test 2.3

Question 1

What 8 step problem solving model for dealing with an ethical dilemma?

Answer 1

1. Describe the parameter of the situation
2. Define the potential ethical-legal issues involved
3. Consult ethical and legal guidelines and district policies that might apply to the resolution of each issue
4. Evaluate the rights, responsibilities, and welfare of all affected parties (e.g. pupil, teachers, classmates other school staff, parents, siblings)
5. Generate a list of alternative decisions possible for each issue
6. Enumerate the consequences of making each decision. Evaluate the short-term, ongoing, and long-term consequences of each decision, considering the possible psychological, social and economic costs to affected parties.
7. Consider any evidence that the various consequence or benefits resulting from each decision will actually occur (a risk analysis)
8. Make the decision. Consistent with codes of ethics (APA, NASP), the school psychologist accepts responsibility for the decision made and monitors the consequences of the course of action chosen.

Question 2

Define confidentiality:

Answer 2

Confidentiality is an explicit promise or contract to reveal nothing about an individual except under conditions agreed to by the source or subject.

Question 3

What are the 3 guidelines for confidentiality in school-based practice?

Answer 3

When it comes to confidentiality of assessment, counseling, and consultation, school psychologists should follow 3 guidelines:

1. School psychologists define the parameters of confidentiality.
2. if info is shared with third parties, it is only on a need-to-know basis.
3. medical or other sensitive personal info belongs to the student and family, not the school.

Question 4

What are the limits to confidentiality?

Answer 4

Limits to confidentiality occur when the client requests info to be shared, he or she may be in danger, or there is a legal obligation
Limitations to confidentiality are:
**duty to protect: Psychologists disclose confidential information without the consent of the individual only as mandated by law, or where permitted by law for a valid purpose, such as to . . . protect the client/patient, psychologist, or others from harm
***duty to warn: psychologists must make reasonable efforts to warn potential victims of violent clients, and in some states, appropriate law enforcement agencies must be notified as well

Question 5

Why is confidentiality important to discuss with students and parents?

Answer 5

When working directly with students, the school psychologist must explain confidentiality and its limits to the student and parents. The promise of confidentiality to the child can be essential to an effective helping relationship and parents must understand and agree that the SP will not share with the parents specific confidences disclosed by the child without the child’s assent. Parents need to be reassured that the practitioner will inform them immediately if there is a serious situation such as one suggesting that their child is in danger.

Question 6

What are the steps for addressing unethical behavior of a colleague?

Answer 6

1. Use the problem solving model
2. If the problem can’t be solved informally through a collegial problem-solving process, take further action like discussing the situation with a supervisor, referral to a professional ethics committee, or referral to the state certification or licensing board

Question 7

Discuss the Legal and ethical obligations with assessment and interpretation of findings

Answer 7

1. There are ethical-legal concerns associated with assessment planning, selection of technically adequate tests and evaluation procedures, data collection, interpretation and report writing and sharing. Codes of ethics, professional testing standards and law provide guidelines for psychological assessment in schools. A very pertinent ethical obligation in this process is to Respect the right of persons to participate in decisions affecting their own welfare. This involves parental involvement and consent.
2. Practitioners are ethically obligated to seek informed consent to establish a psychologist-client relationship for the purpose of conducting psychological evaluation of students, and consent oral or written should be appropriately documented.
3. School psychologists also have the ethical responsibility to be honest in their interpretation of findings. they must not falsify data or be dishonest. School psychologists are obligated to adequately interpret findings and present results in clear, understandable terms so that the receipt can make informed choices. In cases where classifications are used practitioners also are obligated to ensure that when classification labels are assigned they are based on valid assessment procedures and sound professional judgement.

Question 8

What are the 5 broad ethical-legal concerns??

Answer 8

To ensure that psycho-educational evaluation are:

1. Multifaceted- gather from multiple measures and multiple informants
2. Comprehensive- in all areas related to the suspected disability, including if appropriate, health, vision, hearing, social and emotional status, general intelligence, academic performance etc.
3. Fair-they actively pursue knowledge of the student’s disabilities and developmental, culture, linguistic and experiential background and then select administrator and interpret assessments in light of those characteristics.
4. Valid-School psychologist use assessment techniques and practices that the profession consider to be responsible, research-based practice.
5. Useful-Assessment is use for the purpose of improving the quality of life for the child.