Procedures for responding to ethics complaints against psychologists.

Presents the 3rd published summary of complaints handled by the American Psychological Association's Committee on Scientific and Professional Ethics and Conduct (CSPEC). The procedure at issue in each complaint is first noted, the complaint is briefly summarized, and the action taken under CSPEC's Rules and Procedures is described. (3 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Standards of ethical behavior for psychologists: Report of the committee on ethical standards of psychologists.

Most dissatisfaction with the present code involves its "cumbersome length" and the codifying of professional courtesies rather than the "hard core of ethical issues." 7 criteria adopted by the committee in its efforts at revision of the code are specified. "Containing only 18 major principles, the proposed revision retains the essence of the original code tentatively adopted in 1953." The proposed revision is presented with a preamble. Principles are titled as follows: General, Competence, Moral and Legal Standards, Misrepresentation, Public Statements, Confidentiality, Client Welfare, Client Relationship, Impersonal Services, Advertising, Interprofessional Relationship, Remuneration, Technique Security, Test Interpretation, Test Publication, Harmful After-effects, Publication Credit, Organizational Material. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Responses of psychologists to complaints filed against them with a state licensing board.

Psychologists are well aware of the possibility of complaints to licensing boards by clients, interns, employees, and others. As many as 11% of psychologists may have to respond to a complaint during their careers. Data collected by a licensing board from psychologists who had complaints filed against them were analyzed. Those who were found to have committed a violation were compared with those who were found to have committed no violation. The violation group (a) reported many more sequelae, including the expenditure of more time and money and the occurrence of more medical and psychological problems and (b) perceived the process and outcome as less fair. These findings suggest that review and modification of the complaint process are needed and that psychological and professional services may be helpful during and after complaint adjudication. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Ethical principles of psychologists and religious diversity.

Suggests that a concept missing from the Ethical Principles of Psychologists is that of religious or spiritual values. Speculations about why this concept is not addressed are offered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Legal and ethical issues in debt collection strategies of professional psychologists.

Maintains that the improper use of aggressive collection techniques (e.g., by collection agencies or small claims court) presents an ethical and legal risk to psychologists. Clinical accounts are viewed as confidential information that may not be ethically released to collection services without the permission of the client—a form of consent probably rarely obtained by therapists. Moreover, previous work has shown that fee disputes represent one of the major forms of legal action taken against psychologists. A survey of 148 clinical psychologists revealed that a majority have used collection services and that a minority of clinicians routinely inform clients on the limitations of confidentiality. Specific recommendations, such as the use of credit cards or payment at time of visit, are offered on how to avoid the potential legal and ethical risks associated with these collection techniques. (12 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The failure of clinical psychologists to apply understood ethical principles.

In an earlier study, Bernard and Jara (1986) found that approximately 50% of clinical graduate students admitted that they would probably not do what the situation demanded when a peer was behaving unethically. In this study, we surveyed professional clinicians and found that significant numbers of them would also do less than they knew they should. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Peculating psychologists: Fraud and abuse against Medicaid.

Investigated the records and views of 8 psychologists (mean age 56 yrs) who had been either criminally or administratively sanctioned for violations of laws governing the Medicaid program. Interviews with the Ss and with 40 state and federal officials involved in administrative and enforcement activities revealed that sanctioned psychologists were commonly charged with filing false claims, felt they were treated unfairly by the system, and resented the low reimbursement rates and paperwork involved with Medicaid. Almost all violators strongly denied personal blame for their behavior. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Making ethical choices: A comprehensive decision-making model for Canadian psychologists.

This paper proposes a theoretical augmentation of the 7-step decision-making model outlined in the Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists. The authors propose that teleological, deontological, and existential ethical perspectives should be taken into account in the decision-making process. The influence of individual, issue-specific, significant-other, situational, and external factors on ethical decision-making is also considered. This theoretical analysis demonstrates the richness and complexity of ethical decisionmaking. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

When psychologists work with religious clients: Applications of the general principles of ethical conduct.

Psychologists become more effective and relevant when they appreciate that many clients hold religious values and commitments. Greater awareness of religion and religious values in the lives of clients may aid clinicians' efforts to provide more accurate assessments and effective treatment plans. The authors use the American Psychological Association's (1992) "Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct" as a framework to examine many of the ethical issues relevant when psychologists work with religious clients. This article also provides suggestions for ways in which clinicians may obtain the skills needed to offer competent assessments and interventions with religiously committed clients. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Ten strategies for psychology trainees and practicing psychologists interested in avoiding ethical and legal perils.

Litigation against psychologists has increased in recent years, resulting in high malpractice premiums, negative publicity, and defensive approaches to professional practice. While many practicing psychologists have become keenly aware of the need to be up-to-date on legal and ethical issues in professional practice, it is unclear if this attention has filtered down to the training of graduate students, interns, and postdoctoral trainees. While trainees are generally fairly well versed in the Ethics Code (APA, 1992) they tend to have little practical understanding of strategies to minimize both ethical and legal troubles. The purpose of this article is to outline 10 practical strategies to minimize the chances of ethical and legal problems for both psychology trainees and practicing psychologists. While this is not an exhaustive list, it highlights some of the major issues trainees and psychologists should be aware of and offers direction for minimizing potential problems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Preparing psychologists for high-risk jobs: Key ethical considerations for military clinical supervisors.

