Week 1: Ethics in a Changing World

Introduction

What are ethics? Are they just an application of morals or values? Are they similar to or
different from the concepts of right and wrong that you learned growing up? Do ethical
guidelines apply equally when interacting with people from diverse backgrounds? Why are they
important to psychologists? These questions form the basis of understanding the role and value
of ethics to practicing psychologists and to the consumers of psychological services. This week,
you will consider ethics in a world that is complex, diverse, and ever changing.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this week, you should be able to:

 Analyze the role of ethics in the work of psychologists

 Explain the importance and challenges of applying ethics to psychological work with
diverse populations

 Analyze ethical dilemmas in psychological roles and settings

Learning Resources

Please read and view (where applicable) the following Learning Resources before you complete
this week's assignments.

Readings

 Course Introduction (located under Course Home in the left navigation bar)

 Course Text: Pope, K. S., & Vasquez, M. J. T. (2007). Ethics in psychotherapy and
counseling: A practical guide (3rd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

o Preface (pp. xiii–xvi)

o Chapter 1, "Helping Without Hurting" (pp. 1–15)
o Chapter 15, "Culture, Context, and Individual Differences" (pp. 225–240)

 Course Text: Ford, G. (2006). Ethical reasoning for mental health professionals.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

o Preface (pp. ix–xiii)

o Chapter 1, "Introduction" (pp.1–13)
 o Chapter 4, "Models of Ethical Reasoning and Their Effectiveness in Resolving
Ethical Conflict" (pp. 55–73 only)

Supplemental Resources

 Article: Prilleltensky, I. (1997). Values, assumptions, and practices: Assessing the moral
implications of psychological discourse and action. American Psychologist, 52(5), 517–
535.
Use the PsycARTICLES database, and search using the article's Accession Number: amp-
52-5-517

Discussion

Ethics in the Practice of Psychology

Webster's dictionary defines the following terms:

Moral: conforming to the generally accepted standards of goodness or rightness in conduct or

character

Ethical: conformity to an elaborated ideal code of moral principles, sometimes specific to the
ethics code of a particular profession

Value: the social principle goal or standard held by an individual, class, or society

Virtue: implies morally excellent character traits, connoting integrity and commitment to justice

This course presumes that you have some familiarity with the concepts above, and that as you
complete a degree in psychology, which involves application of psychological concepts, you will
consider the intended and unintended impact of the work in which psychologists engage.

The various code of ethics developed in psychology are intended to provide guidance in setting
a high standard of practice, preserving the integrity of the profession, and protecting members
of the public who may be consumers of psychological services. Similarly, ethics codes are meant
to guide professionals in making decisions that provide high quality outcomes and resolve
problems for those who seek psychological services.

The integrity of the profession relies on a collective understanding of the high standards of care
that should be provided within it as well as a setting of limits to assure that services are
provided only by those who are sufficiently trained and prepared to provide them. Ethics codes
also contain information about protections for consumers. The regulation of psychological
services is also guided by laws. Increasingly the American Psychological Association's (APA)
Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct is being incorporated into state
professional practice acts for psychology, effectively making the principles and standards within
the Code the basis of legally binding obligations to protect consumers as well as providing legal
recourse if the ethical standards are violated.

Chapter 4 in the Ford text provides an overview of a portion of the history of philosophical
ideas that have created a context for the development of modern professional codes of ethics
and ethical decision making. There continues to be an ongoing debate about what philosophical
ideas are most relevant. It is especially important to promote an understanding of the
obligation to promote common good and high principles in the work of psychology.

Over the next six weeks, you will become familiar with the APA Ethical Principles of
Psychologists and Code of Conduct and will be asked to consider the ways in which it guides
ethical professional behavior and provides a foundation for ethical decision making. It is not
unusual for those who work in the field of psychology to encounter ethical issues on a daily
basis, especially because there is a tendency to work with populations whose needs for services
make them vulnerable in some manner. This course is meant to help you understand the
application of professional ethics as they apply to the practice of psychology.

To prepare for this Discussion:

• Review the lead-in to this Discussion, paying particular attention to the definitions of ethics,
values, morals, and virtue and think about the role these play within the field of psychology, as
well as how they are applied.

• Review the Preface and Chapters 1 and 15 in the course text, Ethics in Psychotherapy and
Counseling, and think about a psychotherapist's personal responsibility to not only do no harm,
but also to maintain a high level of multicultural competence.

• Think about working with diverse populations and consider what possible challenges you
might run into and how you would ethically handle them as, or if, they arose.

• Consider why ethics are important and how they are applied in various settings.

