Ethics and Professional Issues

The Ethics Code requires that a psychologist discuss the issue of fees and billing policies with a new client: A. prior to the first consultation. B. during the first session. C. when the psychologist deems it appropriate. D. as early as is feasible

D. as early as is feasible

According to the APA's General Guidelines for Providers of Psychological Services, a "user" of clinical and counseling psychological services includes: A. direct users of services only ("patients" and "clients"). B. direct users and third party purchasers of such services. C. direct users, third party purchasers, and sanctioners (people who have legitimate concern related to the provision of psychological services). D. direct users, third party purchasers, sanctioners, and public/private facilities and organizations receiving psychological services.

D. direct users, third party purchasers, sanctioners, and public/private facilities and organizations receiving psychological services. According to the General Guidelines, a "user" of clinical and counseling psychological services includes direct users, third party purchasers, sanctioners, and public/private facilities and organizations receiving psychological services.

Dr. Passe is hired by a company to evaluate an employee for promotion into a high-level position. The company manager tells Dr. Passe that the employee was evaluated six years ago prior to his last promotion, and the company wants Dr. Passe to make a recommendation based on those results without an additional evaluation. Dr. Passe is concerned that some of the information from the evaluation is no longer relevant. He should: A. comply with the manager's request since it is up to her (the manager) to decide what is relevant. B. comply with the manager's request but warn her of any potential limitations of her recommendation. C. comply with the manager's request only if the employee agrees to the conditions. D. discuss with the manager the possibility that the data are obsolete and that new data should be collected.

D. discuss with the manager the possibility that the data are obsolete and that new data should be collected.

Providing therapy to a former sex partner: A. is not directly addressed by the Ethics Code but is covered by the prohibition against multiple relationships. B. is permissible only when it is not clinically contraindicated and the chance of exploitation is minimal. C. is permissible under "unusual circumstances" when at least two years have passed since the sexual relationship ended. D. is explicitly prohibited by the Code.

D. is explicitly prohibited by the Code.

The police arrive at your office with an arrest warrant for one of your clients. They tell you that they need the client's most recent address and telephone number. You should: A. provide them with the information they request. B. make a copy of the warrant for your files before providing them with the information they request. C. tell them you will have to get a signed waiver from the client before you can release the information. D. not give them any information about the client.

D. not give them any information about the client. In order to provide any information about the client (including the fact that he/she is a client) would require either a signed release from the client or a court-order.

Which of the following statements is most consistent with the requirements of the APA's Ethics Code with regard to the use of deception in research? A. Psychologists may not deceive participants about possible risks that may affect their willingness to participate. B. Psychologists are not required to disclose any possible risks if they have taken all possible steps to reduce those risks. C. Psychologists must provide an explanation of the use of any deception in an experiment immediately after participation. D. Psychologists may not use deception in research.

A. Psychologists may not deceive participants about possible risks that may affect their willingness to participate Standard 8.07

A new client of yours, who is homosexual, tells you that he overheard his previous therapist make derogatory remarks about his sexual orientation to a co-worker. Your best course of action would be to: A. discuss his option of filing a complaint against the psychologist with the Ethics Committee. B. file a complaint against the psychologist with the Ethics Committee yourself. C. call the psychologist and tell him that your client overheard his remarks. D. provide the client with support and remind him that there are many prejudiced people in the world.

A. discuss his option of filing a complaint against the psychologist with the Ethics Committee. This is usually an acceptable course of action when a client reveals that a previous therapist has acted unethically. Note that responses b and c can be eliminated because they do not address the issue of the client's confidentiality: Before talking to the psychologist yourself or contacting the Ethics Committee, you would want to get a waiver from the client.

During his first therapy session, an Asian American client tells his non-Asian therapist that he would prefer to see an Asian psychologist. The therapist's best course of action would be to: A. discuss the issue with the client and make a referral if, after the discussion, the client says he still wants to see an Asian therapist. B. tell the client that she's had experience working with members of minority groups and suggest that they see each other for at least two or three more sessions. C. realize that the client's preference is a manifestation of resistance and tell him that she thinks it would be best if they saw each other for a few sessions before a referral is made. D. tell the client that it would be discriminatory, and therefore unethical, for her to make a referral to another therapist on the basis of race alone.

A. discuss the issue with the client and make a referral if, after the discussion, the client says he still wants to see an Asian therapist. It is never ethical to coerce a client into remaining in therapy.

