APA Ethics Code Study Notes

General Principles (A–E)

• A — Beneficence and Nonmaleficence: Strive to benefit those served and avoid harm; consider public welfare and professional responsibilities.
• B — Fidelity and Responsibility: Build trust; accept professional obligations; consult, report, and take responsibility for actions.
• C — Integrity: Promote honesty, accuracy, and truthfulness in science, teaching, and practice.
• D — Justice: Provide fair access to services; avoid biases and boundaries that systematically limit access.
• E — Respect for People’s Rights and Dignity: Protect autonomy, privacy, confidentiality, and respect cultural differences and vulnerable populations.

At-a-glance table of the 10 major Standards

• 1.00 — Resolving Ethical Issues: Identify, prevent, and resolve conflicts between ethics, law, and organizational rules
• 2.00 — Competence: Provide only services for which you are trained and culturally competent
• 3.00 — Human Relations: Avoid harm via relationships, discrimination, harassment, or conflicts of interest
• 4.00 — Privacy & Confidentiality: Protect client information; disclose only with consent or legal/ethical exceptions
• 5.00 — Advertising & Public Statements: Be accurate and non-deceptive in public claims and credentials
• 6.00 — Record Keeping & Fees: Maintain appropriate records and transparent fee practices
• 7.00 — Education & Training: Maintain responsible supervision, fair evaluation, and ethical teaching practices
• 8.00 — Research & Publication: Protect participants, ensure integrity, consent, and accurate reporting of results
• 9.00 — Assessment: Use validated measures, protect test security, and report valid interpretations
• 10.00–10.10 — Therapy / Clinical Services: Informed consent, boundaries, termination, and ongoing care responsibilities

1.00 — Resolving Ethical Issues

Concise: Recognize and resolve ethical conflicts; give priority to APA ethics when laws conflict only after careful steps.

Detailed:

• Key obligations
  • Be aware of and follow the ethics code; take reasonable steps to resolve conflicts between ethics and law/organization policy.
  • When conflicts arise, attempt to resolve them by informing relevant parties, seeking consultation, and documenting decisions.
  • If necessary, limit or refuse services rather than violate ethical obligations.
• Example
  • A psychologist employed by an organization is asked to release client lists for marketing. They consult their supervisor, confirm legal requirements, and refuse without client consent.
• Common pitfalls
  • Failing to consult when unsure; assuming organizational policy overrides ethical obligations; inadequate documentation of decision processes.

2.00 — Competence

Concise: Provide only services within your training, make referrals when needed, maintain competence via continuing education.

Detailed:

• Key obligations
  • Practice within boundaries of competence based on education, supervised experience, or appropriate study.
  • Obtain training/supervision for new methods or populations; make referrals when out of competence.
  • Address personal impairment (mental/physical) and avoid harm.
• Example
  • A therapist treating trauma seeks appropriate continuing education before using a new trauma-focused protocol and obtains supervision during initial cases.
• Common pitfalls
  • Using unvalidated methods without training; neglecting cultural competency; delaying self-care or ignoring impairment.

3.00 — Human Relations

Concise: Avoid harming clients via multiple relationships, exploitation, discrimination, or harassment; manage conflicts of interest.

Detailed:

• Key obligations
  • Avoid multiple relationships that impair objectivity or risk exploitation. When unavoidable, take steps to protect all parties.
  • Do not engage in harassment or discrimination; respect diversity and avoid bias.
  • Disclose and manage conflicts of interest (financial, personal, research).
• Example
  • A clinician is asked to treat a close friend’s family member; they evaluate potential impairment and either decline or refer to avoid dual relationship.
• Common pitfalls
  • Rationalizing boundary crossings as harmless; under-disclosing financial or role conflicts; failing to respond to harassment complaints.

4.00 — Privacy and Confidentiality

Concise: Protect client/patient information; explain limits of confidentiality and obtain consent for disclosures.

Detailed:

• Key obligations
  • Safeguard records and communications (including electronic), disclose only with consent or as required by law/ethics (e.g., danger to self/others, abuse reporting).
  • Inform clients about confidentiality limits and procedures for record access.
  • For compelled disclosures (court orders), seek minimal disclosure and notify clients when permitted.
• Example
  • A psychologist uses secure telehealth platforms, documents informed consent for telehealth, and explains confidentiality limits (e.g., mandated reporting).
• Common pitfalls
  • Using insecure messaging or storage; not discussing limits of confidentiality; failing to redact or limit disclosures in legal settings.

