Ethical Standards & Professional Conduct Flashcards
7 cards from real ASPPB practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Ethical Standards & Professional Conduct flashcards as text
A psychologist receives a subpoena for a client's therapy records. What is the ethically and legally appropriate initial response?
Answer: Notify the client and consult legal counsel before releasing records
A subpoena is not a court order; the psychologist must notify the client and seek legal guidance before deciding whether to release records.
The EPPP competency area 'ethical, legal, and professional issues' specifically requires psychologists to understand:
Answer: The intersection of ethics, law, and professional standards in practice
EPPP standards require integrated knowledge of how ethical codes, state/federal law, and professional guidelines interact in real-world practice.
A psychologist working in a hospital is pressured by administration to discharge a client prematurely for financial reasons. The ethical course of action is to:
Answer: Advocate for the client's clinical needs and document concerns
Psychologists must prioritize client welfare and are ethically obligated to advocate for appropriate care even under institutional pressure.
Which practice best demonstrates a psychologist's commitment to cultural competence under APA ethical standards?
Answer: Continuously updating knowledge and skills related to diverse populations
Cultural competence requires ongoing education and adaptation of practice, not uniformity or automatic referral to others.
A psychology researcher learns a participant is experiencing acute suicidal ideation during a study. The researcher's ethical obligation is to:
Answer: Pause the study and ensure the participant receives appropriate clinical care
Participant welfare takes precedence over research protocol; researchers must respond to emergent clinical needs regardless of study design.
Under APA ethics, sexual intimacies with a former client are prohibited for at least how long after termination of therapy?
Answer: The prohibition is permanent by default with rare exceptions after 2 years
The APA Ethics Code prohibits sexual intimacies for at least 2 years post-termination, and even after 2 years, the burden is on the psychologist to demonstrate no exploitation occurred.
A psychologist suspects a colleague is practicing while impaired due to substance use. The most ethically appropriate initial action is to:
Answer: Consult with a trusted colleague or ethics committee before taking action
Ethical standards encourage informal resolution or consultation first when feasible, unless the situation poses imminent harm requiring immediate reporting.