With regard to informed consents in research, APA'sEthics Code: A. requires psychologists to provide potential research participants with specific information in "reasonably understandable language" prior to consenting to participate. B. requires psychologists to "ensure that potential research participants understand" the information they have been given prior to consenting to participate. C. requires psychologists to provide potential research participants with specific information prior to consenting to participate. D. requires psychologists to provide potential research participants with specific information in "reasonably understandable language" and to ensure that they understand the information prior to consenting to participate.

A. requires psychologists to provide potential research participants with specific information in "reasonably understandable language" prior to consenting to participate. The issue of language and informed consent is addressed in Standard 3.10 of the Ethics Code. It outlines the specific information that psychologists must give potential participants, therapy clients, and others as part of the informed consent process and states that the information must be supplied in "reasonably understandable language." The Code does not, however, explictly state that psychologists must ensure that participants understand the information.

A licensed psychologist who provides individual and group therapy to adolescents and adults learns that she is HIV+. In terms of ethical requirements, the psychologist: A. should refrain from initiating any professional activities that might be adversely affected by her medical condition. B. should obtain supervision to ensure that her medical condition does not impair her ability to provide effective services to clients. C. should inform her clients of her medical condition "as early as is feasible." D. is not obligated to take any special actions or precautions in this situation.

A. should refrain from initiating any professional activities that might be adversely affected by her medical condition. Standard 2.06 requires psychologists to "refrain from initiating an activity when they know or should know there is a substantial likelihood that their personal problems will prevent them from performing their work-related activities in a competent manner." Personal problems include emotional, social, health-related and other personal issues.

The APA's (2007)Record Keeping Guidelines recommends that, in the absence of superseding laws or regulations, psychologists should retain: A. the full record of an adult client until seven years after termination of therapy. B. the full record of an adult client until 12 years after termination of therapy. C. the full record of an adult client until three years after termination and a summary of the record for at least four additional years. D. the full record of an adult client until five years after termination and a summary of the record for at least seven additional years.

A. the full record of an adult client until seven years after termination of therapy. In comments on the application of Paragraph 7, the Guidelines states that, in the absence of superseding laws or institutional regulations, "psychologists may consider retaining full records until 7 years after the last date of service delivery for adults or until 3 years after a minor reaches the age of majority, whichever is later. In some circumstances, the psychologist may wish to keep records for a longer period, weighing the risks associated with obsolete or outdated information, or privacy loss, versus potential benefits associated with preserving the records." This answer is most consistent with these recommendations.

A 13-year old client tells his therapist that he wants to kill himself and that he has access to his father's gun collection. The therapist believes the boy's threat is a serious one and tells him that she will have to contact his parents. The boy gets very angry and says he thought they had agreed that everything he said in therapy was confidential. If the therapist contacts the boy's parents, she has: A. acted ethically only if the limits of confidentiality were discussed with the boy at the beginning of therapy. B. acted ethically because a breach of confidentiality is justified in this situation. C. acted unethically if confidentiality was, in fact, guaranteed to the boy at the outset of therapy. D. acted unethically if she contacts the boy's parents without his consent.

B. acted ethically because a breach of confidentiality is justified in this situation.

When conducting group therapy, you should remind group members: A. that they are legally bound to maintain confidentiality. B. that, since they are not legally bound to maintain confidentiality, they should not expect other members to do so. C. that, as members of a therapy group, they are ethically required to maintain confidentiality. D. of the importance of maintaining the confidentiality of statements made during group sessions.

D. of the importance of maintaining the confidentiality of statements made during group sessions. Standard 10.03 of the Ethics Code.

You are meeting with the parents of a teenage daughter who is suffering from an eating disorder. All of their children have attended this first session. You should: A. obtain a release of information from all family members. B. clarify at the outset your relationship with each family member. C. refer the daughter who is the identified patient for individual therapy. D. include only the parents and identified patient in family therapy.

B. clarify at the outset your relationship with each family member. According to Standard 10.02(a) of the APA's Ethics Code, "When psychologists agree to provide services to several persons who have a relationship (such as spouses, significant others, or parents and children), they take reasonable steps to clarify at the outset (1) which of the individuals are clients/patients and (2) the relationship the psychologist will have with each person. This clarification includes the psychologist's role and the probable uses of the services provided or the information obtained."

A client reveals to you that he and a friend robbed a convenience store six months ago. He says he knows that what he did was wrong and will never do it again. He also says that he notices that you "make notes" while he is talking, and he asks that you not keep any written record of the robbery. You should: A. agree to exclude information about the robbery from his file. B. determine whether the robbery is clinically relevant before deciding whether or not to include information about it in his file. C. inform the client that you are legally required to report the matter to the authorities before you actually do so. D. reassure the client that anything he tells you is confidential and will not be revealed without his consent.

