Apa Ethics Code

Front 1

Ethics Code intent

Back 1

Specific standards to cover most situations encountered by psychologists.

Front 2

Ethics Code goals

Back 2

The welfare and protection of individuals and groups with whom psychologists work and the education of members, students, and public regarding ethical standards of the discipline.

Front 3

To develop a dynamic ethical practice requires

Back 3

* A commitment to act ethically
* encourage ethical behavior by students, supervisees, employees, and colleagues
* consult with others concerning ethical problems

Front 4

General Principles vs Ethical Standards

Back 4

* Aspirational - highest ethical ideal of the profession to guide and inspire; unenforceable; cannot use to sanction/discipline
* Lowest standards of behavior, enforceable, can discipline

Front 5

Principle A: Beneficence and Non-Maleficence

Back 5

Strive to benefit, do no harm. Resolve conflicts of obligation while doing no harm, guard against misusing own influence; Be aware of own mental health on ability to help others.

Front 6

Principle B: Fidelity and Responsibility

Back 6

Est. relationships with clients based on trust; be aware of responsibilities and uphold standards; accept responsibility for own behavior; manage conflicts of interest; consult, refer, cooperate; monitor others' ethical compliance; some pro-bono work

Front 7

Principle C: Integrity

Back 7

Promote accuracy, honesty, truthfulness; no cheating/fraud; keep word; use deception with care

Front 8

Principle D: Justice

Back 8

Everyone deserves equal access/quality of services; be aware of biases and operate w/in boundaries of competence

Front 9

Principle E: Respect for people's rights and dignity

Back 9

Respect dignity/worth of ppl along with rights (privacy, confidentiality, self-determination); special respect for vulnerable populations; respect for individual differences and knowledge of own biases (reduce/minimize); refrain from participating in prejudicial activities

Front 10

Principles mnemonic:
Benefit Fidel in just respect

Back 10

Beneficence & Non-Maleficence
Fidelity & Responsibility
Integrity
Justice
Respect for people's rights and dignity

Front 11

If you learn of misuse or misrepresentation of your work...

Back 11

...take reasonable steps to correct of minimize this misuse and misrepresentation

Front 12

If your ethical commitments conflict with the law...

Back 12

...make known your commitment to the standards and take steps to resolve the conflict in accordance with the code. If you can't, obey the law.

Front 13

If your organization's demands conflict with the ethics code...

Back 13

...make known your commitment to the ethics code and try to resolve in accordance with the code.

Front 14

If a colleague has committed an ethical infraction...

Back 14

...if resolvable in an informal way, go to them personally (if appropriate and doesn't violate confidentiality)

Front 15

If a colleague has committed an ethical violation that risks significant or substantial harm and not appropriate for informal resolution...

Back 15

...refer to the state or national committee on professional ethics, to the state licensing board, or to the appropriate institutional authorities. Doesn't apply if an intervention would violate confidentiality.

Front 16

Not complying with ethics investigations....

Back 16

...is an ethics violation

Front 17

If you have been the subject of an ethics investigation can you be denied employment, advancement, admission to academic programs, tenure or promotion?

Back 17

No. But those things can be revoked based upon the outcome of such proceedings.

Front 18

Boundaries of competence...

Back 18

Practice only what you know based on education, training, supervised experience, consultation, study, or professional experience

Front 19

To improve competence...

Back 19

Consult, seek new education or retraining, get supervised experience or study; continuing ed

Front 20

What should you do if someone presents for services that are outside of your competence?

Back 20

Refer unless it's an emergency, in which case provide but only until the emergency has ended or other services are available.

Front 21

If someone presents for services that are somewhat similar to your qualifications but probably outside of your competence - and they have no other mental health services available to them - what should you do?

Back 21

May provide services in order to make sure services aren't denied, but must also make a reasonable effort to obtain the competence required by using research, training, consultation, and study

Front 22

How should you proceed using innovative or new treatments?

Back 22

Make aware the dangers or risks as a part of informed consent and strive to ensure competence by using relevant research, training, consultation, etc.

Front 23

What should psychologists do to ensure competence in forensics?