With these thoughts in mind:

Post by Day 4 an analysis of the role of ethics in the work of psychologists, with particular
attention to working with diverse populations of consumers of psychological services. Then
explain why ethics are important and what the challenges are of applying them in varied
settings with people of different ages and diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

Application: Ethical Dilemmas

Ethical and effective practice requires that those who provide psychological services regularly
reflect on their practice, and consider what they bring to the situations in which they provide
services. This includes their thoughts and feelings about the situations that they encounter, and
how they function in response to consumers' needs. Staying aware of these personal responses
helps avoid personal preferences and bias-clouding issues, and facilitates clear thinking when
considering how ethical principles and standards apply. Consistent with these expectations, it is
important for those providing services to be self-aware as they begin to address the application
of ethical principles. The scenarios for discussion in this week's readings allow you to reflect on
your personal thoughts and feelings in response to common ethical dilemmas related in
psychology.

To prepare for this assignment:

 Review Chapter 15 in the course text, Ethics in the course text Psychotherapy and

Counseling, paying particular attention to how you feel about each scenario on pages
237–240 and thinking about which morals and values were violated in each one, as well
as what steps might be taken to resolve them.

 Review the three scenarios provided below, again paying particular attention to how
you feel about each one, and thinking about which morals and values were violated.

 Review the assigned pages in Chapter 4 of the course text, Ethical Reasoning for Mental
Health Professionals, and think about ways that ethical dilemmas can be resolved.

 Choose one clinical scenario from the "Scenarios for Discussion" on pages 237–240 in
the course text, Ethics in Psychotherapy and Counseling and one from the three
scenarios provided below. Pay particular attention to what the ethical issues are and
consider what steps might be taken next to resolve them.

 Graduate Assistantship: You are a doctoral student who has been working about
20 hours a week with a small research group (four other students and a
professor) as part of your graduate assistantship. During the first two years of
your work, you conducted an extensive literature review and wrote parts of a
paper that the professor later published in a professional journal. When you
presented your summary of your literature review, you suggested that, based on
what you had learned, a test that had only been used for adults could be revised
in a manner that would allow it to be used with children. This would make a
unique contribution to better understanding children's ways of coping with
difficulty. You spent two years working on the test, and working closely with the
professor, you have drafted test items, piloted it with groups of children,
analyzed data, and written summaries of the results. A test publisher has
accepted the project and the test has the potential to be very popular and earn a
good deal of money. When you see the draft of the new test manual, you note
that your professor is listed as sole author of the new test, and your name is
listed in the acknowledgements with those of the other four graduate students,
two of whom were only involved in data analysis for the project.
  How do you feel?
 Are there values or morals that have been violated?
 What are your thoughts about your professor?
 How would you want respond to the professor about this situation?
Why?
 What are possible steps you might take next? (Pope & Vasquez, 2007)

 Urban School Psychologist: You are a school psychologist who practices in a

large urban school district. The majority of students with whom you work, come
from low income and minority families, but are quite capable of doing well
academically. Nonetheless, many perform poorly. Parents often work several
jobs and have little time to promote or support their children's education.
Teachers' pay is very low and the working conditions at schools are
difficult. Consequently, teachers are often overwhelmed and appear to put little
effort into teaching. Classroom management is lax and in many classrooms,
children do not pay attention or complete their assigned work. In an effort to
provide remedial services to help the students catch up to expected grade levels,
an administrator makes a plan for assessing the district's low performing
students and assigns the school psychologists to administer the testing. She
chooses an old version of a test (it was revised three years ago), which did not
include minority or low income students in the standardization sample. She
explains that using an older test "with middle class norms" will assure that many
children will be found to need remedial services. If larger numbers of students
are identified, a great deal of money will be given to the district. Ultimately this
money will help the low performing schools better serve their students.

 How do you feel about this situation?

 Are there values or morals that may be violated in this plan?
 What are your thoughts about your role in this plan?
 How would you and the other school psychologists want to respond to
the administrator about this situation? Why?
 What are possible next steps you might take? (Pope & Vasquez, 2007)

 Industrial / Organizational Consultant: You are an industrial/organizational

psychologist. You receive a call from a childhood friend who is now the chief
engineer and vice president for a small manufacturing corporation. While you
have not seen each other for years, he appears to know a lot about your
professional work, and says the organization needs a consultant to help resolve
some management-employee relations issues at his business. This is an area of
expertise for you, and you agree to provide the services and sign a contract. Your
first meeting occurs in your office, and the several executives who meet with you
are personable, well-spoken and appear to have many concerns for the welfare
of their employees and a commitment to fairness in their work with them. They
indicate that if they cannot resolve the issues they will be forced to move the
 manufacturing operation to Mexico. However they do not want do so since it
would further depress the economy in a struggling community. When you
actually visit the manufacturing plant, you realize there are numerous issues that
impact workers' safety. In talking with employees you find that although
management personnel are generally well-liked, the working conditions at the
plant make workers fearful for their safety and they are determined to form a
union in order to force management to make needed changes to protect the
workers.

