Question

A clinical psychology program that required first-year graduate students to receive 1 year of individual psychotherapy had a referral list of 20 “approved” independent practitioners in the area that students could select as their therapist. The program often drew on these same practitioners to teach required courses as adjunct professors when regular faculty was on sabbatical.  Is this scenario Ethical or Unethical?

A psychologist learned from a member of the clinic staff that one of her supervisees had expressed harsh, racially prejudiced attitudes at a staff party. Over the course of the supervisory period, there was no evidence that the supervisee treated clients in a racially biased manner. However, in the final written evaluation, the psychologist reported that the supervisee appeared to have difficulty working with clients from other racial backgrounds.  Is this scenario Ethical or Unethical?

Standard 7.04, Student Disclosure of Personal Information requires psychologists to respect the privacy rights of students and supervisees. However, there are two exceptions to this standard that may allow teaching and supervisory psychologists to require disclosure of information about sexual experiences, history of abuse, psychological treatment, or relationships with significant others. Identify the two exceptions below:

.

Select one or more:
a. Military Supervision
b. The information is necessary to evaluate or obtain assistance for students whose personal problems could reasonably be judged to be preventing them from performing their training in a competent manner or posing a threat to students or others.
c. The program or training facility has clearly identified this requirement in its admissions and program materials
d. Language matching training experiences

Standard 7.06 calls for psychologists to establish academic and supervisory relationships of trust with students and supervisees based on fair processes of evaluation that provide students and supervisees with the opportunity to learn from positive and negative feedback of t heir work. Which Principle is closed aligned to this Standard?

Select one:
a. Principle C
b. Principle B
c. Principle D
d. Principle A
e. Principle E

Answer 1

1. This scenario is unethical. Therapists and practitioners should not share any other relationship with their clients outside of the therapeutic environment. This would apply to all scenarios, especially when the therapist is placed at an authoritative position with respect to the client.

2. This scenario is unethical. The psychologist should be evaluating her supervisee in terms of her professional competency and not her private thoughts. In this case, the psychologist’s judgements are biasing the assessment of the supervisee.

3. The correct answer is Option B and C. These two form the exceptions of the ethical principle.

4. The correct answer is Option E. Principle E states that, “Supervisors have a responsibility to provide timely and fair evaluations of their supervisees and employees.”