Back 23

Maintain an accurate understanding of the laws and administrative rules covering their roles.

Front 24

Upon what should a psychologist's work be based?

Back 24

Scientific and professional knowledge of the discipline

Front 25

In delegating work to others, what issues need to be considered?

Back 25

* The person to whom work is delegated must not have multiple relationships or objectivity concerns to the population with whom they'll work.
* They better be competent and you'd better see to it that they are

Front 26

What should you do if you realize you're functioning under some sort of impairment or your personal problems may interfere with your work?

Back 26

Refrain from or limit work activities; seek consultation to see if you should limit, suspend, or terminate work; get help/assistance

Front 27

Sexual harassment is...

Back 27

* sexual solicitation, physical advances, verbal or nonverbal conduct that is sexual in nature that occurs in connection with your work is either:
1) unwelcome, offensive, creates a hostile work/ed enviro and you know or are told this;
2) sufficiently severe or intense to be abusive to a reasonable person in same context.
Can be one time serious act or multiple small acts.

Front 28

In terms of harm you should...

Back 28

Take steps to minimize or avoid, including foreseeable harm.

Front 29

Multiple relationships are...

Back 29

When you are in a professional role with a person and
1) at the same time in another role with them
2) in a relationship with a person closely associated with or related to that person
3) promise to enter into another form of relationship in the future with that same person or a closely related other

Front 30

How should you handle multiple relationships?

Back 30

They are not inherently unethical. You should avoid them, though, if they could reasonably be expected to impair your objectivity, competence, or effectiveness or other risks exploitation or harm.

Front 31

What should you do if you are involved in a multiple relationship that later becomes potentially harmful?

Back 31

Take steps to resolve the conflict and clarify roles with respect for that individual and compliance with the Code.

Front 32

What should you do if you're required by law, institutional policy, or extraordinary circumstance to engage in more than one role in judicial or administrative proceedings?

Back 32

At the very beginning, clarify role expectations, confidentiality, and continue awareness and clarity in an ongoing, revisited way, particularly if any circumstances change.

Front 33

What is a conflict of interest?

Back 33

Personal, scientific, financial, professional, legal, financial, or other issue impairs objectivity, competence, effectiveness in performing work; and/or exposes someone else to harm or exploitation. (Avoid this.)

Front 34

What should you do if asked by a third party to provide services for someone else?

Back 34

At the very beginning clarify to all involved the nature of the relationship with each, role of the psychologist, confidentiality issues, who is the client, probable use of services and information obtained.

Front 35

Do you have an ethical obligation to cooperate with other mental health professionals regarding a client?

Back 35

Yep.

Front 36

What is informed consent?

Back 36

A process, not an event. Unfolds in an ongoing way, over time, and should be revisited, particularly if any circumstances trained. Strive to make a thorough and culturally/linguistically appropriate explanation of the therapeutic process, confidentiality, expectations regarding prognosis, fees, involvement of third parties, limits and risks, etc. Also applies to research, assmt, and consulting. BE SURE to provide adequate time for q and a.

Front 37

How should you seek consent with persons who are legally unable to provide it?

Back 37

Seek assent. Provide a culturally and linguistically appropriate explanation. Consider their preferences and best interests. Obtain appropriate consent from their legal representative. Take steps to protect their rights and welfare.

Front 38

What should you do in terms of informed consent if services are legally mandated or court ordered?

Back 38

Inform the individual of the nature of the services, including whether they are court-ordered/mandated; explain limits of confidentiality and who'll be getting the info.

Front 39

What should you do if you're providing services through an organization?

Back 39

Explain:
* The nature and objective of the services
* The intended recipients
* Who the clients are
* Relationship you will have with each person and the organization
* Probable uses of services and info obtained
* Who will have access to the info
* Limits of confidentiality
* As soon as feasible, provide results to appropriate individuals

Front 40

What should you do if by law or organizational roles you can't provide feedback or information regarding services to individuals within an org. context?

Back 40

Tell them at the very beginning.

Front 41

What should you do about possible interruption of services?