Military psychologists must provide a full gamut of mental health evaluation, treatment, and consultative services in a variety of nontraditional settings. Internship training and postdoctoral supervision are key to producing competent military psychologists that can simultaneously serve effectively as commissioned officers. The context of supervision has evolved in recent years as the majority of military psychologists are deployed to the combat theater and many are tasked with nontraditional operational roles. This article explores the key ethical considerations faced by supervisors who prepare psychology interns, postdoctoral residents, or civilian psychologists for high-risk military roles in a time of war. Recommendations are provided for both clinical supervisors and military psychology leaders. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Increasing the number of psychologists of color: Public policy issues for affirmative diversity.

This article identifies the key issues involved in the debate about affirmative action. The June 2003 Supreme Court decisions allowing consideration of race to ensure that there is a "critical mass" of African American, Latino/Latina, and Native American applicants to higher education are addressed. Social psychologists have identified key myths and provided clarifications about the need for and consequences of strategies used to promote equal opportunity for persons of color and women. A brief history of affirmative action and of the problems it was designed to solve is provided. The accomplishments, benefits, and compelling interest of diversity and affirmative action are described, as well as the concerns and counterpoints. The lack of a substantial applicant pool in psychology hinders progress toward diversity. Alternative strategies for remedying this lack beyond affirmative admissions policies in psychology are briefly discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The interaction between ethics and the law: The ongoing refinement of ethical standards for psychologists in Canada.

Discusses the relationship between Canadian law and ethics, starting with a review of the options available for controlling the conduct of psychologists. The authors then demonstrate how the law influences the development and implementation of ethical standards by both deriving the principles of professional ethics and by reshaping the parameters of conduct by psychologists. The authors show that acting ethically generally leads to acting legally, an vice versa. A review of recent Canadian cases in which the decisions of provincial disciplinary decisions for psychologists were considered demonstrate that, for the most part, courts uphold decisions by licensing boards, particularly those that have employed fair procedures that comport to the principles of natural justice. Finally, the authors point to the continued need for systematically monitoring legislation and legal decisions to determine their influence on our ethical principles, and note that there is a role for provincial and national psychology bodies to lobby legislators and to intervene in cases when matters are being considered that affect the ethical conduct of psychologists. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sexual abuse victimization and the child witness in Canada: Legal, ethical, and professional issues for psychologists.

The Canadian legal system has made a number of significant reforms in the last few decades regarding the rights of child witnesses and, in particular, the rights of those who have disclosed sexual abuse. This paper provides an overview of the law in Canada as it pertains to child sexual abuse victims and witnesses, and reflects on the role and responsibilities of psychologists who work with child witnesses. It reviews the effects of protection reforms and preparation programs on children who must testify, examines some of the current major issues in the research literature in the area of interviewing and assessing sexually abused children, and considers the role of the psychologists as expert witness in court. In addition, it discusses potential ethical dilemmas for psychologists who work with child witnesses, and proposes recommendations for research and clinical practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Perceptions of nonclinical psychologists toward clinical psychology and clinical psychologists.

Surveyed psychologists outside the clinical realm to ascertain their views on the efficacy of psychotherapy, as well as their views on clinical psychologists. Surveys were mailed to 300 nonclinical psychologists randomly chosen from the American Psychological Association Directory. Results of 109 usable surveys suggest that although the majority had a positive view of clinical psychology, a substantial minority either were uncertain or disagreed that therapy was effective. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

School psychologists and the AIDS epidemic.

Provides an overview of what is known about acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), AIDS transmissibility, and the modes of transmission. Current and projected incidence rates are reported along with a focus on pediatric AIDS and AIDS in adolescents. The impact of the AIDS epidemic on the nation's school systems and the importance of AIDS education in altering the course of the epidemic are described. The opportunity and responsibility for school psychologists to assume a position of leadership in this crisis and possible psychoeducational interventions and research topics are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Social pressures and the values of psychologists.

Speaking in connection with the APA Code of Ethics, the author discusses the social roles of psychologists and the social pressures associated with such roles. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Certification of psychologists.

During the past year, in discussions of the question of certification of psychologists, I have found that many are not familiar with two important problems associated with the trend of certification of the whole title. One consequence of such certification is that an academic psychologist cannot consult as a psychologist for a fee in his own specialty, however remote from contact with individual patients, without being certified or without in some way circumventing the law. This is a restriction that does not exist for nuclear physicists, physiologists, chemists, or others in any academic area. It stands, as such, as a limitation on traditional academic privileges. A second consequence is that restriction of the whole title creates a situation in which misunderstandings arise with sister disciplines that share subject matter or titles. For example, sociologists have trained persons in and claim competence in social psychology. It is concluded that aside from the issues involved and whether or not there have indeed been blunders, the implication is that the profession would not want to change, right or wrong; it would not be possible to rouse any action that would imply an alteration rather than a compromise with the current situation. What is disturbing is that considering the self-conscious concern with ethics in psychology, this seems to be a rather cynical view of the profession. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)