 How do you feel?

 Are there morals or values that are violated in the situation?
 What do you consider doing in this situation? Why?
 How would what you consider doing impact the decisions of
management?
 How would what you consider doing impact the decisions of workers?
(Pope & Vasquez, 2007)

The assignment (1–2 pages):

 Following each scenario is a list of questions which are meant to guide you to "think like
a psychologist" as you begin to use a problem-solving approach to address ethical
issues. Each question for the two scenarios that you have chosen should be answered
fully in a well-crafted paragraph, with appropriate grammar and sentence structure.

Support your Application Assignment with specific references to all resources used in its
preparation. You are asked to provide a reference list only for those resources not included in
the Learning Resources for this course.

Submit your assignment to the Dropbox by Week 1, Day 7. 

Capstone Project

The Capstone Project will require that you choose an incident that raises an ethical
dilemma/issue related to the role, activities, and setting of a psychologist (e.g., therapist,
consultant, teacher, supervisor, or other role), one that requires resolution and that would
benefit from going through an ethical decision-making process.You may choose a situation that
you know about from the media, from the literature, or from your own life experiences. Please
do not choose an incident from your text or any other ethics case book.

To successfully complete your Capstone Project, you must:

 Describe the incident that you have chosen with enough detail so that someone who
has not heard about it will understand it and see that the ethical issue(s) are apparent.
 Be sure to describe the role, activities, and setting of the psychologist involved in the
incident.

 Relate, by citing the specific number, the particular ethical standards to the issue or
violation in your example.

 Complete each of the ten steps outlined in the Canadian Psychological Code of Ethics for
Psychologists ethical decision making process (pages 331–332 in the course text, Ethics
in Psychotherapy and Counseling: A Practical Guide) to explain how you might address
and resolve the ethical dilemma. Each step (1–10) should be included.

 Conclude your project/paper with a brief, written self-reflection, noting what you
learned from this assignment and what was most valuable about it.

The Capstone Project should be 7–10 pages in length, double spaced, APA formatted, and use
appropriate grammar and spelling.

A brief outline of your Capstone Project is due for Instructor approval by Day 7 of Week 3.
Please see the Week 3 Capstone Project area for requirements and submission details.

Although the Capstone Project is not to be submitted until Day 7 of Week 5, you should
become familiar with the project requirements and have them in mind as you proceed through
the course.

The Capstone Project will be evaluated according to all four indicators in the Application
Assignment and Writing Rubric located in the Course Info area. Be sure that the Capstone
Project is written using APA format.

Information on scholarly writing may be found in the APA Manual (5th edition), and at the
Walden Writing Center Web site. Also see the Walden University Policies and Information, in
the Syllabus-II, under "Policies on Academic Honesty."

The Capstone Project is due on Day 7 of Week 5. See the Week 5 Capstone Project area for
submission details.

Learning Resources

Please read and view (where applicable) the following Learning Resources before you complete
this week's assignments.

Readings

 Course Text: Ethics in Psychotherapy and Counseling: A Practical Guide

 o Appendix A, "American Psychological Association Ethical Principles of
Psychologists and Code of Conduct" (pp. 295–326)

Web Sites

 APA Divisions
http://www.apa.org/about/division.html

 American Psychological Association Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of

Conduct
http://www.apa.org/ethics/code2002.html

Note: Both course texts include the 2002 APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and
Code of Conduct.

Supplemental Resources

 Article: Knapp, S., & Vandecreek, L. (2004). A principle-based analysis of the 2002
American Psychological Association ethics code. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research,
Practice, Training, 41(3), 247–254.
Use the PsycARTICLES database, and search using the article's Accession Number: pst-
41-3-247

Discussion

Ethics in Context

Psychologists perform many roles and work in a variety of settings and the populations that
they serve can be quite diverse. Psychologists often are provided with a broad range of
knowledge and skills in their graduate training, including those necessary to provide or conduct
counseling, assessment, consultation, program planning and evaluation, teaching, and research.
Although some psychologists continue to function as "generalists" in a broad range of roles,
others go on to develop expertise in a focused repertoire of highly specialized skills allowing
them to provide specialty services, work with specific populations, and/or work in specific
settings. Professional psychological organizations have established special interest groups that
allow those with similar areas of interest and expertise to work together to enhance their own
knowledge and skills, contribute to their areas of specialty, share research, and other resources
to better serve the consumers who seek their services. As specialty areas evolve over time, the
roles associated with them are likely to become well defined.