B. determine whether the robbery is clinically relevant before deciding whether or not to include information about it in his file. This is the best response of those given. A similar situation is discussed by R. Woody, who notes that client records are for the benefit of both the client and the therapist and that, if the client "communicates information that is relevant to the services provided, it should be entered into the record" (Legally safe mental health practice: Psycholegal questions and answers, Madison, CT, Psychosocial Press, 1997, p. 70).

You are starting a new program for children of recently divorced parents. You tell the editor of the local newspaper (who has just divorced her husband) that her two children can attend the program for free if she puts an article about the program in the paper. According to the Ethics Code, this is: A. unethical because it constitutes coercion. B. unethical because psychologists are prohibited from compensating a newspaper employee for publicity in a news item. C. unethical only if you influence the content of the article. D. ethical as long as the arrangement doesn't compromise your objectivity when working with the editor's children.

B. unethical because psychologists are prohibited from compensating a newspaper employee for publicity in a news item. The Code prohibits psychologists from compensating employees of the press for providing publicity about the psychologist or his/her work in a news item.

You are asked to assist with a single-parent therapy group. The therapist leading the group is also conducting a study designed to evaluate the psychological problems of parents who are raising their children alone. You become aware that the therapist has not informed group participants that they do not have to be included as subjects in the research project. Your first action should be to: A. immediately discontinue your participation in the group. B. advise participants that they may withdraw from the group. C. advise the therapist that he is acting unethically. D. report the therapist to the local ethics committee.

C. advise the therapist that he is acting unethically. In terms of response to an ethical violation, the Ethics Code recommends that a psychologist first attempt an informal resolution by discussing the violation with the violator. Thus, this response is most consistent with the provisions of the Ethics Code.

At the end of her first therapy session, a middle-aged woman tells you she is presently receiving treatment from a psychiatrist. You, as an ethical psychologist, should: A. inform the woman that it would be unethical to continue seeing her while she is seeing another professional. B. call the psychiatrist to inform him of the situation and obtain his permission to continue therapy with her. C. discuss the issues related to the woman's relationship with the psychiatrist during your next session with her. D. allow the woman to decide when to terminate treatment with the psychiatrist.

C. discuss the issues related to the woman's relationship with the psychiatrist during your next session with her. Standard 10.04

Dr. Goodman has been dating Billy Bob for seven weeks when she realizes that he is the brother of a client she has been seeing in therapy for nearly three months. Dr. Goodman's best course of action would be to: A. refer the client to another therapist immediately. B. stop seeing Billy Bob immediately. C. discuss the matter with the client as soon as possible. D. do nothing until it becomes evident that the situation is creating a conflict.

C. discuss the matter with the client as soon as possible. This response is most consistent with the spirit of Standard 3.05(b) of the Ethics Code which states, "If a psychologist finds that, due to unforeseen factors, a potentially harmful multiple relationship has arisen, the psychologist takes reasonable steps to resolve it with due regard for the best interests of the affected person and maximal compliance with the Ethics Code." It may be necessary, eventually, to refer the client to another therapist or end the relationship with Billy Bob, but neither of these would be the best initial action.

A psychologist acts as both a consultant to the court and a fact witness for the defense in a criminal case. This: A. represents a clear conflict of interest and is prohibited by APA guidelines. B. represents a "multiple relationship" and is explicitly prohibited by APA guidelines. C. may be acceptable as long as the psychologist clarifies her roles with the court and the defense. D. may be acceptable as long as the psychologist gets written permission from the court to act as a fact witness.

C. may be acceptable as long as the psychologist clarifies her roles with the court and the defense Accepting dual roles (e.g., acting as a consultant for one party and a fact witness for another) may be acceptable as long as the psychologist clarifies his/her roles with both parties and acts in a way that does not compromise his/her judgment and objectivity.

According to the APA's Guidelines for Psychological Services to Ethnic, Linguistic, and Culturally Diverse Populations, when a client belonging to a different ethnic or cultural group comes to therapy, a therapist is best advised to: A. treat the client like any other person unless there is reason to do otherwise. B. alter the diagnostic and treatment processes to coincide with the client's ethnic or cultural background. C. recognize that ethnic and cultural forces can have an impact on both the therapist's and the client's psychological processes. D. refer the client to another therapist from the same ethnic or cultural background whenever it is feasible to do so.

