as below

Provide an overview of the relevant issues, ongoing trends, challenges, and future opportunities for psychology professionals and the populations they serve.

The relevant issues and challenges psychology professionals face are instances of deciding if it’s ethical to view a client’s social media page prior to consulting them, accepting requests from clients on social media platforms, deciding on the best ethical approaches to reply to private messages, consulting patients who are using their employers’ insurance with the possibility of their diagnosis affecting their employment, having to consult patients of critical conditions in a timely manner who are not insured and or have a source of payment, and having to possibly terminate working with a patient due to conditions that puts the consulting professional as well as the patient in jeopardy of discredit, Asay & Lal (2014). Future opportunities for psychology professionals include the convenience of telehealth services, online social networking, and consulting patients with the aid of outside providers to ensure a successful treatment. As psychological practice application improves, ongoing trends will allow for more convenient platforms such as telehealth services that will reduce transportation cost, consultation affordability, and the convenience of being consulted with the use of technology regardless of geographical location.

Explain how the APA’s Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct can be used to guide decisions in the ethical application of these technologies.

The APA’s Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct can be used to guide decisions in the ethical application of these technologies as it provides consulting professionals with the avenues of approach to ethically proceed as they handle ethical issues, dilemmas, and unforeseen circumstances. Technological application uses in psychology will cause many dilemmas and the implementation of regulated guidelines on how to properly handle them will be vital for psychologists, APA (2010). As personal identifiable information will be a factor, it is pertinent that the confidentiality and measures to ensure privacy of patients increase. In addition to the APA’s guidelines and as application of technological uses are in place, consulting professionals must provide more as well as increased privacy protections, protection of confidentiality, privacy of clients, consent processes to minimize potential future risks, ethical dilemmas, and technological applications and ethical standards.

Construct clear and concise arguments using evidence-based psychological concepts and theories to explain how current technological and policy shifts may influence trends in psychological research and practice.

Current technological and policy shifts may influence trends in psychological research and practice in a positive direction as we are advancing in a continuous age of technological advancement. Evidence-based concepts of psychological research and practice will be geared to compare previous, current, and the possibilities of future processes that will make it more convenient to provide services for patients. Theoretically, patients will lean towards psychological services that are more convenient and affordable in which they can receive regardless of their geographical location. As convenient services will raise questions regarding the protection, confidentiality, and privacy of patients, research through studies will implement protection in alignment with current as well as futuristic trends, Kolmes (2012)

Evaluate potential work settings where the use of technologies promotes ease and convenience for both psychology professionals and the populations they serve.

The use of technology will promote ease for both psychology professionals as well as the population they will serve during initial sessions, follow ups, and group sessions with patients of mild conditions of similarities. Technological telehealth platforms will provide ease as well as convenience for patients to be consulted via telehealth while being remotely located. Long-term, treatment(s) and consultations will become more affordable as that will save time and money. In addition, transportation costs and appointment times will decrease as patients can be consulted by a consulting professional within the comfort of their own home. It is imperative for consulting professionals to ensure as they make treatment possibilities more convenient for clients that they are ethically abiding by the guidelines of the APA, standing operating procedures, licensing limitations, state laws, and ensure they have appropriate informed consent as they work with patients, Kolmes (2012).

What are the potential responsibilities of the psychology professionals as providers of care with regard to the use of these technologies?

The potential responsibilities of the psychology professionals as providers of care with regard to the use of these technologies are to ensure they have guidelines, standard operating procedures, insurance, licensure, credentials, and applicable methods to ensure that clients are educated on how to use these technological platforms. With the use of technology in psychological consultation, many patients will be evaluated, interviewed, and their observation process will be completed via telehealth platforms. It is imperative that consulting professionals ensure that they are making correct diagnosis, recommending appropriate treatment plans, including the collaboration of outside provider(s) base on the correct diagnosis of a patient. An incorrect diagnosis and evaluation can lead to a patient receiving an inappropriate treatment plan(s) and be prescribed medications that will not be of any use as the diagnosis is incorrect. Many patients are likely to suffer from overmedication and that can become a hazard to their health.

As consulting professionals, Miller (2006) states that psychology professionals can be held accountable for negligence, liability, and abonnement, it is in their best interest to ensure that their clients know how to operate necessary equipment(s) as well as technological platforms used to provide services.

Does the increase in ease, convenience, and experience satisfaction for the parties involved outweigh any potential negative outcomes?

With new trends and platform practices come possible risks, negative outcomes, and benefits simultaneously. As consulting professionals have many years of experience in the field of psychology with the background of working with many patients of various diagnosis, disorders, signs, symptoms, and conditions, those years of experience become avenues to aid them implement policies as well guidelines to prevent negative outcomes. The increase in ease and convenience will outweigh potential negative outcomes. The guidelines of the APA and the HIPAA will be used as tools to implement firewalls to protect the personal identifiable information of clients and to maintain service record confidentiality. As the use of telehealth services become available and being use at various geographical locations, up to date informed consent forms will be in place for consulting professionals to move forward prior to accepting a potential client. In addition, clients will be informed on preventive measures, confidentiality practices, the use of telehealth services, consulting professional credentials, services, and steps they can take to ensure they do not experience negative outcomes while working with clients.

References:

American Psychological Association. (2010). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct: Including 2010 amendments. (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/ethics/code/index.aspx (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

Asay, P. A., & Lal, A. ( 2014). Who’s Googled whom? Trainees’ internet and online social networking experiences, behaviors, and attitudes with clients and supervisors. Training and Education in Professional Psychology 8(2), 105-111. doi: 10.1037/tep0000035

Harris, S. E., & Robinson Kurpius, S. E. (2014). Social networking and professional ethics: Client searches, informed consent, and disclosure. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 45(1), 11– 19. doi: 10.1037/a0033478

Kolmes, K. (2012). Social media in the future of professional psychology. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 43(6),606–612. doi: 10.1037/a0028678

Miller, T. W. (2006). Telehealth issues in consulting psychology practice. Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research, 58(2), 82-90. doi:10.1037/1065-9293.58.2.82