Competency within a given area of specialty may take many years to develop, and may or may
not build upon original training received in graduate school. Some specialty areas, such as
medical psychology in which the psychologist is credentialed to prescribe medication, may
require extensive training beyond the doctoral degree and the passing of an examination to
assure mastery of the content and skills in that specialty. Other areas of expertise similarly
require extra coursework, training, practicum, an internship, and often exams, to ensure the
development of requisite skills and expertise.

Over the course of a career, most psychologists will add to their repertoire of skills, and often
develop new areas of specialty. Whether moving into a new specialty area or building skill in an
area of practice based on earlier coursework and training, psychologists perpetually are
engaged in learning to maintain and update their skills to ensure that their services continue to
be of high quality and to assure positive outcomes for those who seek their services.

To prepare for this Discussion:

• Review the APA Web site and peruse its listing and description of its 54 divisions.

• Consider whether your interests are confined to one specialty area or are spread across
several. Then read through the information for several divisions that are most consistent with
your interests and/or future goals.

• Explore a few divisions that are outside of your areas of interest to see the broad range of the
diverse possibilities in the profession.

• Revisit The Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct and review the specific
principles and standards that apply to several of your areas of interest.

• Think about what ethical issues or violations might arise in your areas of interest.

With these thoughts in mind:

Post by Day 4 a brief description of an APA division that fits your interests and at least two
roles/settings that are common to the practice within the specialty. Then, using The Ethical
Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct, briefly describe at least one specific ethical
standard that you believe could become an issue or be violated in the performance of each of
the roles/settings and explain how the standard applies to roles in the specialty area. Provide
specific examples to illustrate your points. (Thus you will select two roles. For each role, you will
select one particular standard that could become an issue or be violated, a different standard
for each of the roles.) Identify the standard by number (e.g., 9.11: maintaining test security)
and explain potential ethical issues or violations.

Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning
Resources.

Application: Comparison of Codes of Conduct/Ethics

To prepare for this assignment:

  Review The Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct.

 Identify at least one other helping profession that interests you. Go to its Web site, find
and review its code of conduct/ethics. For example, you may find it interesting to
consider how the social work or counseling codes of ethics compare to the APA's. Or,
you may wish to consider medical ethics if you are interested in working with people
who have chronic illnesses.

 Review the two codes and note similarities and differences between them.

The assignment (1–3 pages):

 Briefly describe the profession that you have selected to compare to psychology.

 Describe at least three similarities between the two codes and three differences.

 Explain what insights you had or conclusions you can draw based on your comparison.

 Explain any advantages you think one code may have over another, (e.g., which of the
two you believe would be easiest to follow, most effective) and explain why.

Support your Application Assignment with specific references to all resources used in its
preparation. You are asked to provide a reference list only for those resources not included in
the Learning Resources for this course.

Submit your assignment to the Dropbox by Day 7 of Week 2. 

Week 3: Protecting the Consumer

Introduction

No matter what roles or settings the psychologist works in, most work directly or indirectly with
people, the consumers of psychological products or services. And the ethical standards of the
profession play a role in protecting those consumers from harm and assuring that they benefit
as they "consume" these products and services. Because psychologists often find themselves in
positions of power and influence, there are potential abuse of power issues that come into
play, whether they are intentional or unintentional. This week, you will examine how the ethical
standards relate to consumer protection and learn about some of the procedures and
strategies used in the field to protect consumers.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this week, you should be able to:

  Apply ethical standards of informed consent and confidentiality to the protection of
consumers of psychological products and services

 Compare consumer protections fostered by ethical standards in the provision of services

in psychotherapy/counseling and assessment/testing

Learning Resources

Please read and view (where applicable) the following Learning Resources before you complete
this week's assignments.

Readings

 Course Text: Ethics in Psychotherapy and Counseling: A Practical Guide

o Chapter 11, "Informed Consent and Informed Refusal" (pp. 135–153)

o Chapter 16, "Confidentiality" (pp. 241–257)
o Appendix A, "American Psychological Association Ethical Principles of
Psychologists and Code of Conduct" (pp. 295–326)

 Course Text: Ethical Reasoning for Mental Health Professionals

o Chapter 6, "Ethical Issues in Psychotherapy and Counseling" (pp. 99–129)

o Chapter 8, "Ethical Issues in Assessment and Testing" (pp. 155–171)

Supplemental Resources

 Article: Fisher, M. A. (2008). Protecting confidentiality rights: The need for an ethical
practice model. American Psychologist, 63(1), 1–13.
Use the PsycARTICLES database, and search using the article's Accession Number: amp-
63-1-1

Discussion

Confidentiality and Informed Consent

When people seek psychological services, they have a right to be fully informed about the
potential risks and benefits of doing so, as well as have information about any alternative
services that may be available. In addition, they should have information about the preparation
and training of the professional who will provide the services that they seek. Once people have
all the information that they need to make an informed decision, they may then accept the
risks and seek the benefits that have been described, or they may choose to refuse the services
that have been proposed.
Based in the context of the constitutional right to privacy under the U.S. Constitution,
confidentiality is meant to protect consumers by assuring that information about them remains
private and is not shared. Consumers should have the option of deciding how much they want
to share about themselves and with whom. However, confidentiality is not a simple concept,
and there are limits to confidentiality which also are meant to protect the consumer in some
situations.

