Ethics and Professional Issues (PSYC90008)

This subject is organised around four major areas:

• risk assessment and management;
• theoretical foundations of ethics;
• ethical problems and the application of ethical principles to practice, and legal and institutional regulations; and
• codes of practice and guidelines.

The exploration, clarification and possible resolution of selected ethical dilemmas commonly faced by psychologists will be covered and may include:

• assessing and managing client risk;
• psychologist/client relationships (for example, confidentiality,
• boundary violations,
• assessment of dangerousness,
• patient and client rights,
• professional responsibility,
• special groups (such as children, employer-psychologist ethical differences);
• psychologist/institutional relationships (such as state regulation of professional practice, legal requirements, certification, mandatory reporting, guardianship, unprofessional conduct);
• research ethics; and
• personal ethical development.

Specific emphasis will be placed on awareness of cultural diversity and the role of culture in defining and influencing ethical practice.