Ethical Issues in Psychological Assessment PDF

lOMoARcPSD|5194257 • Ice doesn’t sink Week 10: Ethical Issues in Psychological Assessment Why is Code of Conduct necessary? • To safeguard: - The welfare of those who use psychological services. - The integrity of the profession. Code of Conduct for Psychologists in Australia • Psychology Board o...

lOMoARcPSD|5194257 • Ice doesn’t sink Week 10: Ethical Issues in Psychological Assessment Why is Code of Conduct necessary? • To safeguard: - The welfare of those who use psychological services. - The integrity of the profession. Code of Conduct for Psychologists in Australia • Psychology Board of Australia • Australian Psychological Society - Code of ethics - Guidelines for psychological assessment and the use of psychological tests. APS Code of Ethics • • • • Three general ethical principles Respect for the rights and dignity of people and peoples Propriety Integrity Downloaded by Jackson Pullar ([email protected]) lOMoARcPSD|5194257 - Respect for the rights and dignity of people and peoples 1. Psychologists regard people as intrinsically valuable and respect their rights, including the right to autonomy and justice. 2. Psychologists engage in conduct which promotes equity and the protection of people’s human rights, legal rights, and moral rights. 3. They respect the dignity of all people and peoples. Respect → Ethical standards - Justice - Respect - Informed Consent - Privacy - Confidentiality - Release of information to clients - Collection of client information from associated parties. Justice: - Psychologists are aware of the limitations of using English language assessment tools for the psychological assessment of culturally and linguistically diverse clients. - When psychologists are obtaining informed consent for a psychological assessment and explaining the limits to confidentiality, psychologists are aware that some clients from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds may not be familiar with these concepts. Where necessary, psychologists seek the advice of a relevant cultural consultant. - When assessing clients who are immigrants or former refugees, psychologists take responsibility for overcoming any language or cultural bias in the assessment instruments used. Psychologists are also mindful of the possibility that these clients’ previous experiences may affect their readiness to be assessed. - When psychologists conduct assessments of cognitive functioning for culturally and linguistically diverse clients, psychologists review the suitability of available assessment tools, and adapt their assessment processes to reflect accurately each client’s capabilities. Informed Consent: • When receiving a request for a psychological assessment, psychologists clarify the purpose of the request and select appropriate methods that are consistent with the purpose of the psychological assessment. Psychologists explain clearly to their client: • The purpose of the psychological assessment; • What is involved in the assessment process; • To whom any client information will be disclosed, particularly the distribution of any reports; and • How reports will be stored and the duration of storage. Confidentiality 1. Psychological assessment information is used only for the purposes for which it was first collected, and for which consent was obtained from the client being assessed. If assessment results are to be used for a secondary purpose, psychologists obtain consent from the client prior to commencing the assessment. - Propriety a) Psychologists ensure that they are competent to deliver the psychological services they provide. Downloaded by Jackson Pullar ([email protected]) lOMoARcPSD|5194257 b) They provide psychological services to benefit, and not to harm. c) Psychologists seek to protect the interests of the people and peoples with whom they work. d) The welfare of clients and the public, and the standing of the profession, take precedence over a psychologist’s self-interest Propriety → Ethical Standards • Competence • Record Keeping • Professional Responsibility • Provision of psychological services at the request of a third party • Provision of psychological services to multiple clients • Delegation of professional tasks • Use of interpreters • Collaborating with others for the benefit of clients • Accepting clients of other professionals • Suspension of psychological services • Termination of psychological services • Conflicting demands • Psychological Assessments • Research Competence: Competent conducting of psychological assessments includes, but is not limited to, the following steps: - Determining the need to undertake a psychological assessment; - Clarifying whether previous assessment data exist, and if so, whether the existing assessment data can be considered current, or a new assessment is required; - Choosing appropriate and psychometrically sound assessment procedures and, where necessary, making adaptations to allow for cultural differences; - Accurately scoring and interpreting the results; - Considering the assessment data in the context of all available information about the client, rather than interpreting assessment data in isolation; - Drawing conclusions from the assessment of the client that are based on data obtained from a range of sources; - Effectively communicating the results by oral or written feedback to the individual client, and/or by a written report to the commissioning party (e.g., to the medical practitioner, insurance company, or human resources agency); and - Making sound recommendations and decisions on the basis of the results, ensuring each component of the assessment is appropriately weighted. Psychological Assessments: B.13.1. Psychologists use established scientific procedures and observe relevant psychometric standards when they develop and standardise psychological tests and other assessment techniques. B.13.2. Psychologists specify the purposes and uses of their assessment techniques and clearly indicate the limits of the assessment techniques’ applicability. B.13.3. Psychologists ensure that they choose, administer and interpret assessment procedures appropriately and accurately. B.13.4. Psychologists use valid procedures and research findings when scoring and interpreting Downloaded by Jackson Pullar ([email protected]) lOMoARcPSD|5194257 psychological assessment data. B.13.5. Psychologists report assessment results appropriately and accurately in language that the recipient can understand. B.13.6. Psychologists do not compromise the effective use of psychological assessment methods or techniques, nor render them open to misuse, by publishing or otherwise disclosing their contents to persons unauthorised or unqualified to receive such information. • • • • Integrity Psychologists recognise that their knowledge of the discipline of psychology, their professional standing, and the information they gather place them in a position of power and trust. They exercise their power appropriately and honour this position of trust. Psychologists keep faith with the nature and intentions of their professional relationships. Psychologists act with probity and honesty in their conduct. Integrity → Ethical Standards - Reputable behaviour - Communication - Conflict of interest - Non-exploitation - Authorship - Financial arrangements - Ethics investigation and concerns APS Ethical Guidelines: Summary • Psychologists bring ethical commitment, knowledge and skills to the practice of psychological assessment and are aware of their duty of care to their clients. • They keep assessment materials and records confidential, and they seek to have current knowledge about the procedures they employ. • They are aware of the necessity of continuing education, for example, in relevant test theory and research. • They are ethical and skilled in their selection of assessment procedures, and their application to individuals and groups, the preparation of reports, and communication of results. Week 11: Self-Report Inventories What is Personality? • Personality – a complex construct that integrates all domains of psychological study - Characteristic way of feeling, thinking, perceiving, and acting What is included in the construct? • Defined by the theory underlying the measurement tool Two Major Theoretical Approaches General Process Theories • Focus is on the general process through which personality develops • e.g., Freud, Bandura, Maslow • Little on measurement or differences between individuals Downloaded by Jackson Pullar ([email protected])