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Ethics Assessment

The document discusses ethical considerations in psychological assessment and therapy through various case studies. It highlights issues such as informed consent, undue pressure, confidentiality, and the importance of appropriate treatment options for clients. The cases illustrate the complexities psychologists face when balancing client welfare, parental rights, and ethical standards in practice.

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4 views10 pages

Ethics Assessment

The document discusses ethical considerations in psychological assessment and therapy through various case studies. It highlights issues such as informed consent, undue pressure, confidentiality, and the importance of appropriate treatment options for clients. The cases illustrate the complexities psychologists face when balancing client welfare, parental rights, and ethical standards in practice.

Uploaded by

bckarayel23
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Ethics in Research and

Practice of Psychology

Recitation 10
Özgün Özakay
1. Ethics in
Assessment
CASE 1
Mr. and Mrs. Mean’s son, Mark aged 3 years, was diagnosed with severe
autism. Consequently, they placed him in an inpatient facility for
treatment. Mark’s symptoms included head banging and other self-
injurious behavior. Although several treatments were tried after his
admission, none were successful. After about 6 months, Dr. Smith, the
chief psychologist at the facility, approached the parents. She informed
them that all of the conventional treatments had failed but that the staff
would like to try an experimental, electroshock therapy. She indicated
that they would have to sign a special form giving them consent to use
the treatment. She indicated this was the only alternative that had any
possibility of helping Mark. In addition, she told them that if they did not
give permission, they would have to move Mark out of the facility
because he was becoming too difficult to control. Mr. and Mrs. Mean felt
confused and concerned about the use of a painful treatment with their
child, who was still a toddler. They also felt “on the spot” because the
only alternative treatment facility was over 100 miles away.
Reluctantly, they signed the agreement. On returning home, however, they
called Dr. Samuels, the psychologist who initially diagnosed Mark. He
indicated that although he had not seen Mark’s treatment history, there
were several new treatments that had been successful with children like
Mark. He also recommended another hospital where these treatments were
being used. On the basis of this information, the Means decided to move
Mark to the new facility, even though it was further from their home.
CASE 2

A 52-year-old developmentally delayed adult who has been institutionalized most of


his life has recently been tested by a new psychologist in the institution. The
psychologist determines that the retardation is not as severe as previously thought.
On examining the case file, the psychologist believes that the client has suffered
from incompetent assessment as well as neglect. The psychologist recommends
moving him to a community care home where he may develop some life skills that
promote more independence and a different kind of life for him. This will save the
state about $50,000 a year and relieve overcrowding on the ward. In a pre-placement
interview, the client tells the psychologist that the institution is his home and he begs
not to leave it. As the date of his transfer nears, he begins to exhibit symptoms of
severe depression.
CASE 3

Dr. Anya Sharma is contacted by the Human Resources department of a large manufacturing
company. The company wants Dr. Sharma to perform a psychological evaluation of an
employee, Mr. Ben Carter, who is returning to work after an extended medical leave for stress
and anxiety. The HR representative provides Dr. Sharma with Mr. Carter's job description, recent
performance reviews noting some interpersonal difficulties, and a brief summary from his
primary care physician stating he is medically cleared to return. The HR representative
emphasizes that the company needs to ensure Mr. Carter is "stable" and "not a risk" to other
employees and asks for a clear recommendation on whether he is fit to return to his specific
role, ideally based primarily on objective personality testing. They also suggest that if the test
results show any signs of "sensitivity" or "anxiety," he might be better suited for a less
demanding position. Dr. Sharma is told that Mr. Carter has been informed the assessment is a
"standard procedure" for employees returning from extended leave.
Some Considerations

● Purpose and Context of Assessment


● Selecting Appropriate Tests
● Insufficient Information
● Undue influence/Pressure
● Informed Consent
● Psychologist’s Competence
● Interpreting Results
● Avoiding Exploitation / Conflicts of Interest
2. Ethics in
Therapy
CASE 1
A counselor has been providing individual therapy to a 15-year-old girl whose parents
are concerned about her recently declining school performance and her withdrawal
from many social activities. At the outset of the treatment, the parents agreed to the
counselor's recommendation that their daughter's treatment be kept confidential
unless she was a danger to herself or to others. This meant that, even though the
parents legally have a right to access information regarding their minor child's
treatment, they wished to respect the therapeutic relationship and not request
information. Several weeks into therapy, the daughter has disclosed that she is
involved in a sexual relationship with a 20-year-old male, who has also introduced her
to cocaine. Although the adolescent client is not threatening to harm herself or anyone
else, her behaviors are not only risky, but have potentially life-altering consequences.
The counselor wonders at what point confidentiality must be sacrificed so that the
child's parents can take steps to protect her.
CASE 2
Mary started seeing Dr. Sinski at a mental health center. She admitted lying about her age on the
intake forms so that she could get treatment without her mother's knowledge. She was only 17 years
old, but the legal age for consent in that state was 18 years. She told the therapist that she was
worried about her sexuality and it was making her so anxious and upset, it was interfering with her
sleep. Dr. Sinski told Mary he had to inform her mother that she was seeking treatment, but that the
only time he would break confidentiality and talk with her mother was if he thought she was a danger
to herself or to others or if he discovered she was being abused. They agreed that Mary would tell her
mother that she needed help because she was having difficulty sleeping. Mary agreed to treatment
under those circumstances, and her mother gave legal permission for Mary's treatment with the same
limitations. As Mary got into treatment, she confided being attracted to some girls at her school and
being fearful that she was a lesbian. Dr. Sinski worked with Mary for several weeks to establish a
noncoercive environment in which she could explore her sexuality. At one point, however, Mary's
mother called and accused Dr. Sinski of breaking his promise. She had found out that Mary was talking
to him about "sexual deviance," which was a "danger" to Mary's soul. She demanded that Dr. Sinski
either stop seeing Mary or stop talking about that "homosexuality stuff" with her (Sobocinski 1990).

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