Back 41

Have a plan in place for facilitating services should you become incapacitated/dead, such as a professional will. Inform clients about potential interruptions due to non-payment at the beginning.

Front 42

In terms of maintaining confidentiality...

Back 42

...you have PRIMARY OBLIGATION to take reasonable precautions to protect confidential information in any medium.

Front 43

In terms of informed consent regarding confidentiality, you should...

Back 43

...discuss with clients all limits to confidentiality and how information from your services will be or could be used at the outset of a therapeutic relationship (unless contraindicated) and thereafter as new circumstances may warrant. If you use electronic records, inform of risks related to this and adhere to HIPAA.

Front 44

Before recording voice or image of clients you should...

Back 44

...get their permission. Preferably in writing. (Document or it didn't happen.)

Front 45

In terms of privacy, what should be included in reports?

Back 45

Only information germane to the report itself.

Front 46

In terms of minimizing privacy, you should discuss confidential information obtained in your work...

Back 46

...only for scientific or professional purposes with ppl concerned with the matter. De-identify any teaching material.

Front 47

You may make disclosures of confidential information w/o a release in which circumstances?

Back 47

* To provide needed professional services
* obtain appropriate consultation
* Protect client, others, self from harm
* obtain payment for services (only minimum info needed)

Front 48

When and how can you use your cases for teaching and writing purposes?

Back 48

* If you've deidentified the material
* If you've gotten their permission
* There is legal authorization for doing so

Front 49

Even if you've retained others to create promotions/advertising for your services...

Back 49

...you bear the ultimate responsibility for the content.

Front 50

Advertising should...

Back 50

...be clearly recognizable as such (no phony promotions through fake paid for "news items); accurate and not misrepresentative of any of your qualifications or exaggerating outcome; should never solicit testimonials.

Front 51

When providing public comment or advice via print, internet, etc. take precaution to...

Back 51

* ensure that statements are based on professional knowledge, training, or experience in accord with literature and practice
* statements are consistent with the Code
* do not indicate that a professional relationship has been entered into with the recipient

Front 52

What are the guidelines in terms of soliciting services in-person?

Back 52

* Don't do it, particularly with vulnerable contacts
* Can do it if trying to keep person already engaged in therapy to continue for their benefit
* Can do it for disaster relief

Front 53

What are the purposes of keeping records?

Back 53

* Facilitating later tx
* Allowing replication of research
* Institutional requirements
* Billing accuracy
* Compliance with the law

Front 54

What should you do if other people who have not been granted access will see records entered into a database?

Back 54

Use coding or other techniques to avoid inclusion of personal identifiers.

Front 55

In terms of protecting records in the long-term...

Back 55

...have a plan in place in case of your incapacitation/death to transfer/dispose of those records

Front 56

Can you withhold a clients requested records due to non-payment?

Back 56

Nope.

Front 57

How should you communicate with your client about fees?

Back 57

As early and as specifically as possible reach an agreement. Let them know immediately about limitations in services due to non-payment and how that will be handled. If you need to engage collections, let them know you will be doing so first and only disclose a minimal amount of information to facilitate collecting.

Front 58

Fees need to be...

Back 58

...consistent with law, accurately represented, consistent with local norms

Front 59

You may only use barter under which two conditions?

Back 59

It is not contra-indicated.
It is not exploitative.

Front 60

In terms of accuracy in reports to payors and funding sources, what should you take care to include?

Back 60

* It should be accurate in terms of the nature of the services or research; the fees, charges or payments; and where applicable the identity of the provider, the findings, and the diagnosis (i.e. no insurance or grant fraud!)

Front 61

Can you refer to others for a fee?

Back 61

Nope. Fees must be assessed only for services provided (clinical, administrative, consult, etc.)

Front 62

In designing educational and training programs they should be...

Back 62

...designed to provide the appropriate knowledge and proper experiences and meet requirements for licensure, certification, or other goals stated by the program

Front 63

Educational programs need to be clearly and accurately described regarding current program content such as...

Back 63

...participation in require coursework or practica, psychotherapy, experiential groups, consulting projects, community service, training goals/objectives, stipends and benefits, requirements of satisfactory completion. Info needs to be readily available.

