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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Standard 1: Resolving Ethical Issues
Standard 1, RES
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Standard 2: Competence
Standard 2: C
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.
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.
2.03 Maintaining Competence
Psychologists undertake ongoing efforts to develop and maintain their competence
2.04 Bases for Scientific and Professional Judgments
Psychologists' work is based on established scientific and professional knowledge of the discipline.
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.
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.
Standard 3: Human Relations
Standard 3: HR
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.
3.02 Sexual Harassment
Psychologists do not engage in sexual harassment.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Standard 4: Privacy and Confidentiality
Standard 4: P&C
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.
4.02 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Standard 5: Advertising and Other Public Statements
Standard 5: A&OPS
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Standard 6: Record Keeping and Fees
Standard 6: RK&F
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.
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.
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.
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.
6.05 Barter with Clients/Patients
Psychologists mat barter only if it is not clinically contraindicated and the resulting arrangement is not exploitative.
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.
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.
Standard 7: Education and Training
Standard 7: E&T
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.
7.02 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
7.07 Sexual Relationships with Students and Supervisees
Psychologists should not have sex with those over whom they play an evaluative role.
Standard 8: Research and Publication
Standard 8: R&P
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Standard 9: Assessment
Standard 9: A
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
9.09 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.
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.
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.
Standard 10: Therapy
Standard 10: T
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.
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.
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.
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.
10.05 Sexual Intimacies With Current Therapy Clients/Patients
Psychologists do not engage in sexual intimacies with current therapy clients/patients.
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.
10.07 Therapy With Former Sexual Partners
Psychologists do not accept as therapy clients/patients persons with whom they have engaged in sexual intimacies.
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.
10.09 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.
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.