding legal action and
    ethical complaints.

Answer 43

43. D
    Contacting the therapist directly would violate confidentiality. Making the
    client sign a waiver would be coercion. The best answer is to provide
    information regarding options and allow him to decide the appropriate
    course of action.

Question 44

44.The General Guidelines for Providers of Psychological Services were
established to:
a. educate the public
b. protect the public interest
c. serve the welfare of individual clients.
d. advance the field of psychology.

Answer 44

44. B
    The primary purpose was to protect the public interest, however, the newly
    revised code acknowledges that educating the public is also and important
    purpose of the guidelines.

Question 45

45. A psychologist originally trained as an experimental psychologists wants
    to be a clinical psychologist. The psychologist must:
    a. meet his state’s requirements for licensure.
    b. begin working under the supervision of an experienced clinician.
    c. obtain appropriate coursework and experience.
    d. obtain a PhD in clinical psychology.

Answer 45

45. C
    2.01 Competence: “psychologists have or obtain training, experience,
    consultation, or supervision necessary to ensure the competence of their
    services or they make appropriate referrals”.

Question 46

46. The primary purpose of the Specialty Guidelines for the Delivery of
    Services is:
    a. educate the public and advance the profession.
    b. serve the welfare of individual clients.
    c. provide specific enforceable guidelines for handling ethical violations in
    special settings.
    d. provide guidelines for the ethical practice of teaching and scientific
    research.

Answer 46

46. A
    The purpose of the Specialty Guidelines is to “educate the public, the
    profession, and other interested parties regarding the specialty professional
    practices…[and] to facilitate the continued systematic development of the
    profession”.

Question 47

47. The primary purpose of the Standards for Educational and Psychological
    Testing is to:
    a. provide enforceable standards for handling ethical violations committed
    by unsavory test developers and users.
    b. educate test users so that tests are not misused.
    c. provide criteria for evaluating whether tests are properly used.
    d. protect the welfare of individual test takers.

Answer 47

47. C
    According to the APA, the purpose is to “provide criteria for the evaluation
    of tests, testing practices, and the effects of test use”.

Question 48

48. The Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing suggest that
    test scores should be presented in terms of:
    a. confidence intervals and percentile bands
    b. the mean score on the test
    c. the base rate and selection ratio
    d. expected criterion outcome

Answer 48

48. A
    Reports of test scores should include information about how accurate the
    test scores are, since obtained scores may not reflect the examinee’s “true”
    score. Confidence intervals are based on the standard error of measurement,
    and thus provide a range in which an examinees true score is likely to fall.

Question 49

49. The primary purpose of state licensing boards is to:
    a. provide recognition to qualified psychologists.
    b. protect the welfare of the public
    c. set up minimum standards of competence for psychologists.
    d. discipline psychologists that violate state laws

Answer 49

49. B
    State licensing boards are designed to protect the public. As such, they
    establish minimum standards of competence for psychologists and discipline
    psychologists who fail to meet these standards

Question 50

50. A psychologist at a party is told by another guest at the party that her
    husband is an alcoholic. The woman fears that her husband is going to hurt
    himself, and she doesn’t know what to do. The psychologist gives the
    woman a referral to a colleague of his, an outpatient psychologist whose
    specialty is treating alcoholics. The woman’s husband sees the colleague for
    one session. Two days later, the husband is seriously injured in a car
    accident while driving under the influence. The woman then sues the
    psychologist from the party, claiming that he should have referred her to an
    inpatient treatment facility. Which of the following statements is true of this
    situation?
    a. The psychologist is clearly guilty of malpractice, because he should have
    provided a referral to an inpatient facility.
    b. The psychologist is clearly guilty of malpractice, because he should not
    have made a referral at a party.
    c. The psychologist may be guilty of malpractice, but this is a question that a
    jury must decide.
    d. The psychologist is not guilty of malpractice, since he did not have a
    professional relationship with the woman or her husband.

Answer 50

50. D
    A psychologist cannot be found guilty of malpractice if he/she does not have
    a professional relationship with the individual filing the lawsuit.

Question 51

51. Selling questions that appear on the licensing exam is:
    a. legal and ethical.
    b. legal but unethical.
    c. illegal but ethical.
    d. illegal and unethical

Answer 51

51. D
    Selling questions that appear on a licensing exam is both a violation of
    ethical standards and copyright laws.

