2: Ethics

Question 1

What are the four main ethical principles of the CPA?

Answer 1

Ethical Principles
1. Respect for the dignity of persons and peoples
2. Responsible caring
3. Integrity in relationships
4. Responsibility to society

Question 2

What is included in the Respect and dignity of persons principle?

Answer 2

Informed consent→ ensure client understand nature of therapy
- ex: limit of confidentiality
Privacy→ collect minimal information
Confidentiality→ do not share patient information

Question 3

What is included in the Responsible caring principle?

Answer 3

Competence and self-knowledge
- practice within area of competence
- seek supervision/ training
- seek help if needed

Maximize benefit→ stay up to date with laws, literature…

Minimize harm
- be aware of power differential in therapy
- Not engage in sexual intimacy

Question 4

What is included in the Integrity in relationships principle?

Answer 4

Accuracy/honesty
- honest about qualifications

Straightforwardness/openness
- be clear about fees, policies
- limits of confidentiality

Avoidance of conflict of interest
- Avoid multiple relationships

Question 5

What is included in the Responsability to society principle?

Answer 5

Respect for society
- familiar with laws and jurisdiction

Development of society
- act to change aspects of psychotherapy detracting from societal benefit

Question 6

What are the exceptions to confidentiality?

Answer 6

Exceptions
- immediate threats of harm to self or someone else or harm
- neglect of vulnerable person
—>hard to conduct a risk assessment
- ex: Tarasoff vs. Board of Regents of University of California (1976)→ Duty to warn and protect/ psychologist should have contacted Tarasoff directly

Question 7

What are some important considerations before disclosing information about a patient?

Answer 7

Considerations
- Immediate as well as future harm
- Parental reaction and client-parent relationship
- Best interest of client and therapeutic relationship

Question 8

What are multiple relationships?

Answer 8

Multiple roles with same person or someone closely associated with person with whom psychologist has a professional relationship
- can create conflict of interested

Question 9

What are some guiding questions to address multiple relationships?

Answer 9

• Is the multiple relationship necessary?
• Is the multiple relationship exploitative?
• Who does the multiple relationship benefit?
• Is there a risk that the multiple relationship could damage the client?
• Is there a risk that the multiple relationship could disrupt the therapeutic relationship?

Question 10

What are some benefits of telepsychology?

Answer 10

• increased access→ ex: rural communities, specialist care
• Convenience, increased demand
• enhancement in communication
• client characteristics→ in person services can be limited by psychiatric conditions of the patient
• economic advantages→ can treat more clients and solution to undersupply in mental health in certain populations
• anonymity and privacy
• supervision→ can easily record the session to be supervised
• patient empowerment→ can more easily change therapist
• protection of the therapist
• Practicing across borders→ PSYPACT in US for psychologists to exerce across states

Question 11

What are some ethical concerns about telepsychology?

Answer 11

• Privacy and security issues→ technology issues/ unencrypted tools
• therapist competence with technology
• communication issues→ non verbal cues not always available
• Informed consent and emergency→ Hard to verify patient identity and location
• incomplete guidelines→ cross border laws
• boundary issues→ might seem less formal and more conversational

Question 12

What are some recommendations about doing telepsychology?

Answer 12

• Comprehensive informed consent procedure
• Know emergency care options in client’s local area
• Ensure both clinical and technological competence in services offered
• Develop set of procedures for verifying client identity
• Ensure client and presenting problem is appropriate for telepsychology→ ex: social anxiety