Front 64

Syllabi are contracts that can't be modified. True or false?

Back 64

False. They should accurately describe course content, methods of evaluation, and expected course experiences. However, you may modify them so long as students are provided with a way to complete the course.

Front 65

Educational programs may not require students to disclose personal problems related to what?

Back 65

Sexual history, history of abuse or neglect, psychological tx, and relationships with parents, peers, and spouses.

Front 66

Under what circumstances may training programs require disclosure of students' personal information?

Back 66

* If program materials clearly state that such information will have to be disclosed
* Reasons of trainee impairment

Front 67

If programs require mandatory therapy of their students, they must:

Back 67

*Indicate this in admissions materials and program description
* Provide access to therapists unaffiliated with the program
* Ensure that those who will be responsible for evaluation are not conducting the therapy

Front 68

How should supervisee feedback be handled?

Back 68

* Discuss at the beginning how you will be evaluating them and on what basis
* Provide feedback in a timely manner (formative and summative)
* Make sure that evaluation is only related to actual basis described to them - performance and program requirements (e.g. not personal)

Front 69

Informed consent for research should include:

Back 69

* Purpose of research, expected duration and procedures
* right to decline to participate and w/draw
* foreseeable consequences of declining w/drawing
* potential risks
* prospective research benefits
* limits of confidentiality
* incentives
* contact info for questions and participants' rights
MUST provide time for q and a.

Front 70

How should experimental intervention research be handled?

Back 70

* Clarify experimental nature
* Clarify that control group will not have access to the intervention
* How assignment to experimental or control group will be handled
* available tx alternatives if an individual doesn't wish to participate or wants to w/draw
* compensation and/or reimbursement from a third party payor

Front 71

Under which circumstances do you not have to get permission to record images/voice for research?

Back 71

* Naturalistic in a public place and won't be used for identification or harm
* Deception is involved and consent for taping is secured during debriefing

Front 72

If subordinates, clients, or students are used for research, you should...

Back 72

...take steps to protect them from adverse consequences upon declining or w/drawing

Front 73

If research is a course requirement you must...

Back 73

...provide equitable alternatives

Front 74

Under which circumstances does research not require informed consent?

Back 74

* When it will not reasonably cause harm and involves:
a) study of normal education practices
b) anonymous questionnaire, naturalistic observation, archival research which won't endanger participants in terms of finances, reputation, civilly or criminally
c) study of factors related to job or org. effectiveness conducted in an org. setting w/ no risk to participants' jobs
d) where permitted by law

Front 75

Incentives in research need to be handled how?

Back 75

* Not unduly excessive as to be coercive
* When offering professional services as inducement, make sure to describe the services, risks, obligations, and limitations

Front 76

When and how can you use deception in research?

Back 76

* Use of deception offers significant prospective value and non-deception won't work
* Can't cause physical pain or severe emotional distress
* Must debrief and allow w/drawal of their data

Front 77

How should research debriefing be handled?

Back 77

* promptly offer info about nature, results, and conclusion of the research and correct misconceptions
* if you can't debrief due to scientific of humane values take steps to reduce harm
* if you realize your research has harmed a participant, take steps to minimize harm

Front 78

Publication credits need to be based on what?

Back 78

Actual contribution to the publication, not just b/c you're the dept chair. Minor contributions should be acknowledged as footnotes. You only take credit for work you actually did and substantially contributed to.

Front 79

Who is listed as the first author on an article substantially based on a student's dissertation?

Back 79

The student. The advisor must discuss publication credit soon and throughout the process. Only in exceptional circumstances may the student not be listed as first author.

Front 80

If another researcher requests your data for verification purposes, what should you do?

Back 80

Provide it. You can request cost reimbursement for doing so (copying, etc). Clarify that it will only be used revalidation purposes and must secure written agreement for any other use. Confidentiality of participants must be maintained.

Front 81

Assessment conclusions, findings, and recommendations must be based on...

Back 81

...sufficient information, techniques, and personal evaluation to substantiate findings; scientific and accurate testing procedure and instruments

Front 82

What should you do if you're not able to conduct an assessment examination substantial enough to support sound conclusions?

