LSP Ethics & Professional Standards 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A psychologist is approached by a former supervisee who is now a licensed colleague requesting therapy. What is the primary ethical concern?
- The prior professional relationship creates a role conflict that may impair objectivity and therapeutic efficacy (Correct answer)
- The former supervisee knows too much about the psychologist's techniques
- The supervisee cannot provide meaningful informed consent
- There is no ethical concern if more than two years have passed since supervision ended
Correct answer: The prior professional relationship creates a role conflict that may impair objectivity and therapeutic efficacy
A prior evaluative relationship (supervisor-supervisee) creates a power dynamic and role conflict that may compromise the therapist's objectivity and the client's ability to freely engage in therapy.
Question 2: A psychologist is presenting research findings at a conference and realizes a co-author fabricated data in one of the supporting studies. What is the most appropriate action?
- Remove the fabricated study from the presentation without disclosing why
- Disclose the fabrication to conference organizers and relevant institutions (Correct answer)
- Present the findings while noting limitations in the methodology
- Withdraw from the conference to avoid association with the research
Correct answer: Disclose the fabrication to conference organizers and relevant institutions
Research fraud must be disclosed to relevant parties; concealing or minimizing scientific misconduct violates the APA Ethics Code's standards of integrity and honesty.
Question 3: When psychologists use assessment instruments, APA standards require that they:
- Use only instruments that have been validated specifically for the population being assessed
- Select instruments based on current research support and appropriateness for the individual (Correct answer)
- Administer only standardized instruments in their original, unmodified form
- Limit assessment to instruments listed in the DSM-5 appendix
Correct answer: Select instruments based on current research support and appropriateness for the individual
Standard 9.02 requires that psychologists use assessments that have established reliability and validity for the specific populations and purposes for which they are used.
Question 4: A psychologist working with a terminally ill client learns the client has made a detailed plan to end their life using legally obtained means under their state's Death with Dignity Act. Ethically, the psychologist should:
- Immediately initiate an involuntary psychiatric hold
- Explore the client's decision-making capacity and document their assessment (Correct answer)
- Report the plan to the client's family members immediately
- Terminate treatment to avoid complicity in the client's decision
Correct answer: Explore the client's decision-making capacity and document their assessment
Where legal, aid-in-dying decisions by a competent individual require the psychologist to assess and document decision-making capacity, respect autonomy, and provide support without violating the law.
Question 5: A psychologist's client, who is being treated for depression, asks for a copy of their psychological test raw data. The psychologist's best course of action is to:
- Refuse because raw data is proprietary and may invalidate the test for future use
- Provide the raw data directly to the client upon written request
- Release the raw data to another qualified professional designated by the client (Correct answer)
- Provide only a summary report and decline to release raw scores
Correct answer: Release the raw data to another qualified professional designated by the client
Standard 9.04 requires psychologists to release test data to persons identified by the client in a release, but they may decline direct client release when it could cause harm or when the data includes protected test materials.
Question 6: Which of the following scenarios most clearly constitutes a boundary violation rather than a boundary crossing?
- Accepting a small gift from a client at the end of a successful treatment
- Attending a client's public graduation ceremony at their request
- Providing a client's contact information to another professional without consent (Correct answer)
- Self-disclosing a personal experience to normalize the client's feelings
Correct answer: Providing a client's contact information to another professional without consent
Disclosing a client's contact information without consent is a breach of confidentiality and a clear boundary violation, as it harms the client and violates their rights.
Question 7: A psychologist who specializes in trauma treatment begins experiencing vicarious traumatization that is affecting their clinical judgment. According to ethical principles, what should the psychologist do?
- Continue working until the next scheduled vacation to avoid disrupting clients
- Seek personal therapy, supervision, or reduce caseload to restore competent functioning (Correct answer)
- Disclose the condition to all current clients so they can make informed decisions
- Limit sessions to 30 minutes to reduce exposure to traumatic content
Correct answer: Seek personal therapy, supervision, or reduce caseload to restore competent functioning
Standard 2.06 requires psychologists who are experiencing personal problems that impair their work to take steps such as seeking consultation, supervision, or therapy to ensure client welfare.
LSP Ethics & Professional Standards 4
A psychologist is approached by a former supervisee who is now a licensed colleague requesting therapy.
What is the primary ethical concern?