Exam Preview for 1536: APA Professional Ethics: Rules, Regulations,

APA Professional Ethics: Rules, Regulations, Guidelines, and Appropriate Boundaries

Please note: exam questions are subject to change.

1. According to the APA Ethics Code under General Principles, Principle D explains that psychologists have an ethical responsibility to: Always avoid potential harm, even if it means breaching confidentiality. Promote honesty and truthfulness in all professional activities. Prioritize benefiting clients over obligations to society. Ensure that their work promotes fairness and justice.
2. According to the APA Ethics Code, when an apparent ethical violation has substantially harmed someone, psychologists should: Attempt to resolve the issue informally before taking further action. Report it to the relevant ethics committee for investigation. Handle it internally without informing outside organizations. Wait to see if it gets resolved on its own.
3. According to the ethical standards on human relations, if a psychologist determines a multiple relationship is unavoidable, the psychologist should: Terminate services with the client immediately. Proceed with the multiple relationship without changes. Take steps to protect the client from exploitation and harm. Disclose the multiple relationship only if asked directly by the client.
4. A psychologist appears on a radio talk show to discuss research on childhood anxiety disorders. Which of the following ethical principles should guide the psychologist's conduct? Obtain testimonials from listeners about their experiences. Avoid offering specific treatment advice to callers. Disclose only information based on the psychologist's clinical experience. Provide their fee schedule for therapy services.
5. A psychology graduate program requires students to undergo mandatory therapy as part of their clinical training. According to the ethics code, students should: Only share information relevant to their professional competence. Have the option to choose a therapist unaffiliated with the program. Receive therapy from program faculty who will supervise them. Have their disclosures kept confidential from the program.
6. A psychologist is asked to testify about a cognitive assessment they performed 5 years ago using an instrument that is now obsolete. Per ethical guidelines, the psychologist should: Testify about the results if they were interpreted appropriately at the time. Inform the court that the test is obsolete and caution against relying heavily on the results. Provide the raw data but not interpret the results given the obsolete test. Refuse to testify about the outdated assessment results.
7. A psychologist has decided to retire next month. According to ethical standards, the psychologist should: Terminate all clients immediately so no transfer is necessary. Help clients find new providers but destroy all records to protect privacy. Refer clients to the psychologist taking over the practice without client consent. Take reasonable steps to facilitate orderly and appropriate transfer of client care.
8. A psychologist in independent practice has decided to take a temporary leave of absence for medical reasons. According to the ethics code, the psychologist: May refer clients to a colleague without the clients' consent. Should destroy all protected health information before taking leave. Must terminate all therapy relationships before leave starts. Should take reasonable steps to minimize disruption for current clients.
9. A practicing psychologist decides to start a private business venture with a current therapy client. This situation constitutes: An appropriate dual relationship that is ethically permissible if both consent. A problematic dual relationship the psychologist should take steps to resolve. An expected dual relationship that is justified by their close friendship. An unacceptable dual relationship that should be avoided.
10. A psychologist is considering hiring their previous graduate student supervisee for a full-time position in their private practice. Based on ethical guidelines, the psychologist: Should not hire the supervisee to avoid any appearance of favoritism. Can hire the supervisee since the supervisory relationship has ended. Should first consult the licensing board about any potential concerns. Can hire the supervisee if a reasonable amount of time has passed.
11. Which of the following best describes "appropriate boundaries in professional practice" for psychologists? Flexible principles that allow dual relationships if appropriately disclosed. Having no rules so therapists can make situational decisions. Ignoring ethical guidelines in small or rural communities when unavoidable. The ethical guidelines and principles psychologists must follow to maintain appropriate professional relationships with clients and uphold integrity.
12. Strategies to maintain appropriate boundaries in therapy include: obtaining informed consent outlining rules and expectations, tracking and limiting contact time, using self-disclosure judiciously, and seeking consultation when unsure about potential boundary crossings. allowing for flexible start and end times, liberal self-disclosure to build rapport, and utilization of clinical judgment only when exploring potential boundary crossings. obtaining informed consent outlines rules and expectations, using clinical judgment only when exploring potential boundary crossings, and implementing a “chance system” when patients begin boundary-pushing. implementing a “chance system” when patients begin boundary pushing, tracking and limiting contact time, and using liberal self disclosure to build rapport.
13. Which of the following statements accurately describes Compassion Fatigue (CF)? CF is identical to trauma symptoms and requires direct trauma exposure. CF causes an increased connection to the emotions of clients. CF is unrelated to the client’s emotional experiences and only results from personal unresolved trauma. CF emerges from empathizing with clients' emotional pain and is often termed the "cost of caring.”
14. Which of the following strategies are recommended for addressing repeated boundary issues in therapeutic practice? Ignoring transference and countertransference dynamics to maintain a professional demeanor. Avoid discussions with colleagues to avoid revealing potential weaknesses. Remaining oblivious to changes in your therapeutic approach to ensure consistency. Seeking peer consultation to gain insights and support in managing boundary challenges.
15. Which of the following strategies are recommended for effectively managing boundaries in virtual therapy, social media, and communication with clients? Allowing personal and professional profiles to intermingle online for a more authentic presence. Keeping privacy settings off on personal social media profiles to maintain transparency. Setting up a separate professional online profile to establish a clear boundary between personal and work-related interactions. Promoting constant availability to clients in order to foster stronger dependency and trust.
16. In rural settings, psychologists face unique challenges regarding dual relationships. What should psychologists prioritize to ensure ethical and effective practice? Ignoring the potential for dual relationships due to the limited professional options in rural areas. Establishing dual relationships to build stronger connections with close knit communities. Maintaining professional boundaries to prevent conflicts of interest and protect therapeutic efficacy. Avoiding transparent communication with patients about the challenges of rural dual relationships.
17. What characterizes the nature of overlapping relationships between psychologists and patients in rural healthcare settings? Overlapping relationships are entirely avoidable due to well-defined codes of conduct. Overlapping relationships are nonexistent due to strict ethical guidelines. Overlapping relationships are inevitable due to close community ties in rural settings. Overlapping relationships are prohibited by social work codes but allowed by other professional codes.
18. Which approach is suggested for navigating the complex professional boundary issues arising from overlapping relationships in rural healthcare? Ignoring contextual factors to maintain rigid boundaries in all cases. Applying uniform ethical guidelines provided by various professional codes. Employing self-reflection, considering potential harms, and adapting to contextual needs. Relying solely on virtue and care ethics for guidance.
19. What is a dual relationship in the context of psychological practice? A situation where a psychologist maintains multiple personal relationships with clients. A therapeutic approach involving simultaneous treatment of multiple clients. A form of therapy that combines personal and professional counseling. When a psychologist holds multiple roles or relationships with a client beyond the therapeutic one.
20. What distinguishes a boundary crossing from a boundary violation in psychological practice? A boundary crossing involves a departure from established norms, while a boundary violation involves a departure from ethical guidelines. A boundary violation occurs when a psychologist's personal life interferes with their professional relationships. A boundary crossing refers to a therapist's flexible approach to therapy, while a boundary violation involves rigid adherence to therapeutic norms. A boundary violation harms the therapist's judgment, while a boundary crossing compromises the client's welfare.