APA Ethics Code: Quick Reference Notes

Origins of the Ethics Code

• First APA Committee on Ethical Standards appointed in $1947$.
• Second committee identified major ethical themes from incidents submitted by APA members.
• Final draft adopted by APA in $1952$ and published in $1953$.

Purpose of the Ethics Code

• Objectives guiding revisions:
  • $Establishing the integrity of a profession$
  • $Education and professional socialization$
  • $Public trust$
  • $Enforcement value$

Aspirational Principles and Enforceable Standards

• Ethical Code forms:
  • Aspirational code
  • Educational code
  • Enforceable code
• $1992$ revision: first to clearly distinguish aspirational principles from enforceable standards

The 2010 Amendments: Controversy Over Interrogations

• Controversy over psychologists in consultative roles to interrogation and information-gathering for national security purposes

The 2010 Amendments: Specific Changes

• $June 1, 2010$: APA amended Standards $1.02$ and $1.03$ to prohibit activities that would justify or defend violating human rights

Format and Distinctive Features of the APA Ethics Code

• Why separate General Principles from Enforceable Standards?
  • General Principles express core moral values of the profession
  • The $151$ standards are behaviorally specific and enforceable by the APA Ethics Committee and others who adopt the Code

General and Area-Specific Standards

• General standard sections:
  1. Resolving Ethical Issues
  2. Competence
  3. Human Relations
  4. Privacy and Confidentiality
  5. Advertising and Other Public Statements
  6. Record Keeping and Fees

Specialized Activities Sections

• Education and Training
• Research and Publication
• Assessment
• Therapy

General Standards Apply Across Activities

• Standards in the first six general sections apply to all psychological activities, not confined to a single domain

Forensic Psychology and Organization Contexts

• Forensic psychologists must conform to relevant general and area-specific standards
• Forensic/court-related activities referenced in standards: $2.01f$, $3.05c$, $3.10c$, $9.01a$, $9.03c$, $9.04b$, $9.10$, $9.11$, and $10.02b$
• Work with organizations: refer to $3.11$; other relevant standards include $1.03$, $3.07$, $5.01$, $8.05$, and $9.03$

HMOs, ACA, and Integrated Care Implications

• HMOs: addressed throughout the Ethics Code; implications for record keeping and fees discussed in Chapter $9$; relevant to privacy/confidentiality and informed consent
• ACA/integrated care: Chapter $5$, Standard $2.03$ Maintaining Competence; Standard $2.04$ Bases for Scientific and Professional Judgments

Military, Law Enforcement, and Correctional Contexts

• Military and correctional contexts have unique ethical challenges when code requirements conflict with laws/policies
• Standards applicable include $1.02$ and $1.03$ among others

Administrators and Faculty Responsibilities

• The Code includes standards to highlight responsibilities of university administrators and faculty and to strengthen protections for students
• Relevant standards: $7.01$, $7.02$, $7.04$, $7.06$, $7.05a$, $7.05b$, $7.07$, $8.04$, and $8.12c$

Internet and Electronically Mediated Research/Services

• Standards applicable to online/digital activities: $3.10a$, $4.02c$, $5.01a$, $5.04$

Informed Consent in Research, Assessment, and Therapy

• Primary means of protecting rights and welfare
• General standard on informed consent outlines required information in all procedures
• Steps to protect rights of children and adults with cognitive impairments (Standard $3.10$)

Waiving Informed Consent

• Informed consent may be waived in specific situations
• Refer to Standards $3.10a$, $8.05$, $9.03a$, and $10.01$

Individual and Cultural Diversity in Ethics

• Principal D (Justice) and Principal E (Respect for People’s Rights and Dignity)
• Enforceable standards to ensure fair treatment of all individuals regardless of age, gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, language, or socioeconomic status

APA Ethics Code vs Guidelines

• Guidelines from APA/other organizations can be useful in applying the Code but are not listed in the current Code

Reporting Ethics Violations

• Informal resolution may be appropriate (Standard $1.04$)
• Formal reporting required if an ethical violation has or is likely to result in substantial harm, informal resolution is not appropriate, and confidentiality concerns are not violated (Standard $1.05$)
• Also reference Standards $1.07$ and $1.08$ regarding reporting complaints