What is the APS code of ethics? and What does it provide?
- it is a major pillar of education for psychologists, and contains a set of standards that guide behaviour
- mostly doesn’t set specific rules to follow
- guides ethical decision making
- ensures public are aware of what is considered ethical professional practice by psychologists.
**code is supplemented by APS practice guidelines
What are the 3 overarching ethical principles of the APS code of ethics?
- respect for rights and dignity of people and peoples
- propriety
- integrity
What are the APS guidelines for?
- further explanation and increase the use of the general principles and the specific standards outlined in the code of ethics.
- help psychologists apply them to practice
- more specific to situations or specific groups in the ppulation
eg.
- guildelines on reporting child abuse and negative and criminal activity
- guidelines on confidentiality, inc working with minors
- guidelines for working with people who pose a high risk of harm to others.
what is the function of the code?
- Embodies BEST PRACTICE aspirations
- sets MINIMUM PRACTICE standards for members
THUS.. protects welfare of consumers and maintains integrity of the psych profession
How do the three general principles of the APS code of ethics relate to the main ethical principles?
Respect relates to AUTONOMY AND JUSTICE
Propriety relates to BENEFICIENCE and NON-MALEFIENCE
Integrity relates to FIDELITY
Describe the general principle of respect.
- Respect for the rights and dignity of people and peoples.
- prevents NEGLECT of client’s specific needs/entitlements.
- values CULTURAL DIFFERENCES, PEOPLE’S RIGHTS to be TREATED FAIRLY
- lack of discrimination and favouritism: age, gender, religion, ethnicity, sexuality, disability.
- INDIVIDUALISM - constructed differently across time and cultures, and is recognised legally in the privacy legislation.
Describe the general principle of Propriety.
- Emphasises the RELATIONSHIP between client and psychologist in professional conduct.
- psychs must be competent in delivering the psychological services they provide.
- This relationship is built on:
1. trying to do good - beneficience
2. not doing harm - non-maleficence
3. protecting the client’s value as a person - responsibility
What is individualism and how is it dealt with legally?
Respect for the individual
Individualism is different across time and cultures, for eg. it is more important in western cultures than in asian cultures.
Respect for individual rights is reflected in the privacy legislation, covering the rights of individuals to have an influence on how their information is collected, used and kept.
Describe integrity.
- Refers to professional character and virtues of a psychologist.
- Psychologists do not abuse the client’s trust and the power imbalance
- Can be conflicting when a psych’s personal and professional moral codes don’t line up, so it is best if they do.
- Psych’s should all adopt the professional code, which emphasises common good over self interest (code of ethics).
What would be damaged if integrity was broken?
If psychologists abused the client’s trust, then the client, the profession and the practitioner would all be damaged.
Describe the power imbalance, and what General principle it relates to.
- relates to integrity.
- Psychologists have more power in the professional relationship due to their knowledge of the area of psychology, their professional standing in the community and sensitive information that they have.
thus clients expect that psychologists are trustworthy and won’t abuse their power
what are prescriptive standards?
the more specific points under each ethical standard that is under general principles in the APS code of ethics
What are the ethical standards covered under respect?
- Justice
- Respect
- Confidentiality
- Informed consent
- Privacy
- Release of information to clients and collection of information from associated parties.
What does the informed consent code suggest?
(Listed under Respect)
- Clients must be FULLY INFORMED - about nature of service, how information is collected and recorded, duration of the procedure, limits to confidentiality
- CONSENT must be obtained prior to treatment commencement.
- Minors – parents or legal guardian can give consent.
- If client doesn’t have capacity - need to obtain from person legally responsible
best to get everyones consent even when it’s not legally required.
Explain the confidentiality code
- Psychs have a ethical obligation to protect the information disclosed - collection, recording, accessing, storage, dissemination and disposal
- clients MUST understand the limits of confidentiality.
What are the limits to confidentiality?
- when consent is given by a client or their legal representative
- when psychologist has a legal obligation to report information - mandatory reporting of chid abuse or when issued a court subpoena
- immediate and specified risk of harm or danger to client or another person that can be stopped by disclosing information
- when psychologist de-identifies the information and protects the identity of the client and associated parties
- when psychologist ensures the recipients of the information maintain confidentiality and privacy of client
What are the ethical standards under propriety?
- competence
- record keeping
- professional responsibility
- provision of psychological services at request of third party
- provision of psychological services to multiple clients
- delegation of professional tasks
- use of interpreters
- collaborating with others for the benefit of clients
- accepting clients of other professionals
- suspension and termination of psychological services
- conflicting demands
- psychological asssessments
- research
Explain the ethical standard of competence
(Under propriety)
- Psychs should HAVE and MAINTAIN an appropriate level of training and skill within their profession
- Practice WITHIN THE LIMITS of their competence, skill ability and knowledge
- Competence is maintained through supervision, further education and awareness of any problems that may interfere with practice.
Psychs should seek consultation on whether to limit, suspend, refrain or terminate their services if they feel that their practice is impacted
Describe the ethical standard of record keeping.
(Under Propriety)
- Psychs should keep adequate records.
- Acts as safeguard for psychs - should they face lawsuit or be summoned to court
- Best possible service for clients
- Kept for min 7 years
- Kept until client is 25 if they are under 18 years.
- clients have the right to request any changes to innaccurate information, even after termination of service (if reasonable)
Describe the ethical standard of research
(Under Propriety)
- accurately report findings
- comply with codes and guidelines - specifically the National Health and Medical Resarch Council (NHMRC) ones, and the Australian Research Council (ARC), and Universities of australia guidelines.
- after publication, research data should be made available to other professionals - who may want to reanalyse or verify findings
What ethical standards are under integrity?
- Reputable behaviour
- Communication
- Conflict of interest
- Non-exploitation
- Authorship
- Financial Arrangements
- Ethics investigations and concerns
describe the ethical standard of conflict of interest
(Under integrity)
- Multiple relationships: when professional relationship is blended with another type of relationship.
this will:
- impair psychologists’ competency, objectivity and ability to provide psychological service.
- cause harm to the client or other associated parties
- lead to exploitation of the client or other associated parties
code acknowledges that sometimes MRs are unavoidable due to orgainisational requirements or a psychologist within a small community. in this case, psychs hsould discuss consequences with their client and ensure that they are fully informed before consent is given
psychs should also disclose any vested interest they may have. eg. funding for a project.
describe the ethical standard of non-exploitation
- no sexual acitivity with client or anyone closely related
- can have sex with client after 2 years, yet need to consult senior psych, ensure the client is not vulnerable or at risk of exploitation and suggest independent counselling.
- avoid accepting client for whom theyve had a sexual relationship