C. recognize that ethnic and cultural forces can have an impact on both the therapist's and the client's psychological processes. Paragraph 3a states that "Psychologists recognize ethnicity and culture as significant parameters underlying psychological processes," and this refers not only to the processes of the client but also to those of the therapist (e.g., therapists must be aware of their own prejudices and stereotypes when working with clients from different ethnic and cultural groups).

The brother of a former client of yours calls you requesting that you release the client's therapy records to him. The client died several months prior to this request. As an ethical psychologist, you: A. release the records to him since he is a family member. B. release the records to him since requirements for maintaining confidentiality do not extend beyond a client's death. C. release the records only after obtaining a waiver from the executor or administrator of the client's estate. D. refuse to release the records under any circumstance.

C. release the records only after obtaining a waiver from the executor or administrator of the client's estate.

Responsibility for the validity of information provided by an automated test scoring and interpretation service lies with: A. the test scoring and interpretation service. B. the psychologist who is in charge of the test scoring and interpretation service. C. the psychologist who uses the test scoring and interpretation service. D. the test scoring and interpretation service and the psychologist who uses the service.

C. the psychologist who uses the test scoring and interpretation service. According to the Code, "psychologists retain responsibility for the appropriate application, interpretation, and use of assessment instruments, whether they score and interpret such tests themselves or use automated or other services."

Dr. Looby receives a letter from the Ethics Committee stating that the Committee has received a complaint from a current client who is concerned about Dr. Looby's office staff and procedures. The client has found two members of the staff to be consistently rude, and they have made comments to her that imply they have access to confidential information. Dr. Looby should: A. discuss the matter with the staff members. B. set up an appointment with the client to discuss the matter. C. send a letter of apology to the client and inform her that changes will be made. D. respond to the Committee in writing.

D. respond to the Committee in writing.. This response addresses the requirements of APA's Ethics Code and Rules and Procedures - i.e., both documents require psychologists to cooperate with the Ethics Committee. Specifically, Part II, Standard 8.2 of the Rules and Procedures requires psychologists to respond to charges of unethical conduct personally and Standard 9 requires full cooperation "in a timely fashion." How Dr. Looby responds to the client's charges - e.g., by talking to the client, discussing the matter with the staff - depends on the situation.

You assessed a defendant who is accused of rape using a single standardized personality inventory. The defendant's profile does not seem to be consistent with the nature of the crime. You should: A. testify as an expert witness that you believe the defendant is not guilty. B. testify as a character witness. C. should not disclose the results of this personality inventory. D. should not base a conclusion on the results of a single assessment profile.

D. should not base a conclusion on the results of a single assessment profile.

Dr. Wright, a licensed psychologist, has been seeing Aimee Ames in individual therapy for nearly six months. Aimee has just decided to divorce her husband and asks Dr. Wright if he will conduct custody evaluations of her three children. As an ethical psychologist, Dr. Wright: A. should conduct the custody evaluations only if he obtains the consent of Mr. Ames. B. should conduct the custody evaluations only if he also evaluates Mr. Ames. C. should conduct the custody evaluations only if he determines that his professional relationship with Mrs. Ames will not interfere with his objectivity. D. should not conduct the custody evaluations.

D. should not conduct the custody evaluations.

"Vicarious liability" is most likely to be of concern when a psychologist is acting in the role of: A. collaborator. B. consultant. C. advocate. D. supervisor.

D. supervisor.

The best predictor of whether a client will become sexually involved with a therapist is: A. the client's level of physical attractiveness. B. the client's history of sexual abuse. C. the therapist's professional experience and status. D. the therapist's past history with regard to sexual involvement with a client.

D. the therapist's past history with regard to sexual involvement with a client. The research shows that recidivism rates for sexual misconduct among therapists are quite high, leading to the conclusion that a therapist's history with regard to sexual involvement with clients is the best predictor of future involvement.

During her first therapy session, a client tells you that she wants to pay for her sessions in cash and that she doesn't want you to keep a record of her sessions or payments. If you agree to this arrangement: A. you are acting ethically as long as you ascertain that her reason for making this request is valid. B. you are acting ethically since it is up to you to decide what to include in a client's records. C. you are acting ethically and legally as long as you report her payments as income on your income tax forms. D. you are acting unethically and possibly illegally.

D. you are acting unethically and possibly illegally. Record Keeping Guidelines states that a "psychologist strives to maintain accurate, current, and pertinent records of professional services as appropriate to the circumstances and may be required by the psychologist's jurisdiction"; and Standard 6.01 of the APA's (2002) Ethic Code presents reasons why it is important for psychologists to create and maintain adequate records.