Question

Explain the differences between the ethical standards for clients being treated by psychologists in counseling sessions and the standards for conducting psychological research with human participants.

Answer 1

• Ethical standards for clients being treated by psychologists in counseling sessions-
• Psychologists provide services, teach, and conduct research only within the boundaries of their competence, based on their education, training, supervised experience, or appropriate professional experience.
• Where differences of age, gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, language, or socioeconomic status significantly affect psychologists' work concerning particular individuals or groups, psychologists obtain the training, experience, consultation, or supervision necessary to ensure the competence of their services, or they make appropriate referrals.
• In their work-related activities, psychologists respect the rights of others to hold values, attitudes, and opinions that differ from their own.
• Psychologists recognize that their personal problems and conflicts may interfere with their effectiveness. Accordingly, they refrain from undertaking an activity when they know or should know that their personal problems are likely to lead to harm to a patient, client, colleague, student, research participant, or other person to whom they may owe a professional or scientific obligation.
  
• Psychologists have a primary obligation and take reasonable precautions to respect the confidentiality rights of those with whom they work or consult, recognizing that confidentiality may be established by law, institutional rules, or professional or scientific relationships.
• Psychologists also may disclose confidential information with the appropriate consent of the patient or the individual or organizational client (or of another legally authorized person on behalf of the patient or client), unless prohibited by law.
• Standards for conducting psychological research with human participants-
• Summarized below are the Ethical guidelines for research with human subjects, which were published by the American Psychological Association in 1981.
• In planning research, it is the researcher’s responsibility to evaluate and ensure its ethical acceptability, to obtain ethical advice when needed, and to apply careful safeguards to protect participants’ rights.
• A primary concern of the investigator is to determine whether the procedures will place participant at risk.
• It is the investigator’s responsibility to ensure ethical practice, including that of all collaborators, assistants, employees, and students.
• Informed consent must be obtained from all participants prior to the research. If potential participants cannot give consent, such as children, informed consent must be obtained from a responsible surrogate, such as a parent.
• If deception is necessary, full disclosure must be made as soon as possible after completion of the research.
• Participants’ freedom to decline or to withdraw at any time must be fully respected by the investigator.
• Participants must be protected from physical and mental harm. The investigator must provide participants with ways to contact the investigator at any time after completion of the research, should questions arise.
• After data collection, full disclosure. explanation, and answers to any questions raised by participants must be provided.
• It is the researcher’s responsibility to detect and to remove any negative effects of the research, including long-term consequences.
• All information obtained must be held in confidentiality.