Ethical Standards and Guidelines

Ethical Standards and Guidelines

Discussion

My current occupation is military. The occupation has exposed me to the psychological challenges people face in the workplace. For example, several military veterans have committed suicide after suffering from Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) (Miller, 2015). Having reviewed various reports and observed some of the cases, I chose to specialize in General Psychology. It will help conceptualize and address mental health cases within and outside the workplace.

This course has introduced me to the concept of research ethics and ethical standards to adhere to as a psychology practitioner. However, the ones that are related to the population I am working with are privacy and confidentiality and record-keeping and fees (Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct, 2002). The two standards have been identified following the research conducted on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and veterans’ suicides. The evidence collected revealed that the majority of the population keep off from seeking health care services because they fear they fear their information will be revealed. The victims feel society continues to stereotype them. As a result, I chose not to speak about their health situation.

The ethical standard of privacy and confidentiality bestows psychologists with the responsibility of protecting classified information about the clients. On one end, psychologists have the obligation of maintaining, disseminating and storing client information for the provision of services, and where possible for research (Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct, 2002). In practice, various precautions ought to be taken not to violate the standards. It is essential to discuss the limits of confidentiality with the patients to decide whether they continue with the services. Also, it is essential to consult with colleagues to what extent confidentiality should be exercised (Tourangeau, 2004). In the case of record keeping, it is my professional responsibility to make plans in advance on ways to disseminate information for use. Also, that will be done without charging any fees.

References

Tourangeau, R. (2004). Survey of research and societal change. Annual Review of Psychology,      55, 775-801.             doi:http://dx.doi.org.library.capella.edu/10.1146/annurev.psych.55.090902.142040

Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct. (2002). American Psychologist,             57(12), 1060–1073. https://doi-org.library.capella.edu/10.1037/0003-066X.57.12.1060

Miller. (2015). Understanding and Preventing Veteran Suicide: Hearing before the            Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, U.S. House of          Representatives, One Hundred Twelfth Congress, 1st Session Report, 1-12.   Retrieved from HeinOnline.