Competence: Ethical Standards

Competence
2.01 Boundaries of Competence

(a) Psychologists provide services, teach, and con- duct 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.

(b) Where scientific or professional knowledge in the discipline of psychology establishes that an understand- ing of factors associated with age, gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, religion, sexual ori- entation, disability, language, or socioeconomic status is essential for effective implementation of their services or research, psychologists have or obtain the training, experi- ence, consultation, or supervision necessary to ensure the competence of their services, or they make appropriate re- ferrals, except as provided in Standard 2.02, Providing Ser- vices in Emergencies.

(c) Psychologists planning to provide services, teach, or conduct research involving populations, areas, techniques, or technologies new to them undertake rel- evant education, training, supervised experience, consulta- tion, or study.

(d) When psychologists are asked to provide servic- es to individuals for whom appropriate mental health ser- vices are not available and for which psychologists have not obtained the competence necessary, psychologists with closely related prior training or experience may provide such services in order to ensure that services are not denied if they make a reasonable effort to obtain the competence required by using relevant research, training, consultation, or study.

(e) In those emerging areas in which generally rec- ognized standards for preparatory training do not yet exist, psychologists nevertheless take reasonable steps to ensure the competence of their work and to protect clients/pa- tients, students, supervisees, research participants, organi- zational clients, and others from harm.

(f) When assuming forensic roles, psychologists are

or become reasonably familiar with the judicial or adminis- trative rules governing their roles.

2.02 Providing Services in Emergencies

In emergencies, when psychologists provide ser- vices to individuals for whom other mental health services are not available and for which psychologists have not ob- tained the necessary training, psychologists may provide such services in order to ensure that services are not denied. The services are discontinued as soon as the emergency has ended or appropriate services are available.

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 upon established scien- tific and professional knowledge of the discipline. (See also Standards 2.01e, Boundaries of Competence, and 10.01b, Informed Consent to Therapy.)

2.05 Delegation of Work to Others

Psychologists who delegate work to employees, supervisees, or research or teaching assistants or who use the services of others, such as interpreters, take reasonable steps to (1) avoid delegating such work to persons who have a multiple relationship with those being served that would likely lead to exploitation or loss of objectivity; (2) authorize only those responsibilities that such persons can be expected to perform competently on the basis of their education, training, or experience, either independently or with the level of supervision being provided; and (3) see that such persons perform these services competently. (See also Standards 2.02, Providing Services in Emergencies; 3.05, Multiple Relationships; 4.01, Maintaining Confiden- tiality; 9.01, Bases for Assessments; 9.02, Use of Assess- ments; 9.03, Informed Consent in Assessments; and 9.07, Assessment by Unqualified Persons.)

2.06 Personal Problems and Conflicts

(a) Psychologists refrain from initiating an activity when they know or should know that there is a substantial likelihood that their personal problems will prevent them from performing their work-related activities in a compe- tent manner.

(b) When psychologists become aware of personal problems that may interfere with their performing work- related duties adequately, they take appropriate measures, such as obtaining professional consultation or assistance, and determine whether they should limit, suspend, or ter- minate their work-related duties. (See also Standard 10.10, Terminating Therapy.)