Question 52

52. A student complains to the ethics board about the instructor in his
    psychology course. The student claims the instructor: did not adequately
    cover the material he should have, the tests administered did not adequately
    assess the students’ knowledge, and the instructor was demeaning and
    condescending to the students in the class. The student also submits two
    supporting letters from two other students in the course. The instructor, in
    response, submits his course outline, copies of the tests he used, and a
    written defense in which he explains that this particular group of students
    was not as knowledgeable about the material as previous classes he has
    taught. The best recommendation the ethics committee could provide would
    be that the instructor:
    a. re-analyze the student’s performance and change the grade in light of the
    teacher’s faulty instruction.
    b. re-examine his methods of teaching this particular course.
    c. not teach this course in the future.
    d. seek guidance from a more experienced faculty member in the
    department.

Answer 52

52. B
    This answer is the most judicious alternative. It is a low level intervention
    for an offense that while not grave is serious. It recognizes that there is a
    probability that the instructor may be acting unprofessionally, and it prompts
    him to re-evaluate his procedures.

Question 53

53. You are working at a high school and are asked by the principal to
    evaluate a student who is having conflicts with one of his teachers. After
    evaluating the student and speaking to the teacher, you conclude that the
    teacher, not the student, needs psychological attention. You should:
    a. tell the principal about the situation
    b. attempt to get the student moved to a different class
    c. talk to the teacher alone regarding your concerns
    d. have a conference with the student and the teacher

Answer 53

53. C
    Common sense and the ethical guidelines for professional conduct warrant
    you respectfully approach the teacher regarding your observations.

Question 54

54. A 17-year old student informs the ethics board that his college counselor
    violated confidentiality when she informed the student’s mother of a suicide
    attempt he recently made. The counselor contends that she was acting in the
    students best interest in light of his refusal to seek professional help and the
    fact that this particular state only allows parents to commit a minor for
    psychiatric care. In this case, the counselor:
    a. has acted in accord with the APA Ethics Code.
    b. violated client-therapist confidentiality and thus acted unethically.
    c. should have consulted with a colleague before informing the parents
    d. acted inappropriately but not unethically

Answer 54

54. A
    The standard of confidentiality is not absolute especially when there is threat
    of harm to the patient or someone else.

Question 55

55. A male homosexual comes to you, a clinical psychologist, for treatment.
    You feel uncomfortable around homosexuals, and you are reasonably sure
    that your feelings would interfere with the process of therapy. Your best
    ethical course of action would be:
    a. treat him anyway
    b. refer him to another therapist
    c. seek advice from a senior colleague
    d. report yourself to the Ethic Committee for being biased

Answer 55

55. B
    It is okay to refuse to take on a client whom you are convinced you couldn’t
    work with, provided you offer a referral to an appropriate professional.

Question 56

56. If a psychologist undertakes an experiment which might cause
    discomfort and some negative adverse effects to the subjects, but she feels
    the possible findings are worth the risk, she should:
    a. decide not to do the research
    b. run the research, but not tell subjects about the potential for discomfort
    since this may unnecessarily frighten them.
    c. seek approval from the appropriate institutional review board and inform
    subjects of all potential risks.
    d. redesign the experiment to eliminate the risk of discomfort to the
    participants.

Answer 56

56. C
    Appropriate approval by a review board must be obtained first, and then
    informed consent from each subject (after informing them of all potential
    risks and side effects) must be obtained.

Question 57

57. A white psychologist sees an African American client for an initial
    consultation. The client states that everybody he works with is a “racist” and
    “has it in for him”. He knows this because no one recognizes his
    accomplishments at work and he is unable to advance. On the basis of this
    information alone, the psychologist diagnoses the client as suffering from
    Paranoid Personality Disorder. Which of the following statements is most
    true about the psychologist’s behavior?
    a. The psychologist has acted ethically and is obviously a talented clinician.
    b. The psychologist’s clinical judgment is suspect, but no ethical violations
    have occurred.
    c. The psychologist has acted unethically by failing to consider that his
    diagnostic procedures may require some adjustment for this situation.
    d. The psychologist is a racist and has clearly acted unethically to keep a
    brother down.

Answer 57

57. C
    One cannot base a diagnosis on one statement alone. The psychologist has
    clearly misused a diagnostic label and has acted in a blatantly incompetent
    manner. More to the point, any psychologist who works with ethnic
    minorities is ethically bound to be aware of issues such as gender, ethnicity,
    religion, and national origin and the role these variables may have on the
    competence of their services.

Question 58

58. A university professor leaves out areas of research in the course he’s
    teaching because the research does not fit well with his orientation and does
    not support his own theory. This behavior is:
    a. clearly unethical
    b. possibly unethical
    c. not clearly unethical
    d. not enough information is provided to make a judgment

Answer 58

58. A
    The implication in this question is that the professor purposely ignores
    research that contradicts his own theory. However, a course on one specific
    area of the field does not necessarily have to review all the data on other
    specific areas. Behavior Therapy for example does NOT need to review data
    on Humanistic Therapy.

Question 59

59. You have been treating a young girl whom you suspect might have some
    organic brain problems. You inform the girl’s parents about your concerns
    and suggest they sent her to a neurologist for an evaluation. Six months
    later, the neurologist calls to request your therapy notes on the girl. You
    should:
    a. ask the neurologist to have the parents request the records.
    b. send the records as requested as a professional courtesy
    c. refuse to send the records as they are confidential and likely would not
    provide information pertinent to the neurologist’s evaluation anyway.
    d. call the girl and ask her if she would like the information released.

Answer 59

59. A
    When the patient is a minor, the parents hold the right of privilege - i.e., the
    parents have the right to control who accesses the therapy record. Suspected
    child abuse is a legally defined exception to this standard.

Question 60

60. The holder of privilege is usually the:
    a. therapist
    b. patient
    c. courts
    d. both the patient and the therapist

Answer 60

60. B
    For adult patients, the holder of privilege is the patient. That means the
    patient has the right to decide whether or not confidential information is
    released in legal proceedings. Exceptions include when the adult is legally
    incompetent or the court has appointed a psychologist to examine the
    patient.

Question 61

61. A psychologist routinely asks his clients to complete a personality
    inventory during his initial assessment. He generally does not review the
    results with the client unless they ask for the information. When he does
    review the results he presents the client with scale names and raw scores
    only with no explanation. This type of interpretation is:
    a. unethical
    b. questionable, but not unethical
    c. ethical
    d. there is not enough information to judge

Answer 61

61. A
    This behavior is clearly unethical for a variety of reasons. First,
    psychologists do not give personality inventories for no good reason.
    Second, if a test is administered the clinician should take reasonable steps to
    provide meaningful explanations of the results (he cannot just wait for them
    to ask). Third, providing scale names and raw scores is not presenting the
    information in a language the client can understand.

Question 62

62. A mother’s attorney asks you to evaluate the mother and her child. The
    child lives with the father, who is also the custodial parent. You should:
    a. refuse to see them under any circumstances
    b. determine if the father knows about and has consented to the evaluation.
    c. attempt to evaluate the entire family.
    d. evaluate the mother and child as requested.

Answer 62

62. B
    You should consider the child’s best interest, and proceed with the
    evaluation only with the consent of the custodial parent. Otherwise, you may
    unwittingly place the child in the middle of the conflict between the two
    parents

Question 63

63. Which of the following statements regarding grievances about the
    licensing exam is NOT true?
    a. If you file a grievance, the state board can tell you the mean and the
    standard deviation of the test.
    b. If you file a grievance, the state board can tell you your score and the
    passing score.
    c. If you file a grievance, the state board can give you feedback on your
    performance on specific questions.
    d. Grievances are filed through the state board rather than directly through
    the producers of the exam.

Answer 63

63. C
    Courts have ruled that candidates are not entitled to specific feedback about
    their performance on exam questions. Neither the state boards nor the
    AASPB provide such feedback.

Question 64

64. You wish to open a mental health clinic in a rural area that will be
    designed to serve Native Americans. From an ethical and practical
    standpoint, you would be well advised to:
    a. Include medicine men from the tribe to serve as consultants and
    mediators.
    b. Include only licensed psychologists who have expertise in operating a
    mental health clinic.
    c. Include people from the area.
    d. Consult the licensing board in the state to see if state law applies to the
    Native American population you will be serving

Answer 64

64. A
    Psychologists respect the rights of others to hold values and opinions
    different from their own. Native Americans may not utilize the clinic unless
    they know their traditional methods of healing are respected.