Back 82

Document efforts made and results of those efforts; clarify the probably impact of limited info on reliability and validity of your opinion; and limit the nature and extent of your conclusions and recommendations.

Front 83

Assessment instruments should be chosen and used...

Back 83

...only for the purpose in which they were intended to be used, with the population upon which it has been normed (or document and limit, if not available); use methods in client's preferred language and competence level unless language is relevant to the assmt procedure; chose instruments with appropriate reliability and validity; of course don't use out-dated or obsolete tests.

Front 84

Always get informed consent for assessment except when:

Back 84

* testing is mandated by law or govt regulation
* consent is implied b/c of routine educational/work issues (agreeing to testing to be hired)
* part of the testing is done to assess decisional capacity

Front 85

Assessment informed consent includes:

Back 85

* explanation of the nature and purpose of the assmt
* fees
* involvement of third parties
* limits of confidentiality
MUST provide time for q and a

Front 86

If assmt is mandated by law and/or their ability to consent is questionable, you should...

Back 86

...inform them about the nature and purpose of the assmt, using language that is reasonably understandable.

Front 87

If using services of an interpreter in assessment, you must...

Back 87

...get informed consent from the client to use that interpreter, ensure that confidentiality of test results and test security are maintained, and include in recommendations, reports, and dx or evaluative statements, a discussion of limitations due to use of that interpreter.

Front 88

How should the release of test data be handled?

Back 88

Should release appropriate info related to findings (scaled scores that lead to interp and dx, etc.). You may refrain from releasing test data to protect a client or others from substantial harm or misuse or misrepresentation of the data, recognizing that in many instances the release of confidential info under these circumstances is regulated by law (e.g. HIPAA)

Front 89

Assessment interpretation should be based on:

Back 89

* Purpose of the assessment
* Test-taking abilities
* Personal characteristics (situational, personal, linguistic, cultural, etc)
* Indicate significant limitations of interpretation

Front 90

Even if you use a scoring service or automated scoring rather than scoring assmts yourself, you still...

Back 90

...retain ultimate responsibility for the accuracy of the scoring.

Front 91

When obtaining informed consent for new forms of therapy, you should...

Back 91

...inform the client of the developing nature of the tx, potential risks, alternative txs that may be available, voluntary nature of participation (in addition to regular informed consent).

Front 92

When the therapist is a trainee and legal responsibility for tx resides with the supervisor, you should amend informed consent how?

Back 92

Discuss trainee status and inform of supervision; give supervisors name.

Front 93

When you provide services to several persons (families, couples) you should...

Back 93

At the outset, clarify
* which of the individuals are clients
* the relationship you'll have with each
* your role and probable use of services provided and info obtained

Front 94

If you have to perform potentially conflicting roles (such as therapist then witness for one party in divorce proceedings) you should

Back 94

...take reasonable steps to clarify and modify or w/draw from roles as appropriate.

Front 95

What should you do at the beginning of group therapy, in terms of informed consent?

Back 95

Clarify roles and responsibilities of all parties and the limits of confidentiality.

Front 96

If a client is receiving services elsewhere provided by another individual, what should you do?

Back 96

* Carefully consider the tx issues and client's welfare
* Discuss these issues with them in order to minimize risk of confusion and conflict
* Consult with the other provider when appropriate
* Proceed with caution and sensitivity

Front 97

When can you have sex with a client?

Back 97

* Under unusual circumstances
* Two years after therapeutic relationship has ended
* Bear the burden of proving there has been no exploitation
* Don't have sex with clients' close relatives, friends, etc. either and don't terminate therapy in order to do so

Front 98

Can you accept clients into therapy with whom you've had sex in the past?

Back 98

Nope.

Front 99

When and how should you terminate therapy?

Back 99

* When it becomes clear they are no longer needing service, are not likely to benefit, or are being harmed
* When threatened or otherwise endangered by a client or associate of the client
* Unless you are precluded by client's actions or third party payors, provide pre-termination counseling and offer referrals for alternative services within the community.