LSP Ethics & Professional Standards 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A psychologist is conducting research and realizes mid-study that one condition is significantly more beneficial than the control condition. Ethically, what should the researcher do?
- Complete the study as designed to preserve scientific integrity
- Consider stopping the study early or offering the beneficial treatment to control participants (Correct answer)
- Continue but modify the primary endpoint to reflect new findings
- Increase the sample size to ensure statistical significance before stopping
Correct answer: Consider stopping the study early or offering the beneficial treatment to control participants
When evidence clearly demonstrates significant harm or benefit during a study, researchers have an ethical obligation to consider stopping early and providing the effective treatment to those in the control group.
Question 2: Under HIPAA, which of the following is NOT considered Protected Health Information (PHI)?
- A client's diagnosis documented in a psychotherapy note
- De-identified data from which all 18 HIPAA identifiers have been removed (Correct answer)
- A client's appointment schedule linked to their name
- Insurance claims submitted with a client's treatment codes
Correct answer: De-identified data from which all 18 HIPAA identifiers have been removed
Properly de-identified data from which all 18 HIPAA identifiers have been removed is not considered PHI and is not subject to HIPAA protections.
Question 3: A psychologist is asked to evaluate a defendant's competency to stand trial. Which competency standard is derived from Dusky v. United States (1960)?
- Whether the defendant can distinguish right from wrong at the time of the offense
- Whether the defendant has sufficient ability to consult with counsel and rational understanding of proceedings (Correct answer)
- Whether the defendant poses a danger to the community if released
- Whether the defendant was under the influence of a mental disorder at sentencing
Correct answer: Whether the defendant has sufficient ability to consult with counsel and rational understanding of proceedings
Dusky v. United States established the legal standard that a defendant must have sufficient present ability to consult with their attorney with a reasonable degree of rational understanding and a rational and factual understanding of the proceedings.
Question 4: A psychologist's client is a mandated reporter (e.g., a teacher) who discloses witnessing child abuse but refuses to report it. What is the psychologist's ethical obligation?
- Report the abuse directly because the client's inaction creates a secondary duty for the psychologist
- Encourage the client to fulfill their mandatory reporting obligation but respect their autonomy (Correct answer)
- Immediately contact child protective services on the client's behalf
- Document the client's disclosure and take no further action to preserve confidentiality
Correct answer: Encourage the client to fulfill their mandatory reporting obligation but respect their autonomy
The psychologist should encourage the client to fulfill their legal duty as a mandated reporter, but the psychologist's own duty to report is typically triggered by direct knowledge of abuse, not by the client's disclosure alone.
Question 5: Which ethical principle most directly addresses a psychologist's obligation to avoid exploiting clients financially by charging fees that far exceed market rates?
- Autonomy
- Nonmaleficence (Correct answer)
- Justice
- Fidelity
Correct answer: Nonmaleficence
Nonmaleficence — 'do no harm' — encompasses avoiding practices that exploit clients, including unreasonable fee structures that take advantage of the power differential in the therapeutic relationship.
Question 6: A psychologist serving on an ethics committee receives a complaint against a close personal friend who is also a licensed psychologist. What is the most appropriate course of action?
- Participate but disclose the relationship to other committee members
- Recuse themselves from the case due to the conflict of interest (Correct answer)
- Advocate for their friend during committee deliberations
- Review the complaint independently before deciding whether to recuse
Correct answer: Recuse themselves from the case due to the conflict of interest
A personal friendship with the respondent creates a conflict of interest that requires recusal to ensure fair, unbiased proceedings.
Question 7: According to APA ethical standards, when is it permissible for a psychologist to provide services in an emergency situation even without informed consent?
- When the client has previously signed a general authorization form
- When the client is unable to provide consent and delay would result in significant harm (Correct answer)
- When a family member provides consent on behalf of the client
- When a court order authorizes emergency treatment
Correct answer: When the client is unable to provide consent and delay would result in significant harm
Ethics Code Standard 3.10(c) permits psychologists to provide emergency services without informed consent when the individual is incapable of consenting and withholding services would result in serious harm.
LSP Ethics & Professional Standards 3
A psychologist is conducting research and realizes mid-study that one condition is significantly more beneficial than the control condition.
Ethically, what should the researcher do?