Ethical Standards and Principles of Psychology

Principle C: Integrity

A psychologist should be upright in all areas of his or her professional life. Each psychologist is obligated to adhere to stringent standards of honesty, truthfulness, accuracy in all of his or her statements, and integrity broadly defined.

3.05 Multiple Relationships

A psychologists refrains from entering into a multiple relationship if the multiple relationship could reasonably be expected to impair the psychologist's objectivity, competence, or effectiveness in performing his or her functions as a psychologist or otherwise risks exploitation or harm to the person with whom the professional relationship exists.

6.04 Fees and Financial Arrangements

As early as is feasible in a professional or scientific relationship, psychologists and recipients of psychological services reach an agreement specifying compensation and billing arrangements.

10.01 Informed Consent to Therapy

As early as possible, psychologists inform clients about the nature of the psychotherapy relationship. Psychologists provide informed consent using language that clients can understand with ample opportunity for clients to ask clarifying questions.

4.03 Recording

Before recording the voices or images of individuals to whom they provide services, psychologists obtain permission from all such persons or their legal representatives.

8.09 Humane Care and Use of Animals in Research

Don't be unnecessarily mean and cruel to animals while doing research, where necessity only includes those instances where a significant advancement in knowledge would occur.

7.04 Student Disclosure of Personal Information

Faculty do not have the right to require disclosures of personal information, either as a course requirement or as a result of mere curiosity. Requiring student disclosures of private information is only appropriate if the requirement is listed in the admissions and program materials.

9.09 Test Scoring and Interpretation of Services

For interpretation by automation psychologists must exercise caution and accept full responsibility for all interpretive statements made. Allowing automated interpretations of assessment results to supersede psychologists' clinical judgment may result in significant errors and even harm.

1.05 Reporting Ethical Violations

If an ethical violation has been made which is likely to cause substantial harm and is not likely remediable by informal resolution, psychologists take further action appropriate to the situation.

6.02 Maintenance, Dissemination, and Disposal of Confidential Records of Professional and Scientific Work

If confidential information concerning recipients of psychological services is entered into databases or systems of records available to persons whose access has not been consented to by the recipient psychologists use coding or other techniques to avoid the inclusion of personal identifiers.

1.01 Misuse of Psychologists Work

If psychologists learn of misuse or misrepresentation of their work, they take reasonable steps to correct or minimize the misuse or misrepresentation.

1.02 Conflicts Between Ethics and Law, regulations, or Other Governing Legal Authority

If psychologists' ethical responsibilities conflict with law, regulations, or other governing legal authority, psychologists make known their commitment to the ethics code and take reasonable steps to resolve the conflict consistent with the General Principals and Ethical Standards.

1.03 Conflicts between Ethics and Organizational Demands

If psychologists' ethical responsibilities conflict with the demands of an organization with which they are affiliated, psychologists make known their commitment to the ethics code and take reasonable steps to resolve the conflict consistent with the General Principals and Ethical Standards.

10.04 Providing Therapy to Those Served by Others

In deciding whether to offer or provide services to those already receiving mental health services elsewhere, psychologists carefully consider the treatment issues and potential client's/patient's welfare.

2.02 Providing Services in Emergencies

In emergencies , when psychologists provide services to individuals for whom other mental health services are not available and for which psychologists have not obtained the necessary training, psychologists may provide such services in order that those services are not otherwise denied.

6.06 Accuracy in Reports to Payors and Funding Sources

In their reports to payors for services or sources of research funding, psychologists take reasonable steps to ensure the accurate reporting of the nature of the service provided or research conducted, the fees, charges, or payments, and where applicable, the identity of the provider, the findings and the diagnosis.

3.01 Unfair Discrimination

In their work-related activities, psychologists do not engage in unfair discrimination based on gender, age, gender identity, ethnicity, culture, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, socioeconomic status, or any basis proscribed by law.

8.07 Deception in Research

It is essential that deception only be used when no reasonable alternative exists and the potential benefits of the research are sufficient to warrant using deception. Deception is never to be used when there is a risk of physical pain or severe emotional distress occurring as a result of participation in the study. When deception occurs it must be disclosed to participants at the earliest possible time.

