Clinical cross-training: Compatibility of sport and family systems psychology.

Sport psychology offers unique opportunities for (a) expanding one's practice beyond areas regulated by managed care and (b) using one's knowledge of psychology to cultivate health, wellness, and positive aspects of life. This article describes how developing expertise in sport psychology may benefit a practitioner, with special attention to family systems psychologists evaluating their own suitability for working in the sport and exercise area. In addition to expanding one's practice, ways in which sport psychofogy expertise may enhance overall clinical skills are noted. The article concludes with a checklist to evaluate suitability for "cross-training" in sport psychology and recommendations for initiating the process. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

And Esau was an hairy man.

Attention is focussed on "certain aspects of the professional behavior of industrial psychologists… . It is within the realm of possibility for legitimate PhDs in the profession of psychology to exhibit various shades of professional behavior under various levels of motivation. Both inside and outside the profession of psychology, alarms have arisen about the potential misuse of behavioral sciences in the control of human behavior." Attributes of professional and nonprofessional occupations are distinguished. What can be done to preserve our present status as professionals and also insure true professional behavior on the part of industrial psychologists? Realistic ethical codes will only guide the way. "Industrial psychology cannot operate under the rules of the open market. Either we develop acceptable rules of professional service to society or society will define the conditions of psychological practice by legal restrictions. The choice is up to us as to who will shape the future of industrial psychology. Smooth men or hairy ones." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Challenges and benefits of ethical small-community practice.

Ethical dilemmas and boundary challenges are parts of daily life for psychologists who live and practice within small communities. Although rural psychologists are most readily identified as “small-community psychologists,” there are a number of other settings that can be considered small communities—colleges, communities of color/ethnicity/culture, lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender (LGBT), military, faith-based, feminist, criminal justice and corrections, suburban, disability, deaf/hearing impaired, chemical dependency, school districts, sport psychology, graduate training programs, and therapists who see other therapists as clients. Psychologists in these small communities strive to balance a traditional individualist perspective with a need to participate in and contribute to the overall wellness of the community in which they live and work. The 3 invited commentaries provide additional depth through their perspectives on rural, LGBT, and Latina/o community practice. Their insights model thoughtful and contemporary practice that challenges, enriches, and educates the larger field of ethical psychological practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Community examiners' evaluations of competence to stand trial: Common problems and suggestions for improvement.

With the exponential growth of forensic psychology over recent decades, increasing numbers of clinical psychologists with little specialized training are becoming principal providers of forensic assessments. On the basis of results from an empirical study, the authors analyze 3 fundamental problems with these psychologists' reports on competence to stand trial and provide recommendations for improvement based on legal, ethical, and professional standards of practice. The article focuses on the importance of (a) properly attending to the range of critical psycholegal abilities, including the defendant's decisional capacities; (b) explaining the critical reasoning that underlies one's psycholegal conclusions; and (c) using forensically relevant methods of assessment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Behavioral "Medicine" and the Collaboration Model of Knapp and Vandecreek.

Knapp and Vandecreek's (1981) article provided a helpful outline of some ethical and legal considerations of the health psychologist. Their recommendations regarding "physician collaboration" (p. 679) in the psychological management of physiological health concerns lead to practical problems that require further ethical and legal inquiry. Some concerns arising from efforts to apply the collaboration model are considered here: interaction with physicians who are minimally sophisticated about the psychological aspects of illness; collaboration with physicians who routinely equate patient's health psychology concerns only with emotional disorder and consign these individuals to the psychologist; and whether health psychologists can select an accurate diagnosis for conditions that are not psychological in nature. Health psychologists may ultimately resolve these issues as the professional identity of behavioral "medicine" and its practitioners develops. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Private archives and public needs.

Discusses issues related to psychologists' willingness to share data from research projects supported by tax dollars. Attention is focused on the legal, ethical, and pragmatic reasons given for refusing to share the raw data of one's federally sponsored research with other psychologists. A proposal to mandate data sharing is proposed, with discussion of the technical and ethical costs and benefits it would likely entail. Such a proposal would be congruent with mission statements contained in grant announcements, the public's right to know, and a change in attitudes in the field of professional psychology from a Cartesian to a Baconian orientation. (37 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Opinions about industrial psychology by different groups of psychologists.

"In general, the findings provide a partial sketch of how industrial psychology is perceived and evaluated by different groups of psychologists. The most common criticism is that industrial psychology is not sufficiently concerned with its ties to basic psychology… . In addition, serious questions are raised concerning the areas of research that are emphasized or slighted, the professional qualifications of many practitioners, tendencies to offer psychological judgments that reach beyond scientific results, frequent overselling of industrial applications, and an excessive accent on the practical in training industrial psychologists. Many psychologists also charge that industrial psychology is too management oriented, that it operates too much within a management frame of reference… . Finally, it should be noted that our results reveal wide differences of opinion among the psychologists questioned, not only between the industrial psychologists and the other professional groups but strikingly also within the ranks of each group." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychology, spirituality, and end-of-life care: An ethical integration?

With an increased focus on multidisciplinary care, psychologists are being called to work within palliative care teams. Spirituality is often a salient issue for palliative individuals, and has significant implications with respect to psychological functioning. This paper discusses the incorporation of spirituality/religion into psychological end of life care, with a focus on the biopsychosocial-spiritual model of health, and the consideration of spirituality/religion as an aspect of cultural diversity. Discussion also surrounds the ethical integration of spirituality/religion into psychological assessment and treatment, as well as recommendations for clinical training. An overall theme of this article is that attending to the spiritual needs of palliative individuals is important to fulfill one's ethical responsibilities as a psychologist. Thus, seeking ways to ethically integrate these concepts into psychology training and practice remains an essential endeavour. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Ethical issues for psychology in the postmodernist era: Feminist psychology and multicultural therapy (MCT).