When learning how services are to be delivered, consumers need to understand the limits of
confidentiality so that they may decide whether they are willing to accept these limits.

To prepare for this Discussion:

• Review Chapters 11 and 16 in the course text, Ethics in Psychotherapy and Counseling, and
think about the ethical considerations that a psychotherapist adheres to in regards to
confidentiality issues and informed consent.

• Review Chapter 6 in the course text, Ethical Reasoning for Mental Health Professionals, paying
particular attention to confidentiality considerations reflected in the case studies.

• Think about situations or areas in which informed consent and/or confidentiality

considerations may not be clear, in other words grey areas. Think about why they are grey, and
consider how you would handle them.

With these thoughts in mind:

Post by Day 4 a brief description of a situation in which there is a grey area with respect to
confidentiality or informed consent. Describe what makes it a grey area. Explain whether the
standards that apply should be enforced. Justify your position citing the specific standards from
the APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct.

Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning
Resources.

Application: Consumer Protection 

As noted in Week 2, there is a wide range of roles and settings in which psychologists provide
services, and the APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct applies across all
of them. At times, the ethical standards appear to apply more straightforwardly in some roles
and settings as compared to others.

To prepare for this assignment:

 Review Chapter 6 and 8 in the course text, Ethical Reasoning for Mental Health
Professionals, and think about which ethical concepts apply to
 psychotherapy/counseling and which apply to assessment/testing. Consider the
similarities and the differences between what applies to psychotherapy/counseling and
what applies to assessment/testing.

 Review the APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct and Chapter 6
and 8 in the course text, Ethical Reasoning for Mental Health Professionals, paying
particular attention to how certain standards apply to each area
(psychotherapy/counseling and assessment/testing) specifically those that have to do
with consumer protection.

 Note the similarities and differences between consumer protection, as fostered by the
standards, in the two broad roles/settings of psychotherapy/counseling and
assessment/testing.

The assignment (1–2 or 2–3 pages):

 Identify and explain one similarity and one difference in consumer protections for
psychotherapy/counseling and one similarity and one difference in consumer
protections for assessment/testing, as fostered by the APA Ethical Principles of
Psychologists and Code of Conduct. Be sure to provide specific examples and cite by
number the specific APA ethical standards that you are referencing.

Support your Application Assignment with specific references to all resources used in its
preparation. You are asked to provide a reference list only for those resources not included in
the Learning Resources for this course.

Submit your assignment to the Dropbox by Day 7 of Week 3. 

Capstone Project

You are required to submit a brief outline of your Capstone Project to your Instructor by Day 7
of this week. In your outline, describe the incident that you have chosen with enough detail so
that someone who has not heard about it will understand it and see that the ethical issue(s) are
apparent. Be sure to describe the role, activities, and setting of the psychologist involved in the
incident. Also be sure to relate, by citing the specific number, the particular ethical standards
appropriate to the issue or violation in your example.

Submit the outline for your Capstone Project to the Dropbox by Day 7.

Save your outline as a ".doc" or ".rtf" file with the filename CP3+last name+your first initial. For
example, Sally Ride’s assignment filename would be "CP3RideS". Use the Submit an
Assignment link, choose the Week 3: Capstone Project basket, and then add your outline as an
attachment.
Week 4: Boundary Issues and Dual Relationships

Introduction

The work of psychologists usually requires establishing strong relationships with those who
seek services. At times it is difficult to set boundaries to maintain the professional nature of the
relationships that are formed with clients. However, there are risks to clients and other
consumers when this doesn't occur and boundaries are violated. It is the responsibility of the
psychologist to understand the risks and set boundaries that protect the consumer so that they
can benefit from services and go unharmed. This week, you will explore issues having to do
with setting and maintaining boundaries, as well as issues having to do with dual relationships.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this week, you should be able to:

 Explain boundary issues related to psychological roles and settings

 Analyze potential harm related to boundary issues

 Analyze ethical issues related to dual or multiple relationships

 Apply strategies to avoid or manage dual or multiple relationships with consumers of

psychological services

Learning Resources

Please read and view (where applicable) the following Learning Resources before you complete
this week's assignments.