10.10 Terminating Therapy

Over the course of treatment if it becomes, or should become, clear to psychologists that a client is not benefiting from treatment and there is no significant likelihood that he or she will benefit from ongoing treatment, they should terminate the professional relationship. Pre-termination services should also be provided.

Principle A: Beneficence and Nonmaleficence

Psychologists always strive to hurt and not harm their clients by being aware of how what they know and don't know might affect their client.

9.02 Use of Assessments

Psychologists are careful to use tests and other assessment techniques in a manner and for those purposes for which they are appropriate given the publisher's standardization instructions and the empirical evidence of the technique's usefulness. Psychologists actively consider client culture, language, race, and other variables in determining the most valid and appropriate approach to assessment and the interpretation of assessment results

2.05 Delegation of Work to Others

Psychologists are responsible for the quality of work done by subordinates, must not delegate any tasks that are outside the boundaries of their competence or their professional role, must supervise subordinates adequately to ensure they are providing services appropriately and competently, and must ensure that all delegated tasks are appropriate for the individuals involved.

1.06 Cooperation With Ethics Committee

Psychologists cooperate with ethics investigations, proceedings, and resulting requirements of the APA or any affiliated state psychological association to which they belong.

6.01 Documentation of Professional and Scientific Work and Maintenance of Records

Psychologists create and to the records are under heir control, maintain, disseminate, store, retain, and dispose of records and data relating to their professional and scientific work in order to facilitate provision of services later allow for replication of research, meet institutional requirements, ensure accuracy of billing, and ensure compliance with law.

4.02 Discussing the Limits of Confidentiality

Psychologists discuss with persons and organizations with whom they establish a scientific or professional relationship the relevant limits of confidentiality and the foreseeable uses of the information generated through their psychological activities.

10.07 Therapy With Former Sexual Partners

Psychologists do not accept as therapy clients/patients persons with whom they have engaged in sexual intimacies.

9.08 Obsolete Tests and Outdated Test Results

Psychologists do not base their assessment or intervention decisions or recommendations on data or test results that are outdated for the current purpose. Psychologists do not base such decisions or recommendations on tests and measures that are obsolete and not useful for the current person.

9.03 Informed Consent in Assessments

Psychologists do not commence an assessment without first making sure that the client understands the basic nature, purpose, potential uses of, and techniques involved in the intended assessment process.

1.08 Unfair Discrimination Against Complainants and Respondents

Psychologists do not deny persons employment, advancement, admissions to academic or other programs, tenure, or promotion, based solely upon their having made or their being the subject of an ethics complaint.

4.07 Use of Confidential Information for Didactic or Other Purposes

Psychologists do not disclose in their writings, ectures, or other public media, confidential, personally identifiable information unless they take reasonable steps to disguise the person or organization, the person or organization has consented in writing or there is legal authorization to do so.

3.02 Sexual Harassment

Psychologists do not engage in sexual harassment.

10.05 Sexual Intimacies With Current Therapy Clients/Patients

Psychologists do not engage in sexual intimacies with current therapy clients/patients.

10.08 Sexual Intimacies With Former Therapy Clients/Patients

Psychologists do not engage in sexual intimacies with former clients/patients for at least two years after cessation or termination of therapy. Any relationship after two years must be shown to have had no exploitative origins.

10.06 Sexual Intimacies with Relatives or Significant Others of Current Therapy Clients/Patients

Psychologists do not engage in sexual intimacies with individuals they know to be close relatives, guardians, or significant others of current clients/patients; nor do they terminate therapy in order to circumvent this standard.

3.08 Exploitative relationships

Psychologists do not exploit persons over whom they have supervisory, evaluative, or other authority such as clients/patients students, supervisees, research participants, and employees.

8.10 Reporting Research Results

Psychologists do not fabricate data. If psychologists discover significant errors in their published data, they take reasonable steps to correct such errors in a correction, retraction, erratum, or other appropriate publication means.

1.07 Improper Complaints

Psychologists do not file or encourage the filing of ethics complaints that are made with reckless disregard for or willful ignorance of facts that would disprove the allegation.

