Laws, Regulations, and Ethics for Florida Psychologists, 2nd Edition _ ________________________________
5. The psychologist provides the patient with a disclosure that test administration via videoconferencing could have unknown impacts on the acceptance of evaluation results by third parties 6. The psychologist administers the test via videoconferencing in a manner consistent with the standard of practice for the face-to-face administration of test instruments ETHICS FOR PSYCHOLOGISTS The full text of the American Psychological Association’s Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (2017) can be found at: https://www.apa.org/ethics/code/ ethics-code-2017.pdfl The majority of psychologists are conscientious individuals committed to providing quality care, but not all ethical issues are clear-cut. Situations involving competing values, conflict between ethics and law, conflicts between ethics and organizational requirements, knowledge of the substandard practice of other professionals, and conflict between professional ethics and personal morals are not uncommon. Professionals must work through these situations to decide on the best course of action. Awareness of the ethical code is an essential aspect of this decision-making process. It provides the foundation for determining a course of action. Consultation with peers is almost always helpful in further refining a decision. The American Psychological Association (APA) first published a code of ethics in 1953, and it has been evolving ever since. The Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct introduced General Principles and Ethical Standards, which became effective in June 2003. The document was amended in 2010 and again in 2017. All psychologists are responsible for understanding the specific ethical standards of their profession and are responsible for conducting research and/ or providing professional services in an ethical manner. The Principles are broad generalizations and, while not enforceable, they are aspirational goals that are intended to help guide psychologists toward the highest level of psychology service. In contrast, the Ethical Standards are enforceable. They are written as broadly as possible to be applicable to the varied roles of the psychologist. They are expectations for conduct, and violations can lead to professional and legal consequences. However, the Code is not intended to be the determining factor for civil liability or legal consequences. The Ethics Code applies to all activities conducted in the professional role of the psychologist, including clinical, research, teaching, training, organizational, and forensic work. It does not apply to private conduct. The standards apply to professional work regardless of medium, including telephone,
internet, postal, and in-person services. While written to be as broad as possible, the code is not exhaustive, and just because conduct is not specifically addressed by a particular standard does not mean that the conduct is necessarily either ethical or unethical. Mental health providers routinely face ethical dilemmas, both minor and more significant, and the code is designed to help guide the psychologist when making real-world decisions in their professional work. GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF THE ETHICS CODE OF CONDUCT There are currently five General Principles that are founda- tional and aspire to help the psychologist reach the highest ethical ideals of the profession. Principle A: Beneficence and Nonmaleficence Psychologists work toward helping their clients overcome life’s challenges to achieve a state of well-being: Beneficence. Psychologists strive to do no harm: Nonmaleficence. They attempt to resolve conflicts in a way that minimizes harm. They strive to achieve the best possible outcome for the client while minimizing harm through the use of thoughtful, respectful interactions. They are alert to factors that might lead to the misuse of their influence and opinions. They remain aware of the effect their own physical and mental health has on their ability to provide services. While these may seem intuitive and straightforward, psychologists encounter many situations where they must weigh acts of potential harm (maleficence) against what is best for their client. Healthcare Considerations Consider a client you feel would benefit from a psychotropic medication evaluation. Most of these medications have side effects. Does the potential for harm from the side effects outweigh the potential benefit of the medication on the client’s mental health functioning? What if, in your professional opinion, the client needs a medication evaluation, but they refuse to consider it? Principle B: Fidelity and Responsibility Psychologists establish relationships of trust with those they work with. They remain aware of their professional respon- sibilities to clients and to society as a whole. They uphold standards of conduct, accept responsibility for their own behavior, and work to serve the best interests of those with whom they work. They manage conflicts of interest that could lead to exploitation or harm. They have a responsibility to help ensure others in their profession also uphold high ethi- cal standards. They contribute a portion of their professional time on a pro bono basis.
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