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Milestone 3 Applying the APA Code of Ethics

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PSY-570-X4321 Ethical Practice

Jeral Kirwan

May 21, 2023

Milestone 3 Applying the APA Code of Ethics

APA Code of Ethics: Principles

Principle A: Beneficence and Non Maleficence

This concept emphasizes psychologists' dedication to advancing others' well-being and refraining from acts that might endanger others.

Principle B: Fidelity and Responsibility

Trustworthy connections with clients and other stakeholders are a priority for psychologists. By taking responsibility for their acts, performing their duties as professionals, and assuring the veracity and honesty of their work, they uphold their reputations as professionals and as scientists (Cherry, 2023).

Principle C: Integrity

With an understanding of any constraints or potential biases, they work to be open and offer accurate information. The legitimacy of the psychology profession upheld and progress in psychology's knowledge and comprehension facilitated by psychologists' commitment to uphold honesty (Cherry,2023).

Principle D: Justice

Psychologists fight for equity and fairness in the distribution of psychological treatments. Regardless of background, they seek to ensure that everyone receives the same treatment, chances, and advantages from psychological interventions. In the discipline of psychology, this principle recognizes the significance of correcting structural biases, encouraging inclusivity, and working for social justice.

Principle E: Respect for People's Rights and Dignity

The principle is about safeguarding individuals' rights, such as autonomy, privacy, and self-determination, while considering cultural and contextual factors.

Principle F: Competence (There are only five principles. This is a standard. )

Competence to offer top-notch services, psychologists maintain and improve their professional skills.

Principle G: Privacy and Confidentiality

Counselors are committed to protecting the privacy of their clients and protecting the confidentiality of the information they disclose with them.

Principle H: Ethical Responsibility to Colleagues –

Relationships among psychologists are founded on and sustained by ethical principles.

Principle I: Ethical Responsibility to Society

Psychologists understand they have a civic duty to improve people's lives and strengthen communities. They are committed to making use of their expertise to improve our collective understanding of and response to psychiatric illness and social injustice (Cherry, 2023).

The relevant principles include the following:

Principle A: Beneficence and Nonmaleficence: Dr. Cider's evaluation should aim to benefit Billy Bezerk by accurately assessing his mental condition and providing relevant information to the defense attorney. Additionally, Dr. Cider should avoid causing harm to Billy or others involved in the case.

Principle B: Fidelity and Responsibility

Dr. Cider has a responsibility to maintain professional and scientific integrity by adhering to the APA Code of Ethics and providing accurate and reliable evaluations.

Principle F: Competence

Dr. Cider should ensure that they possess the necessary competence and expertise to conduct psychological evaluations in legal cases, especially when it comes to assessing legal insanity.

APA Code of Ethics: Standards

The APA Code of Ethics consists of specific standards that provide guidelines for ethical conduct in various professional situations. The relevant standards in this case study vignette could include:

Standard 9.01: Bases for Assessments

Psychologists should use multiple sources of information when conducting assessments and consider relevant cultural, linguistic, and social factors (Knapp et al., 2020).

Standard 9.02: Use of Assessments

Psychologists should use assessments that are appropriate for the purpose and avoid using outdated or irrelevant techniques (Knapp et al., 2020).

Standard 9.06: Interpreting Assessment Results

Psychologists should take precautions to avoid making misleading or inaccurate interpretations of assessment results.

Standard 2.01: Boundaries of Competence - Psychologists should only provide services within their areas of competence and seek additional training or supervision when necessary. ( You need to define the 10 standards and then apply the relevant ones to your case. )

Statement of Culture and Social Orientations in the Case Study:

In this case study, the cultural aspect refers to how the insanity defense is perceived and understood in society, particularly considering how it is portrayed in the media. Cases involving insanity defense are sometimes sensationalized by the media, which can lead to a narrative that may not fully reflect the complexities and subtleties of mental health disorders. Preconceived assumptions, biases, and misconceptions among jurors and the broader public may result from this portrayal. The insanity defense's cultural setting can have a variety of effects on the case study. First, it might affect the perspectives and convictions of the judge and jury who will decide if Billy Bezerk satisfies the requirements for insanity under the law. Their judgment and the fairness of the court proceedings may impact if they have prejudiced opinions or preconceived conceptions about the insanity defense (Liu et al., 2021). The cultural setting may have an impact on how the public views the issue. A fair evaluation of the facts and the defendant's mental condition may be hampered by media sensationalism, which can cause the public to be persuaded by false narratives. (This section needs elaboration.  Think about the many possible cultural aspects such as age, education level, gender, socio-economic status, or anything that could be related to bias and/or differences in worldview that may have affected interactions between the people in the scenario.)

The psychological examiner in this case study, Dr. Cruddy, faced an ethical conundrum because of the societal and cultural perspectives on the insanity defense. While Dr. Cruddy examines Billy's mental state and concludes that he was mad at the time of the killings, determining legal insanity is a matter of the law, not behavioral science. Concerns about professional competency and ethical standards are brought up by Dr. Cruddy's involvement in determining legal insanity. The case study also emphasizes how crucial it is for professionals to be aware of their limitations and to ask for help or advice from peers in related disciplines (Liu et al., 2021). The ethical conundrum faced by Dr. Cruddy highlights the necessity for defined parameters and adherence to professional norms by illustrating the potential for ethical violations when experts act outside of their field of specialization. (This is behavior and professional not cultural or social. )

References

Cherry, K. (2023, February 14). APA Code of Ethics: Principles, Purpose, and Guidelines. What to know about the APA's ethical codes that psychologists follow. Very well Mind. Retrieved from https://www.verywellmind.com/apa-ethical-code-guidelines-4687465

Knapp, S., Gottlieb, M. C., & Handelsman, M. M. (2020). Empowering psychologists to evaluate revisions to the APA ethics code. Ethics & Behavior, 30(4), 1-10. doi:10.1080/10508422.2020.1778479

Liu, R. W., Lapinski, M. K., Kerr, J. M., Zhao, J., Bum, T., & Lu, Z. (2021). Culture and Social Norms: Development and Application of a Model for Culturally Contextualized Communication Measurement (MC3M). Frontiers in Communication, 6. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcomm.2021.770513