Readings

 Course Text: Ethics in Psychotherapy and Counseling: A Practical Guide

o Chapter 13, "Sexual Relationships with Clients" (pp. 173–200)

o Chapter 14, "Nonsexual Multiple Relationships and Other Boundary Issues" (pp.
201–224)
o Appendix A, "American Psychological Association Ethical Principles of
Psychologists and Code of Conduct" (pp. 295–326)

 Course Text: Ethical Reasoning for Mental Health Professionals

o Chapter 7, "Organizational Settings and Special Populations" (pp. 131–154)

 o Chapter 10, "Practice and Assessment in Organizational and Business Settings"
(pp. 189–201)

 Article: Pope, K. S., & Keith-Spiegel, P. (2008). A practical approach to boundaries in

psychotherapy: Making decisions, bypassing blunders, and mending fences. Journal of
Clinical Psychology, 64(5), 638–652.
Use the Academic Search Premier database, and search using the article's Accession
Number: 31735122

Web Sites

 Dual Relationships, Multiple Relationships, & Boundary Decisions

http://kspope.com/dual/index.php

Discussion

Boundary Issues

Developing appropriate boundaries with clients is crucial when offering any type of
psychological services. To preserve such boundaries, psychologists must learn to identify and
address boundary issues that might occur in a variety of different settings. Pope and Vasquez
made several observations about boundary issues, noting that psychologists are often caught
off guard when boundary issues arise, and are therefore unprepared to respond appropriately.
For instance, many psychologists experience confusion and anxiety when confronted with
boundary issues, which can impair their ability to make ethically and legally sound decisions. To
avoid making the wrong decision and potentially harming clients, psychologists must be adept
at recognizing boundary issues when they occur and must refer to the APA Ethical Principles of
Psychologists and Code of Conduct as well as experienced colleagues if necessary.

To prepare for this Discussion:

• Review Chapters 13 and 14 in the course text, Ethics in Psychotherapy and Counseling, paying
particular attention to various types of boundary issues and how each might potentially harm
clients. Also, think about how psychotherapists might avoid and/or address boundary issues.

• Review one of two chapters from last week's reading assignment, Chapters 6 or 8 in the
course text, Ethical Reasoning for Mental Health Professionals, this time paying particular
attention to potential boundary issues in psychotherapy/counseling and in assessment/testing
settings.

• Review Chapters 7 or 10 in Ethical Reasoning for Mental Health Professionals, thinking about
the organizational and business settings where a psychotherapist might work, as well as the
special populations with whom they might work and the boundary considerations that could
arise in those settings and/or with special populations.
• Select two professional roles/settings: One from either Chapter 6 or 8 in Ethical Reasoning for
Mental Health Professionals and the other from either Chapter 7 or 10 in the same textbook.

With these thoughts in mind:

Post by Day 4 an explanation of at least two potential boundary issues that might occur within
the roles or settings that you have chosen (one from Chapter 6 or 8 and one from Chapter 7 or
10 in Ethical Reasoning for Mental Health Professionals). Explain at least one way in which
clients are potentially harmed as a result of the breaching of boundaries using the roles/settings
that you chose. Provide specific examples and cite the relevant APA ethical standards that
would be violated.

Note: Indicated the roles or settings you selected in the first line of your post. You will be asked
to respond to a colleague who selected at least one role or setting that is different than the
ones you selected.

Application: Dual Relationships 

Dual or multiple relationships may arise in a variety of situations in which psychological services
are provided. Sometimes these relationships must be avoided, and at other times they must be
managed. Therefore, psychologists must be aware of the nature of dual relationships, when
they are likely to occur, the potential risks to consumers, and how to best avoid or manage
them so that the consumer is adequately protected.

To prepare for this assignment:

 Select two professional settings: One setting from either Chapter 6 or 8 in Ethical
Reasoning for Mental Health Professionals and the other setting from either Chapter 7
or 10 in the same textbook and think about where dual relationships or multiple
relationship issues might arise.

 Review the Pope Web site, Dual Relationships, Multiple Relationships, & Boundary
Decisions, and Chapters 13 and 14 in Ethics in Psychotherapy and Counseling, paying
particular attention to the various ways that a psychotherapist can manage boundary
issues that cannot be avoided.

 Review the APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct, paying
particular attention to guidelines related to boundary issues in general and
dual/multiple relationships specifically.

The assignment (1–2 pages):

  Choose and briefly describe two roles/settings in which psychologists may
function/work (one from Chapters 6 or 8, and one other from Chapters 7, or 10 in
Ethical Reasoning for Mental Health Professionals). You may include a role you have
written about before or choose two new ones.

 Describe at least one situation in which dual relationships may arise in each role/setting.

 For each situation, explain the ethical issues related to dual or multiples relationships
that might arise.

