L5 Ethics in Research & Practice

5.1 APA Code of Ethics

“Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct”

- First ethics code published in 1953

- Most recent version updated in 2016

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General Principles

- “Aspirational”

- Values of Psychologists

Five general principles:

- Beneficence & Nonmaleficence: benefit those you work with; do not harm

- Fidelity & Responsibility: establish trust; aware of responsibilities

- Integrity: promote accuracy, honesty, and truthfulness

- Justice: everyone entitled to access and benefit from psychology

- Respect for People’s Rights & Dignity: respect the dignity and worth of all people and rights to privacy, confidentiality, and self-determination

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Ethical Standards

- Enforceable Rules of Conduct

- Cover a wide range of topics

1. Resolving Ethical Issues;

2. Competence

3. Human Relations;

4. Privacy and Confidentiality;

5. Advertising and Other?Public Statements;

6. Record Keeping and Fees;

7. Education and Training;

8. Research and Publication;

9. Assessment;

10. Therapy.

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5.2 Special Topics in Psychotherapy

5.2.1 Confidentiality & Privilege

- Confidentiality is an ethical obligation

- Obligation to protect information

- In general, nothing disclosed in therapy is revealed to third?party

- Privilege is a legal right granted to clients

- Protects clients from having therapists disclose info without their consent

- Privileged communication = Communication within a?relationship

(e.g., spouses, attorney-client, psychologistclient)

- Importance of confidentiality?(considered the most important)

Topic appears in General Principles

Topic appears in many specific Ethical Standards

- Need for trust within a clinical relationship

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Tarasoff Case & Duty to Warn

- Case involving two students at UC Berkeley

- One student disclosed intention to kill another student during a?therapy session at the University’s counseling center

- Psychologist contacted campus police who interviewed and?released the student

- Two months later he killed Tarasoff

- Tarasoff vs Regents of the University of CA (1974/1976)

- Court ruled that psychologist did not take adequate actions

- Duty to Warn?(psychologist not inform the student directly) - 1974

- Duty to Protect?(psychologist has the duty to protect, which could involve something rather than the direct warning) - 1976

“The protection privilege ends where the public peril begins.”

Duty to Warn/Protect - different in different states.

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5.2.2 Limits to Confidentiality

? Client is at risk of harming themself or others

? Known or suspected abuse or neglect?(of a child)

? Court-ordered evaluation of psychological condition

? Client raises the issue of their mental condition in a trial?and consents for the therapist to testify on their behalf

? Client claims malpractice against therapist

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5.2.3 Informed Consent for Psychotherapy

? Consent needed for research, assessment, and therapy

? For therapy, consent must include:

- Nature and anticipated course of therapy

- Fee arrangement

- Involvement of third parties

- Limits of confidentiality

- Opportunity for questions and answers

? Usually an ongoing process

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5.2.4 Multiple Relationships

Being in both professional and?nonprofessional relationships?with a client

- Being in a relationship with?someone closely associated with a?client

- Promising a future relationship with?a client or someone close to the?client

Multiple Relationships in Psychotherapy

Sexual Multiple Relationships?- Never acceptable to have a sexual relationship with a current?client or associate of a current client

Nonsexual Multiple Relationships?May be ethical unless:

- Interfere with psychologist’s?objectivity or competence

- Have the potential for?exploitation/harm to the client

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5.2.5 Competence

Psychologists must be capable, skilled, and experienced?to complete their tasks

- Must operate within “boundaries of their competence”

- Work within areas of expertise

- Having a doctoral degree/license ≠ Competence

Continuing education?required

- Efforts to maintain?competence

- Part of renewing license?in many states

Importance of preventing and?minimizing these problems:

Psychologists need to recognize that their personal?problems may lessen their competence

Burnout?- State of exhaustion?/ Engaging in excessively?demanding and stressful work

5.3 Ethics in Clinical Assessment

- Informed Consent for Assessment

Must include information on:

- Nature and purpose of the assessment

- Fee arrangement

- Involvement of third parties

- Limits to confidentiality

- Opportunity for questions and answers

- Test

Test Selection

- Should be appropriate to the assessment goal

- Should be appropriate for the population being tested

Factors influencing selection include:

- Psychologist competence

- Client culture, language, and age

- Reliability and validity

- Up-to-date forms

Test Security

- Ethical obligation to protect security?of test materials

- Violation could invalidate future?assessments

Test Data

- Raw scores on an assessment

- Should release test data unless reason?to believe that it will be misused or?harm the client

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5.4 Ethics in Clinical Research

Informed Consent for Research

Must inform participants about:

- Purpose of the study

- Study procedures

- Length of the study

- Any predictable risks

- Any anticipated benefits

- Compensation

- Right to decline to participate?and/or withdraw

- Limits to confidentiality

- Who to contact about questions about the study or their?rights as a research participant

Additional information for treatment studies:

- Experimental nature of the treatment

- Use of “no treatment” or control groups

- Alternatives

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Institutional Review Boards?(IRB)

Required for all institutions with federal funding

Include scientists and members of the community

Must review all research involving human subjects

Risk-Benefit Ratio

Academic Integrity

Scientific Misconduct: Fabrication; Falsification; Plagiarism

Credit: Authorship; Contributions to work

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5.5 Ethical Decision Making

- Model for making decisions with ethical issues arise?(Celia B. Fisher)

- Make a commitment to doing what is ethical

- Know the APA’s ethical code

- Consult legal and professional guidelines

- Try to understand the perspectives of all?involved parties

- Generate and evaluate alternatives

- Select and implement the most ethically?appropriate actions

- Monitor and evaluation your actions

- Modify as needed