Module 2: Ethical Decision Making

What are the 4 elements required to practice in an ethical manner?

1. Engagement in a continual, active process of ethical awareness

2. Realising that an understanding of ethical codes and legal frameworks is necessary, but not sufficient, for exercising ethical responsibility

3. The ability to see ethical implications in specific situations and choices

4. The ability to critically evaluate ethical dilemmas and identify options for resolution

What are some considerations that can make resolving ethical dilemmas difficult?

• Moral principles and personal values

• Clinical and cultural factors

• Professional code of ethics

• Agency or employer policies

• Federal, state and local statutes

• Rules and regulations

• Case law

The APS code of ethics expresses psychologist’s responsibilities to:

• Clients

• Community and society

• Profession

• Colleagues and members of other professions with whom they interact

What are the 3 overarching principles of the APS code of ethics?

a) Respect for the rights and dignity of people and peoples

b) Propriety

c) Integrity

True or False: Extensive knowledge of the APS code of ethics will ensure ethical decision making in any given scenario

False

• Memorising and rigidly applying codes is idealic and does not consider the nuance involved in ethical dilemmas

• Decision making in these situations often involves being at odds with multiple principles

True or False: In ethical decision making, the client’s interests should always come first

False

• Ethics exist to protect clients, professionals, the wider community and the profession as a whole.

• The most important thing here is considering the breath of implications and consequences of an ethical decision.

True or False: The most difficult part of ethical decision making is identifying what the issue is

True

• It is a skill in itself to critically appraise the situation at hand

• Our values and beliefs can influence whether we actually appraise a situation as unethical and identify a dilemma

• This is where ethical traps come into play!

What is the purpose/intention of the APS Code of Ethics?

It articulates and promotes ethical principles and sets specific standards to guide both psychologists and members of the public

• It provides minimum expectations in regard to professional conduct.

  • This means the principles outlined in the code are not exhaustive, and every standard should be interpreted with reference to law and organisational rules and procedures

Ethical Guidelines

A set of recommendations and guidelines that complement and extend the code of ethics

• Provided to give more detailed accounts or insights into working with people from particular demographics, contexts or backgrounds

I.e. LGBTQ+, older adults, working in the media, record keeping

Define Multiple Relationships

Occurs when a psychologist, who is providing psychological care to a client, also is (or has been):

• In a non-professional relationship with the same client (i.e. a friend)

• In a different professional relationship with the same client (I.E. THE CLIENT IS INVESTING IN YOUR SIDE HUSTLE)

• In a non-professional relationship relationship with an associated party (i.e. your client is your friend’s partner)

• A recipient of a service provided by the same client (i.e. seeing your doctor as a client)

What are 7 steps for ethical practice?

• Know the code of ethics

• Know applicable state and federal laws (all codes must be interpreted in relation to these!)

• Know the rules and regulations of the setting in which you work

• Learn to identify situations with potential ethical problems

• Learn to identify potential ‘ethical traps’

• Learn a method for problem solving ethical dilemmas in complex situations

• Consult colleagues and supervisors who are knowledgable in ethics

What is step 1 in the ethical decision making procedure

Identify the problem

• This requires critical analysis and a lot of knowledge of self to be able to do in the first place!

• You want to try and have as much background knowledge of the profession, standards and ethical codes to actually to this

• We too often rely on heuristics and values, that sometimes we don’t see the problem in the first place

Once you have determined the ethical principles that are relevant to the situation and whether there has been (or could be) a breach, what is the next step in the ethical decision making process?

Identifying and critically assessing your initial idea for action

• What are the implications and consequences of this?

• For whom?

• How might our personal values and morals be influencing this decisions, in both bad and good ways?

• What ethical traps may we be falling into?

Once you have stepped back and analysed these things (as well as discussing these with your supervisor), you can then evaluate the best possible solution.