 For each example, identify the ethical standards associated with the dual relationship
issues (use the title and number of pertinent standards)

 Describe at least one appropriate strategy for avoiding or managing the dual or multiple
roles in each situation that you selected.

Support your Application Assignment with specific references to all resources used in its
preparation. You are asked to provide a reference list only for those resources not included in
the Learning Resources for this course.

Submit your assignment to the Dropbox by Day 7 of Week 4. 

Week 5: Ethics and Leadership Roles in Psychology

Introduction

In addition to the range of roles that are consistent within particular specialty areas, some
psychologists take on leadership roles in the field. Some examples of these roles include those
individuals who train or educate other psychologists, supervise the work of others with less
experience, provide service to the profession through participation in professional
organizations, serve on licensure boards, consult, and/or engage in research that moves the
field forward as a science. When taking on a leadership role, psychologists take on certain
obligations as representatives of the profession, many of which have to do with being a model
and functioning ethically. This week, you will consider leadership roles in light of ethical
standards and principles.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this week, you should be able to:

 Apply ethical standards to leadership roles in psychology

 Relate psychological knowledge and ethics to responsible social science and citizenry
  Apply the Canadian psychological ethical decision-making process to ethical dilemmas

Learning Resources

Please read and view (where applicable) the following Learning Resources before you complete
this week's assignments.

Readings

 Course Text: Ethics in Psychotherapy and Counseling: A Practical Guide

o Chapter 12, "Assessment, Testing, and Diagnosis" (pp. 154–172)

o Chapter 18, "The Supervisory Relationship" (pp. 280–293)
o Appendix A, "American Psychological Association Ethical Principles of
Psychologists and Code of Conduct" (pp. 295–326)

 Course Text: Ethical Reasoning for Mental Health Professionals

o Chapter 11, "Ethical Issues in Teaching and Supervision" (pp. 211–216 only)
o Chapter 12, "Ethical Issues in Research" (pp. 221–251)

Supplemental Resources

 Article: Koocher, G. P. (2007). Twenty-first century ethical challenges for psychology.

American Psychologist, 62(5), 375–384.
Use the PsycARTICLES database, and search using the article's Accession Number: amp-
62-5-375

Discussion

Leadership Roles

There are a variety of leadership roles available in the field of psychology. They include training
or educating other psychologists, supervising the work of others with less experience, providing
service to the profession through participation in professional organizations, serving on
licensure boards, consulting, and/or engaging in research that moves the field forward as a
science.

Psychologists in leadership positions undertake an obligation to have appropriate preparation,

perform in a manner that represents the profession well, uphold a high standard of practice,
and be a role model for other psychologists. Integrity in performing the activities associated
with leadership roles is especially important, and the APA code of ethics provides guidance both
for resolving ethical dilemmas and for upholding high standards.
Although leaders in psychology often are perceived as having special skills and knowledge, all of
them started with the basic. Some then obtained additional training to prepare themselves for
particular leadership roles while others found that after some experience, they were in a
position to assume a leadership role which they did not anticipate. While all psychologists need
to make a commitment to lifelong learning to assure that they are providing appropriate
services, leaders have a particular need to prepare themselves for their roles. The APA Ethical
Principles and Code of Conduct helps set the expectation for ongoing professional
development.

To prepare for this Discussion:

• Review Chapter 12 in the course text, Ethics in Psychotherapy and Counseling, paying
particular attention to the lifelong implications of testing and assessment results and diagnosis
on the client.

• Review Chapter 18 in Ethics in Psychotherapy and Counseling, focusing on information related

to assuming responsibility for the growth of skills for the supervisee and the protection of
consumers who may be working with the supervisee.

• Review Chapter 11 in the course text, Ethical Reasoning for Mental Health Professionals.
Think about fairness and treatment of students and balanced perspectives in theory and
controversial issues.

• Review Chapter 12 in Ethical Reasoning for Mental Health Professionals, focusing on

information about protecting research participants and use of deception in research.

• Select a leadership role in the field of psychology and consider the activities and
responsibilities associated with it.

• Review the APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct and think about the
ethical standards that might guide a leader in this role. Also think about the ethical standards
that may be violated by a leader in this role.

With these thoughts in mind:

Post by Day 4 a brief description of a leadership role in the field of psychology, including the
activities and responsibilities of the leadership role that you have chosen. Then cite at least two
ethical standards from the APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (name
and number)* that might guide a leader in this role to operate Ethically. Finally, explain at least
two ethical standards that might be violated by someone in this leadership role, *Please use
specific ethical standards rather than general principles.

