Ethical Practice in Psychology: Reflections from the creators of the APS Code of Ethics

225 Pages·2010·1.11 MB·English

by  Alfred Allan

Ethical Practice in Psychology
Refl ections from the creators of the APS
Code of Ethics
Edited by Alfred Allan and Anthony Love
A John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., Publication
This edition fi rst published 2010
© 2010 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Code of Ethics in Appendix
© The Australian Psychological Society Limited
Wiley-Blackwell is an imprint of John Wiley & Sons, formed by the merger of Wiley’s global
Scientifi c, Technical, and Medical business with Blackwell Publishing.
Registered Offi ce
John Wiley & Sons Ltd, The Atrium, Southern Gate, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 8SQ, UK
Editorial Offi ces
The Atrium, Southern Gate, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 8SQ, UK
9600 Garsington Road, Oxford, OX4 2DQ, UK
350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148-5020, USA
For details of our global editorial offi ces, for customer services, and for information about how
to apply for permission to reuse the copyright material in this book please see our website at
www.wiley.com/wiley-blackwell.
The right of the editors to be identifi ed as the author of this work has been asserted in
accordance with the UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,
or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording
or otherwise, except as permitted by the UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, without
the prior permission of the publisher.
Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in
print may not be available in electronic books.
Designations used by companies to distinguish their products are often claimed as trademarks.
All brand names and product names used in this book are trade names, service marks,
trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. The publisher is not associated
with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. This publication is designed to provide
accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold
on the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering professional services.
If professional advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent
professional should be sought.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Ethical practice in psychology : refl ections from the creators of the APS Code of Ethics / edited
by Alfred Allan and Anthony Love.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-470-68365-1 (pbk.)
1. Psychologists–Professional ethics. 2. Professional ethics. I. Allan, Alfred. II. Love, A.
(Anthony), 1950–
BF76.4.E818 2010
174′.915–dc22
2009043697
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Set in 10 on 12 pt Minion by Toppan Best-set Premedia Limited
Printed and bound in Singapore by Markono Print Media Pte Ltd
1 2010
Contents
List of Tables vii
Notes on Contributors ix
Foreword xiii
Preface xvii
1 Introduction 1
Alfred Allan
2 The Development of the 2007 Code 13
Alfred Allan and Mick Symons
3 The Functionality of the Australian Psychological Society’s 25
1997 and 2007 Codes of Ethics
Alfred Allan
4 Is a Psychologist Always a Psychologist, Ethically? 41
Some Observations Through a Wide Lens
William Warren
5 The Australian Psychological Society’s 2007 Code of Ethics: 53
An Observer’s Perspective
David Collier
6 The Principles that Underlie the 2007 Code 61
Alfred Allan
7 Consent, Privacy and Confi dentiality 77
Graham R. Davidson, Alfred Allan and Anthony W. Love
vi Contents
8 The 2007 APS Code in Relation to Professional Ethics Education 93
Anthony W. Love
9 Exploration of Psychologists’ Social Responsibilities:
How Does the 2007 APS Code of Ethics Measure Up? 103
Graham R. Davidson
10 Reviewing the APS Code of Ethics with Young People in Mind 123
Marie R. Joyce
11 Boundaries and Multiple Relationships 135
Sabine Hammond
12 The Regulation of Sexual Activity Between Psychologists and 149
Their Clients and Former Clients
Alfred Allan and Donald M. Thomson
13 Looking Forward 161
Anthony W. Love and Alfred Allan
Appendix: Code of Ethics 171
Index 203
List of Tables
Table 2.1 Papers presented at Roundtable meeting 15
Table 2.2 Structure of the 2007 Code of Ethics 22
Table 6.1 Principles in the authors ’ model 62
Table 6.2 Codes reviewed 64
Table 6.3 Shared principles 64

Notes on Contributors
Alfred Allan , LLB PhD, is Professor of Psychology at Edith Cowan University,
Australia. He is a member of the inaugural Psychology Board of Australia, the
former Chair of the Ethics Committee of the Australian Psychological Society
(APS), a former member of the Ethical Guidelines Committee of the APS and
a former Chair of the Ethics Committee of the Psychological Society of South
Africa. He is a member of a number of Institutional Ethics and Disciplinary
Committees. He is the author of two books on ethics and law in psychological
practice.
David Collier is currently the Chief Executive Offi cer of the Australian Insti-
tute of Radiography and is the former Chief Executive Offi cer of the Psy-
chologists Registration Board of Victoria, a position he held for fi ve years. In
this role he was intimately involved in the registration of psychologists and the
investigation and adjudication of complaints. He is also a former chair of the
Council of Psychologists Registration Boards of Australasia.
Graham R. Davidson , PhD, is an Emeritus Professor of Central Queensland
University, where he was Foundation Professor of Psychology from 1997–
2 004, writing and teaching in the areas of research and professional ethics. He
is a Fellow of the Australian Psychological Society and has served as Chair of
the APS Ethics Committee, a Member of the APS Ethical Guidelines Advisory
Group, Editor of the A ustralian Psychologist , and as APS Director of Com-
munications and APS Director of Social Issues. He has also served on the
Northern Territory Psychologists Registration Board and the Queensland
Psychologists Board.
x Notes on Contributors
Anthony W. Love, BA (Hons), MA (Clin Psych), Dip Ed (Tert), PhD, is Pro-
fessor of Psychology at the University of Ballarat. He is deeply interested in the
ethics of psychological practice and has been a member of a number of Insti-
tutional research ethics committees as well as the Ethics Committee of the
Australian Psychological Society. He teaches ethics and has done so to students
at all levels, from fi rst year through to professional doctorate, as he is a fi rm
supporter of the value of integrating ethics across all areas of psychological
curricula.
Sabine Hammond, PhD, is Associate Professor and Head of the national
School of Psychology at the Australian Catholic University. She is a former
member of the Ethics Committee of the Australian Psychological Society and
has served as a member of the Psychologists Registration Board of Victoria
since 2004.
Marie R. Joyce, PhD, is a Visiting Senior Research Fellow in the Quality of Life
and Social Justice Flagship at Australian Catholic University in Melbourne,
Australia. She is a practising Clinical Psychologist in the State of Victoria, a
Fellow of the Australian Psychological Society (APS) and is the current Chair
of the Ethical Guidelines Committee of the APS. She is a former Chair of the
APS Ethics Committee and has served as Chair of her university institutional
research ethics committee.
Mick Symons, BA (Hons), BEd (Counselling), MA, joined the National Offi ce
of the Australian Psychological Society (APS) 10 years ago and is currently the
Manager Member Services. In this capacity he is intimately involved in the
administration of ethics by the APS and plays a pivotal role in the functioning
of the Ethical Guidelines Committee of the APS, which creates and revises
ethical guidelines, and the Ethics Committee. He is also the author of a number
of publications on professional issues and ethics in publications of the APS.
Donald M. Thomson, BA, LLB, MA, PhD, is Honorary Professor, Centre for
the Mind, The University of Sydney, and Adjunct Professor, Sellinger Centre,
School of Law and Justice, Edith Cowan University. He was Foundation
Professor of Psychology at Charles Sturt University and Edith Cowan Univer-
sity, and was a barrister at the Victorian Bar. He is a former Chairman of
the Victorian Psychological Council and a former President of the Victorian
Psychologists Registration Board and a Fellow of the Australian Psychological
Society.
William Warren , BA (Hons), MA, M Psych (Clin), PhD, Dip Law (LPAB), is
a Conjoint Associate Professor in the University of Newcastle, Australia. He is