Proposes that postmodernist inquiries regarding power and authority have contributed to the adoption by some psychologists of discursive stances that are fundamentally ethical. Two of the most important schools defined by their employment of an ethical logic are feminist psychology and multicultural therapy, both of which offer "ethico-therapeutic" treatment modalities to clients perceived to be suffering from psychological wounds caused by some kind of power inequity. Essential to the success of such therapy for clients is the demand by psychologists for changes not only from clients, but from the general society. The authors conclude that the continued development of ethical discourses within psychology may help to meet many of the challenges to psychological well-being in the postmodern era. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Contracting for supervision.

The changing job market has increased the demand for psychologists to serve as clinical supervisors of other mental health service provides; however, such supervisory arrangements inevitably increase legal exposure and pose unique ethical challenges for the supervising psychologist. A detailed sample supervision contract incorporating ethical and practice standards of psychology is offered. Although such contracts may not be legally binding, these agreements help facilitate (a) an adherence to these professional and ethical standards, (b) effective supervisory practices, and (c) the quality of care for the persons receiving psychological services. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychiatric Middlemen.

If only because this is still a period when psychologists are trying to emancipate themselves from the professional yoke of the psychiatrists, it is interesting to note how many authors of texts in abnormal psychology and mental hygiene perceive psychology to be ancillary to psychiatry. One can note this trend, but college professors do not have to use texts which provide for their own professional execution or domination. One can use selected materials, or one can, with greater directness, use standard psychiatric texts. The latter procedure would at least eliminate the middlemen. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A new role for psychologists—Hospital Ethics Committees.

Over the past decade psychology has begun to appreciate that it represents more than "merely mental health care" and has become increasingly involved in the generic health care arena. The participation of psychologists in Hospital Ethics Committees (HECs) is presented as a professional activity for which psychologists are particularly well suited. The clinical mission of HECs, the historical importance of ethical considerations to psychology, and the field's specific training and psycho-social expertise suggest valuable contributions that psychologists can make in this particular area. Further, as psychology actively increases its participation in HECs, other professional disciplines outside of the mental field will systematically have the opportunity to become more familiar with psychology and its clinical and research expertise. (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)     

The ethics of psychology as a business: What is a fair return?

Addresses the ethical issues associated with establishing a fee structure in private practice based on current trends in Canadian psychology and the existing ethical codes and standards for Canadian psychologists. A number of forces impacting on the delivery and nature of psychological service in Canada are reviewed followed by a critique of relevant codes and standards. Recommendations for establishing a fee structure in private practice are provided based on the critique, alternative ethical codes, and existing literature. It is suggested that when economic necessity forces Canadian psychologists to turn to private practice as their primary source of income, potential conflict between self interest and public interest may arise. Exploration of this conflict raises many unanswered questions regarding the combination of business ethics with the ethics of psychology. To answer these questions and help resolve potential ethical conflicts, further examination and discussion amongst psychologists and their professional associations is recommended. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Preventing problems of professional competence in the face of life-threatening illness.

When a psychologist is diagnosed with a serious medical condition and faces the prospect of an arduous treatment regimen and perhaps a bleak prognosis, it may be difficult to attend to one's level of professional competence. Like their clients, psychologists are vulnerable to distress and diminished functioning caused by a life-threatening illness. Psychologists have an ethical responsibility to monitor and ensure professional competence, yet the distress and distraction that accompany serious health problems can inhibit and undermine self-assessments of competence in many ways; distressed psychologists may react with denial, shame, fear, and problematic countertransference responses. The limitations associated with evaluating competence in the context of distress are discussed and several recommendations are offered for psychologists who deliver services, support gravely ill colleagues, and serve in credentialing and regulatory capacities. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Professional ethics in rural and northern Canadian psychology.

Although the literature in rural, northern, and remote (R&N) psychology and professional ethics for this setting is limited, it is clear that this area of psychological practice presents a specific context which must be considered for ethical decision-making. Existing literature suggests that overlapping relationships, community pressure, generalist practice, interdisciplinary collaboration, and professional development concerns are aspects of R&N practice that may be more prevalent. When they are, they pose risks by complicating professional practice and the resolution of related ethical issues. This article highlights the ways that demographic and practice characteristics may instigate ethical issues in R&N professional practice. We briefly review these considerations in relation to the literature, professional ethics, the Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists (Code), and case examples from our own practices. More specifically, we discuss how the Code provides guidance in applying the ethical principles to decision-making in R&N communities. Further, we suggest practical applications for ethical decision-making acumen inherent in the Code. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

The intentional mentor: Strategies and guidelines for the practice of mentoring.

How can faculty in professional psychology programs become more intentional and effective mentors? Many psychology graduate students are never mentored, and very few psychologists have ever received training in the practice of mentoring. This article briefly summarizes the nature of mentoring, the prevalence of mentoring in psychology, primary obstacles to mentoring, and some ethical concerns unique to mentoring. The article provides several strategies to enhance mentoring and guidelines for the profession, departments of psychology, and individual psychologists who serve as mentors. This article is designed to help readers take a more deliberate approach to the practice of mentoring. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Ethical beliefs about burnout and continued professional practice.

Investigated psychologists' ethical beliefs about continued professional practice in psychology when the practitioner is experiencing burnout or impairment. 94 psychologists completed a demographic questionnaire, an attitude survey, and the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Relationships among Ss' ethical beliefs, professional practices, and measured levels of burnout were examined, and these elements were found to correlate significantly. Results also suggest that psychologists perceive burnout to be a form of impairment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)