Note: Put the leadership role that you selected in the first line of your post. You will be asked to
respond to a colleague who selected a different leadership role than you did.
Capstone Project

The Capstone Project that was assigned at the beginning of the course is due by Day 7 this
week. Please be sure that your Capstone Project adheres to the criteria stated in the Capstone
Project Guidelines (also located in the Week 1 Capstone Project area and in the Course Info
area).

Submit your Capstone Project to the Dropbox by Day 7.

Save your Capstone Project as a ".doc" or ".rtf" file with the filename CP5+last name+your first
initial. For example, Sally Ride’s assignment filename would be "CP5RideS". Use the Submit an
Assignment link, choose the Week 11: Capstone Project basket, and then add your Capstone
Project as an attachment.

Week 6: Risk and Responsibility

Introduction

Because extreme situations may arise in the work of the psychologist, there is a need to be
adequately prepared to address threats and risks of harm to the consumer themselves and risks
of harm to others. The psychologist who is involved with a suicidal client bears the burden of
making decisions that may limit the client's rights in order to protect his life. Working with
consumers who may disclose information which indicates that they pose a threat to others
requires resolving a challenging situation that may compromise your relationship with the
consumer and limit their freedom, and may require a quick decision in order to protect
someone whose well-being is at risk. This week, you will learn about how psychologists need to
address issues of harm to self and others.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this week, you should be able to:

 Analyze incidents for ethical and legal issues

 Justify a position for or against providing involuntary treatment when the law and ethics
are in conflict

Learning Resources

Please read and view (where applicable) the following Learning Resources before you complete
this week's assignments.

Readings
  Course Text: Ethics in Psychotherapy and Counseling: A Practical Guide

o Chapter 17, "Responding to Suicidal Risk" (pp. 258–279)

o Appendix A, "American Psychological Association Ethical Principles of
Psychologists and Code of Conduct" (pp. 295–326)

 Course Text: Ethical Reasoning for Mental Health Professionals

o Chapter 13, "Mental Health Professions and the Law" (pp. 253–277)

Discussion 1

Responding to Risk Divulged by Consumers

Professionals may find themselves in situations where consumers disclose risks of harm to
themselves and others. It is important to have a strategy for working with this kind of situation,
which both respects and protects the consumer. Such interventions are likely to require a
careful use of the psychologist's power.

To prepare for this Discussion:

• Review Chapter 17 in the course text, Ethics in Psychotherapy and Counseling, paying close
attention to ethical responsibilities associated with assessing and protecting people who
present as a suicide risk.

• Choose one of the scenarios for Discussion on pages 277–279 in Ethics in Psychotherapy and
Counseling.

• Reflect on all of the questions related to the scenario you selected.

• Focus particularly on the following questions related to the scenario that you selected:

• For scenario #1: questions 3–6

• For scenario #2: questions 2–5
• For scenario #3: questions 3–6
• For scenario #4: questions 3– 6
• For scenario #5: questions 2–4

With these thoughts in mind:

Post by Day 3 your response to the questions that follow the scenario that you selected. Be
sure to cite the ethical standards that apply.

Note: Put the scenario that you selected in the first line of your post. You will be asked to
respond to a colleague who discussed a different scenario than you did.

Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning
Resources.

Read a selection of your colleagues' postings.

Respond by Day 5 to at least one of your colleagues' postings. Be sure to respond to a

colleague who selected a different scenario than you did. Respond in one or more of the
following ways:
Discussion 2

When Law and Ethics are Inconsistent

Sometimes the responsibilities that go along with the work of the psychologist require making
challenging decisions, especially when the law and ethics appear to conflict. Sometimes the role
of the psychologist clearly indicates what needs to happen to protect the consumer. In other
situations, it may be difficult to resolve the differences between legal decisions and ethical
responsibilities.

To prepare for this Discussion:

• Review Chapter 17 in the course text, Ethical Reasoning for Mental Health Professionals,
paying particular attention to instances where the law and ethical guidelines may conflict and
consider what you might do in those situations using the ethical decision-making model.

• Review Case Example 13.12 on page 276 in Ethical Reasoning for Mental Health Professionals,
and think about what position you would take regarding involuntary treatment for Charles
Singleton.

• Choose a position either for or against providing involuntary treatment to Mr. Singleton.

With these thoughts in mind:

Post by Day 4 an explanation of your position for or against providing involuntary treatment to
Mr, Singleton, citing any relevant moral and ethical issues that this case raises. Defend your
position using the APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct. Cite at least two
ethical standards and at least one general principle which you consider most important in this
case.

Note: Put the position that you selected in the first line of your post. You will be asked to
respond to a colleague who selected a different position than you did.

Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning
Resources.

Read a selection of your colleagues' postings.

Respond by Day 7 to at least one of your colleagues' postings. Be sure to respond to a colleague
who selected a different position than you did. Respond in one or more of the following ways: