Ethics Flashcards
APA 2016 Ethics Code Standards 1&2
Who does it apply to
- activities that are professional, educational, or scientific roles as a psychologist
1&2 Code
APA can take action against
- complaints from community and professionals
- also, a conviction of felony, suspension or revoke of licensure from state psych board
- felony does NOT need to be related to the role/duties as a psychologist
1&2 Preamble
- welfare and protection of individuals and groups, other psychs, students and the Public regarding ethical standards
1&2
5 General Principles
- aspirational “to inspire” NOT enforceable
- Beneficence & Nonmaleficence
- Responsibility & Fidelity
- Intergrity
- Justice
- Respect for Peoples Rights & Dignity
1&2 Ethical Standards
- Enforceable/mandatory by both APA & State Boards
- 10 Categories
- Resolving Ethical Issues
- Competence
- Human Relations
- Privacy & Confidentiality
- Advertising & other public statements
- Record Keeping & fees
- Education & Training
- Research & Publication
- Assessment
- Therapy
Standard I
Resolving Ethical Issues
with whom do these issues address
- resolving issues with
- ethical
- legal
- organizations
Standard I
Conflict and How to address
- Conflict
- make position known
- take steps to resolve
- may not justify violating human rights
Standard I
when to follow legal authority
- Resonable efforts then permitted to follow legal authority when actions do not justify or defend human rights
Ethical Violation by a colleague
- bring violation to the attention of the psychologist
- if not resolved, report the violation to ethics committee or licencing board to take action if likeness of harm or unable to address informally
Request from Ethics Committees
- cooperate with investigation with APA although you have to consider confidentiality
Unfair Discrimination
- cannot discriminate based on eithics compliant although action can be taken after the preceedings/rulings are completed
Competence Standard 2
Boundaries of Competence
scope
gender
refer out
- must work w/n one’s education, scope of practice
- in conjunction w/understanding gender, race, culture or/and other characteristics is also something to consider
- if you do not have training must refer out
Services to new populations or techniques
- When Psychs are asked about things outside scope of practice or training
- must get new training and supervision
- if too great of a challenge must refer out
Telepsychology
delivery
training
consultation
- must be competent in the area to deliver telepsychology
- obtain the training needed to deliver the telepsychology
- get a consultation with a psychologist that is familiar w/telepsych area if needed
Evidence-Based Practice
- treatment is based on the lastest research combined with clinical expertise in context with patients characteristics, culture and preferences
Emergency Services
- allows psychs to work with patients on an emergency services bases
Delegating work to others
- no multiple relationships impede objectivity or effectiveness
- completely independent or while supervised
- psychologist ensures the person can provide the services completely
Use of interpreter
- do not use family member-conflict of interest
- obtain consent BEFORE assessment or to assist with therapy and explain why it is necessary
- the psychologist must have a business contract with interperter that addresses confidentiality
Vicarious Liability
- legally responsible
- has authority to control employee or supervise
- employee deviated from standard of care & caused recipient damage
- supervision must have been w/n scope of practice competence
Personal Problems
- refrain from taking clients that may impede your effectiveness-if you have an issue personally to treat must refer out
- take appropriate measures-if personal problem only affect professionally (-) seek consultation to determine if therapy should be suspended, limited or terminated
Discrimination
cannot discriminate
don’t have to accept& can refer out if believe it is
individual bias will impact diagnosis, values
or (-) affect competence
Sexual Harassment
- sexual solicitation physical, verbal or nonverbal
- unwelcome work or education place & psych knows or has been told
- sever or intense can be single or multiple occasions
- quid pro quo -something for something
Sexual Harassment
ambiguous situations
- no longer unclear when person is told not to do it anymore
- example off-color jokes are not okay once the person has been told that they have gone too far and continues to do it
Harm
- reasonable steps to avoid harm, minimize foreseeable effects
Multiple Relationships
definition and an example
- current or former clients or closely related
- when asked to do forensic and therapeutic services must refer out
Multiple relationship
3 factors to consider treated patient
- power differential between therapist and client
- duration of each relationship
- clarity of termination of each relationship
- ↑differential ↑longer duration between two ↑ likelihood 1 or both may resume in future
*
Potential Harmful Multiple relationship
- if occured psychologist must take reasonable steps to resolve
- best interest of the affected person and max compliance w/ethics code
- speak w/colleague to determine the best course of action
- speak with individual
Conflict of Interest
- cannot accept if it will impair judgement, effectiveness, exposure, harm or exploitation
- violation can include if psych recommendation proceeds they gain benefit from it (psych recommends client purchase a product because they get a kick back from purchase)
Third Party
- Identify role (therapist, diagnostician, or expert witness) & also discuss limits in confidentiality
Supervision Guidelines for Education
Who is the client
- the client ordinarily refers to a direct recipient of psychological health care service
- adult
- adolescent
- child
- couple
- family group
- organization
- community
Guidelines for Forensic Psychology
Client
- CLIENT
- attorney
- law firm
- court
- agency
- entity
- party
- or other people who has retained
- contractual relationship
Informed Consent
definition
- must obtain unless mandated by courts or governmental agency
- exception court order evaluations & research with deception
Informed consent
Legally incapable of giving consent
- provide explanation, assent, permission from legal government by the state
- minors w/cog maturity
- minors w/medical condition
- alcohol, substance or STD
- minors w/medical condition
- presumed consent-life threatening for a minors
- should be obtained w/ ongoing treatment
- ↑risk for suicide
Doctrine of implied consent
assumes if minors parent were present they would consent
Informed Consent
Court Ordered Services
- psych must inform person nature of service and limitations of confidentiality
Informed consent
Forensic court-ordered services
- must explain nature of exam but can proceed w/o consent
- if subject refuses psych can postpone, contact attorney, or notifiy retaining party
Informed Consent Documentation
must document:
written
or oral permission
or assent
Informed Consent
Teletherapy
- strive to obtain and document informed consent that will adhere concerns of teletherapy
- this includes
- emergency plan
- procedures of contact between sessions
- process of documenting and storing information
- potential technical failure
- procedure for coordinating care with other professionals
- conditions under which teletherapy must terminate and a referral made for in-person treatment
*
Informed consent
Interruption of services
- when forseeable , predetermination counseling, discuss w/client and find provide counseling and referrals
- due to death or illness must plan a professional will where Executor will contact clients and ensure severity of clients records
Privacy and Confidentiality
Limits of Confidentiality
- limits of confidentiality and foreseeable uses of information generated through their psychological activities
- and onset of relationship occurs may need to discuss as needed or with new circumstances
Limits of confidentiality
Couples and families
- discuss how family information will be shared
- will all information disclosed by an individual separately be shared or kept closed from other family members and partners
Limits of Confidentiality
Group Members
- cannot gaurantee confidentiality in groups nor are group members ethically bond
- ↓likelihood of disclosure by explaining the importance of maintaining the confidentiality and possible negative consequences
- discuss at
- initial screenings
- group sessions
- subsequent and final sessions
Limits of Confidentiality
Minors
- confidentiality with minors best to discuss with all parties at the same time
- devise a confidentiality agreement with minor and parent to know what will and will not be discussed
- inform parents that law enforcement, medical personnel and others will be informed if sexual or physical abuse is suspected
- also make known that parent/gaurdian will be contacted if client is engaging in potentially harmful behavior that may impact his/her safety
Limits of Confidentiality
Deceased Clients
- disclose only with permission from executor, estate admin
Limits of Confidentiality
Members of the Military
- DoD limited confidentiality-confidentiality can never be guaranteed in the military
- may need to keep conservative documentation
Limits of Confidentiality
Correctional Facilities
treatment driven vs security-driven
- range from essential confidentiality to no confidentiality
- treatment driven-therapeutic benefit (acting best4client)
- security driven-confidentiality respect but safety of others is more important
*
Correctional Facility
Level of threat-duty to protect
inside vs outside of jail
- level of threat includes
- inside jail could cause harm (office, inmate)
- breach confidence to warn (wardon)
- outside jail
- less likely to pose a threat due to the inability to carry out
- continue therapy to reduce violence of threat and behavior
- may need to breach if inmate is due to release soon or person to harm may be a possible visitor
- inside jail could cause harm (office, inmate)
Limits of Confidentiality
Employee Assistance Programs
person seen information is not shared with employers without authorization
Limits of Confidentiality
telepsychology
- telepsychology increases risk for confidentiality in both delivery of services and recordkeeping
Limits of Confidentiality
Disclosing Confidential Information
- appropriate authorization
- mandated by law legally required to breach for child abuse
- legally permitted to contact a collection agency for a fee
Limits of Confidentiality
Danger to self
- must take into consideration safety of client
- ↑ risk of suicide must take actions to protect safety (hospitalization)
Client is a danger to others
Tarasoff
- dut to protect only when clear and imminent threat of physical harm to an identifiable victim
- warn victims, notify police, take reasonable steps to hospitalize client