3.03 Other Harassment

Psychologists do not knowingly engage in behavior that is harassing or demeaning to persons with whom they interact in their work based on factors such as those persons' age, gender, gender identity, etc.

5.01 Avoidance of False or Deceptive Statements

Psychologists do not knowingly make public statements that are false, deceptive, or fraudulent concerning their research, practice , or other work activities or those of persons or organizations with which they are affiliated.

8.11 Plagiarism

Psychologists do not present portions of another's work or data as their own, even if the other work or data is cited occasionally.

9.07 Assessment by Unqualified Persons

Psychologists do not promote the use of psychological assessment techniques by unqualified persons, except when such use is conducted for training purposes with appropriate supervision.

8.13 Duplicate Publication of Data

Psychologists do not publish, as original data, sata that have been previously published. This does not preclude republishing data when they are accompanied by proper acknowledgement.

5.05 Testimonials

Psychologists do not solicit testimonials from current therapy clients/patients or other persons who because particular circumstances are vulnerable to undue influence.

Principle D: Juistice

Psychologists exercise reasonable judgment and take precautions to ensure that their potential biases, the boundaries of their competence, and the limitations of their expertise do not lead to or condone unjust practices.

4.01 Maintaining Confidentiality

Psychologists have a primary obligation and take reasonable precautions to protect confidential information obtained through or stored in any medium, recognizing that the extent and limits of confidentiality may be regulated by law or established by institutional rules or professional or scientific relationship.

4.04 Minimizing Intrusions of Privacy

Psychologists include in written and oral reports and consultations, only information germane to the purpose for which the communication is made.

8.06 Offering Inducements for Research Participatin

Psychologists make reasonable efforts to avoid offering excessive or inappropriate financial or other inducements for research participation when such inducements are likely to coerce participation

9.11 Maintaining Test Security

Psychologists make reasonable efforts to maintain the integrity and security of test materials and other assessment techniques consists with law and contractual obligations, and in a manner that permits adherence to this Ethics Code.

10.09 Interruption of Therapy

Psychologists make reasonable efforts to provide for orderly and appropriate resolution of responsibility for client/patient care in the event that the employment or contractual relationship ends, with paramount consideration given to the welfare of the client/patient.

6.05 Barter with Clients/Patients

Psychologists mat barter only if it is not clinically contraindicated and the resulting arrangement is not exploitative.

6.03 Withholding Records for Nonpayment

Psychologists may not withhold records under their control that are requested and needed for a client's/patient's emergency treatment solely because payment has not been received.

9.01 Bases for Assessment

Psychologists must limit their assessment services to those evaluation procedures, psychological tests, and areas of assessment for which they have developed competence through appropriate training, supervision and assessment. Psychologists base the opinions contained in their recommendations, reports, and diagnostic or evaluative statements including forensic testimony, on information and techniques sufficient to substantiate their findings.

3.10 Informed Consent

Psychologists obtain informed consent before providing services and do so using language that is reasonably understandable; informed consent is designed to help others make informed, autonomous, and responsible decisions about participation in treatment, research or educational programs.

8.03 Informed Consent for Recording Voices and Images in Research

Psychologists obtain informed consent from research participants prior to recording their voices or images for data collection unless the research consists of purely naturalistic observation and will not be used for harmful purposes, or the research design includes deception, and consent for the use of the recording is obtained during debriefing.

7.03 Accuracy in Teaching

Psychologists prepare accurate and current course content. Syllabi should articulate key elements of the course. The syllabus constitutes a contract with students and is the basis on which students may decide to take a course, and therefore should be modified only when necessary and never to the disadvantage of students.

2.01 Boundaries of Competence

Psychologists provide services, teach, and conduct research with populations and in areas only within the boundaries of their competence, based on their education, training, supervised experience, consultation, study, or professional experience.

10.02 Therapy Involving Couples or Families

Psychologists providing psychotherapy to couples and families must clarify which persons are clients, specify the nature of the relationship they will have with each person, and attempt to promote the best interests of all parties involved. They must also protect the confidentiality of all parties involved unless participants waive this right.

Principle B: Fidelity and Responsibility

Psychologists recognize that their relationships and services are based heavily on trust. Psychologists also take responsibility for their actions and research.