5.00 — Advertising & Public Statements

Concise: Ensure accuracy and non-deceptiveness in advertising, credentials, endorsements, and public statements.

Detailed:

• Key obligations
  • Represent qualifications, services, and outcomes honestly; avoid misleading claims or unverifiable guarantees.
  • Disclose conflicts of interest in endorsements; use careful wording about specializations (only claim board certification when appropriately credentialed).
• Example
  • A practitioner lists degrees, licensure, and empirically supported treatments accurately on their website and avoids guarantees like “cure” or “always effective.”
• Common pitfalls
  • Overstating outcomes (e.g., “clients always recover”); using client testimonials without proper consent; ambiguous credential claims.

6.00 — Record Keeping & Fees

Concise: Keep accurate, secure records and communicate fees, billing, and financial arrangements clearly and in advance.

Detailed:

• Key obligations
  • Maintain records that document services rendered and decisions; follow legal and institutional retention policies.
  • Provide clear fee arrangements in writing; handle billing, insurance, and third-party payments transparently.
  • When bartering, ensure it does not exploit or harm and is handled ethically with clear agreement.
• Example
  • A clinician provides a written fee agreement, documents sessions and treatment progress, and securely stores electronic records with backups.
• Common pitfalls
  • Incomplete notes, inconsistent billing, failing to obtain written fee agreement, or accepting barter without documentation.

7.00 — Education & Training

Concise: Ensure ethical supervision, fair assessment, and appropriate instruction in educational and training settings.

Detailed:

• Key obligations
  • Provide competent supervision and protect supervisees from exploitation; clarify roles and responsibilities.
  • Teach evidence-based methods, disclose conflicts and biases, and avoid discriminatory grading or harassment.
  • Ensure trainees are supervised until competent; correct unethical behavior in trainees.
• Example
  • A clinical supervisor documents supervision plans, provides regular feedback, and intervenes if a trainee shows impairment.
• Common pitfalls
  • Vague expectations for trainees, failure to document supervision, or ignoring reports of mistreatment.

8.00 — Research & Publication

Concise: Conduct and report research honestly, protect participants, ensure informed consent, and avoid fabrication or plagiarism.

Detailed:

• Key obligations
  • Protect human and animal subjects (IRB/ethical approvals), obtain informed consent (or justified waiver), and ensure confidentiality.
  • Report methods and results accurately, disclose conflicts of interest, and assign authorship appropriately.
  • Keep data for the period required and make reasonable efforts to correct published errors.
• Example
  • A researcher preregisters a study, obtains IRB approval, documents consent procedures, and shares de-identified data per journal policies.
• Common pitfalls
  • P-hacking, selective reporting, failure to obtain consent, misuse of incentives, or inadequate data security.

9.00 — Assessment

Concise: Use valid, culturally appropriate assessment methods; secure test materials; provide accurate interpretations and informed consent for testing.

Detailed:

• Key obligations
  • Select tests with demonstrated reliability/validity for the population; interpret results in context (culture, language, disability).
  • Protect test security (no unauthorized dissemination), document test procedures and accommodations, and obtain informed consent.
  • Provide clear, understandable feedback and refrain from overinterpreting test results.
• Example
  • A psychologist administering cognitive tests documents testing conditions, notes accommodations (e.g., extended time), and explains results in plain language.
• Common pitfalls
  • Using translated tests without validation, sharing test forms online, or making definitive diagnostic statements without corroborating evidence.

10.00–10.10 — Therapy / Clinical Services

Concise: Obtain informed consent, manage therapeutic boundaries, handle termination and referrals responsibly, and attend to continuity of care and emergency situations.

Detailed:

• Key obligations
  • Informed consent: Explain services, risks/benefits, fees, limits of confidentiality, and alternatives in a way the client can understand.
  • Boundaries and multiple relationships: Avoid sexual and exploitative relationships with current clients; be cautious with former clients.
  • Termination: Terminate when objectives are attained or when services are ineffective/contraindicated; provide referrals and continuity when needed.
  • Emergency and ongoing care: Have plans for crisis management, duty to protect in imminent danger situations, and coordinate care with other providers when appropriate.
• Example
  • A therapist documents informed consent at treatment start, revisits it before major changes in treatment, and arranges a referral when relocating practice.
• Common pitfalls
  • Assuming implicit consent for new modalities (e.g., telehealth) without explicit consent; poor transition planning on termination; inadequate crisis planning.