2.06 Personal problems and Conflicts

Psychologists refrain from initiating or continuing an activity when they become aware of personal problems that may interfere with their performing work-related duties adequately and take appropriate measures such as obtaining professional consultation or assistance, and determine whether they should limit, suspend, or terminate their work related duties.

3.06 Conflict of Interest

Psychologists refrain from taking on a professional role when personal, scientific, professional, legal, financial, or other interests or relationships could reasonably be expected harm their performance as a psychologist or expose their client to harm or exploitation.

9.04 Release of Test Data

Psychologists release client test data only when a client signs an appropriate release or when required by law. When an appropriate client release or court order is presented a psychologist then determines which components of the test data and test materials may be ethically released on the basis of factors such as the potential for harm to the client misuse of the results by a person unqualified to appropriately interpret the results, and federal copyright.

7.01 Design of Education and Training Programs

Psychologists responsible for education and training programs take reasonable steps to ensure that the programs are designed to provide the appropriate knowledge and proper experiences, and to meet the requirements for license, certification, or other goals.

7.06 Assessing Student and Supervisee Performance

Psychologists serving in faculty and supervisor roles must provide timely, relevant, and helpful evaluation and feedback to students and supervisees. Information regarding this process is provided to the student at the beginning of supervision.

5.06 In-Person Solicitation

Psychologists should never engage in direct solicitation of business from either current therapy clients or potential clients. Such solicitation is seen as both unprofessional and intrusive; it has the potential to be exploitative and manipulative- especially when those solicited are vulnerable.

7.07 Sexual Relationships with Students and Supervisees

Psychologists should not have sex with those over whom they play an evaluative role.

3.04 Avoiding Harm

Psychologists take reasonable steps to avoid harming their clients/patients, students, supervisees, research participants, organizational clients, and others with whom they work, and to minimize harm where it is foreseeable and unavoidable.

9.10 Explaining Assessment Results

Psychologists take reasonable steps to ensure that explanations of results are given to the individual or designated representative unless the nature of the relationship precludes provision of an explanation of results, and this fact has been clearly explained to the person being assessed in advance.

8.12 Publication Credit

Psychologists take responsibility and credit, including authorship credit, only for work they have actually performed or to which they have substantially contributed.

2.03 Maintaining Competence

Psychologists undertake ongoing efforts to develop and maintain their competence

9.05 Test Construction

Psychologists who develop tests and other assessment techniques use appropriate psychometric procedures and current scientific or professional knowledge for test design, standardization, validation, reduction or elimination of bias, and recommendations for use.

8.14 Sharing Research Data for Verification

Psychologists who engage in research and publication of research results hold an obligation to make their data available to others for the purpose of scrutiny an verification.

5.02 Statements by Others

Psychologists who engage others to create or place public statements that promote their professional practice, products, or activities retain professional responsibility for such statements.

7.02 Description of Education and Training Programs

Psychologists who have a responsibility for the design or administration of education or training programs must work to ensure that any description or advertisement about the program is clear an accurate.

5.03 Descriptions of Workshops and Non-Degree-Granting Educational Programs

Psychologists who provide presentations such as workshops, seminars, community talks and other educational programs must make a reasonable effort to ensure that all advertisements, marketing materials, brochures, and the like are accurate with regard to content, the appropriate audience, educational objectives presenters and credentials and any fees involved.

3.11 Psychological Services Delivered To or Through Organizations

Psychologists who provide services to or through organizations should first inform all parties involved about the nature of the services provided, who is likely to be involved and impacted, the identity of the primary client, who will have access to information from the services provided, and any limits to confidentiality that exist.

8.15 Reviewers

Psychologists who review material submitted for presentation, publication, grant, or research proposal review respect the confidentiality of and the proprietary rights in such information of those who submitted it.

2.04 Bases for Scientific and Professional Judgments

Psychologists' work is based on established scientific and professional knowledge of the discipline.

8.05 Dispensing with Informed Consent for Research

Specific situations that do not require consent include studies of classroom management methods and normal educational practices in which no reasonable assumption of harm exists and studies using questionnaires, naturalistic observation or archival research methods in which rights of anonymity are protected and risks of harm are minimal.

Standard 1: Resolving Ethical Issues

Standard 1, RES

Standard 10: Therapy

Standard 10: T

Standard 2: Competence

Standard 2: C

Standard 3: Human Relations

Standard 3: HR

Standard 4: Privacy and Confidentiality

Standard 4: P&C

Standard 5: Advertising and Other Public Statements

Standard 5: A&OPS

Standard 6: Record Keeping and Fees

Standard 6: RK&F

Standard 7: Education and Training

Standard 7: E&T

Standard 8: Research and Publication

Standard 8: R&P

Standard 9: Assessment

Standard 9: A

8.02 Informed Consent to Research

This information is shared with prospective research participants to ensure that each participant's rights are respected and to ensure that he or she has adequate information to make an informed decision about participation. Psychologists must provide each of the key components of informed consent to research , participants must be given the opportunity to ask questions, and researchers must provide complete and honest answers

3.12 Interruption of Psychological Services

Unless otherwise covered by contract, psychologists make reasonable efforts to plan for facilitating services in the event that psychological services are interrupted by factors such as the psychologist's illness, death, unavailability, relocation, retirement or by the client's/patient's relocation or financial limitations.

6.07 Referrals and Fees

When Psychologists pay, receive payment from, or divide fees with another professional, other than in an employer-employee relationship, the payment to each is based on the services provided and is not based on the referral itself.

3.07 Third-Party Request for Services

When a third party requests that a psychologist provide services to another individual, heightened attention is required to ensure that all expectations and parameters regarding the professional relationship are clarified and agreed on prior to any service delivery.

5.04 Media Presentations

When asked to give an interview or make a media presentation, psychologists must be sure that their comments are valid based on legitimate evidence, consistent with the Ethics Code, and likely to further public confidence in the profession, and must also be sure to make clear that a professional relationship has not been established.

8.04 Client/Patient, Student, and Subordinate Research Participants

When clients or patients, students, or subordinates participate in research, psychologists take special precautions to ensure that no coercion occurs and that anyone may decline participation in research without any untoward consewuences

4.06 Consultations

When consulting with colleagues psychologists do not disclose confidential information that reasonably could lead to the identification of a client, and they disclose information only to the extent necessary to achieve the purposes of the consultation.

3.09 Cooperation with Other Professionals

When indicated and professionally appropriate, psychologists cooperate with other professionals in order to serve their clients/patients effectively and appropriately.

7.05 Mandatory Individual or Group Therapy

When individual or group psychotherapy are components of the training program's requirements, students are afforded the option of seeking this treatment from psychotherapists who are not affiliated with their program and who do not have evaluative authority over the students.

8.01 Institutional Approval

When institutional approval is required, psychologists provide accurate information about their research proposals and obtain approval prior to conducting the research. They conduct the research in accordance with the approved research protocol.

9.06 Interpreting Test Results

When interpreting assessment results psychologists take into account the purpose of the assessment as well as the various test factors, test-taking abilities, and other characteristics of the person being assessed. They indicate any significant limitations of their interpretations.

1.04 Informal Resolution of Ethical Violations

When psychologists believe that there may have been an ethical violation by another psychologist, they attempt to resolve the issue by bringing it to the attention of that individual.

10.03 Group Therapy

When psychologists provide services to several persons in a group setting, they describe at the outset the roles and responsibilities of all parties and the limits of confidentiality.

Principle E: Respect for People's Rights and Dignity

Whenever possible, psychologists work to support those with whom they work in making fully autonomous and independent decisions.

8.08 Debriefing

Whenever possible, research participants should be fully informed about the nature and purpose of the study. In most cases, thorough debriefing will include the real purpose of the research, the nature of any deception, and the results and conclusions of the study as soon as these are available.

4.05 Disclosures

a) Psychologists may disclose confidentiality information with the appropriate consent of the organizational client, the individual client/patient, or another legally authorized person on behalf of the client/patient unless prohibited by law. b) Psychologists disclose confidential information without the consent of the individual only as mandated by law or where permitted by law for a valid purpose.