The role of ethics in psychology is one that is multifaceted. This is because of the number of issues arising from psychological interventions changes at every stage of the process. The use of existing principles set out by the American Psychological Association (APA) can guide the mental health specialist. Apparently, psychologists often strive to profit those with whom they attend to and ensure that they cause no harm. They further establish rapport of trust with the clients. The code of ethics often offer guidance for psychologists as well as standards of professional performance that can be used by the APA and any other body that may choose to espouse them. As a matter of fact, the advancement of a dynamic set of ethical protocols for psychologists’ professional-linked conduct calls for a personal obligation and lifelong endeavor to behave ethically. However, there are less black and white areas and more grey areas in the adherence to ethical guidelines. Ethics in psychological practice should, therefore, be applied according to the situation since each psychological intervention tends to vary in nature.
Ethical dictates call for the practice of honesty in every dealing. This is not always possible in the carrying out of a research project. Ethics codes allow deception as long as the deception does not mislead the subjects on any conditions of the trial that may cause physical harm or psychological distress. However, rules and codes require the subject to be debriefed at the end of the research project. This ensures that the subject is made aware of all the processes that he was subjected to, for the sake of transparency and good moral standing. The code of conduct also discourages conflict of interest by prohibiting a physician to attend to their relative or close acquaintance. This is to avoid bias or lack of objectivity or favoritism that may occur because of past relationships. Every day situations put these ethical codes and rules into test.
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Healthcare facilities grappling with staff shortages and inadequate funding often devise creative ways to deal with this problem. Task shifting is one of the interventions that are used to manage such issues. Task shifting is the delegation of some of the tasks that should be performed by the specialist to other staff. Often these staffs have lower academic qualifications than the specialist. Task shifting has been opposed in the practice of mental health care. This is because those who practice it are not bound by the principles of ethics that specialists adhere to. This raises issues such as lack of privacy and the questionable quality of the service rendered (Jaycox, 2006).
Critics argue that task shifting should not be practiced in mental health care because it violates APA principle E which demands Respect for People's Rights and Dignity. Task shifting exposes patients to different caregivers who leave them feeling that their right to privacy has been violated. For example, a patient needs to be attended to, but the specialist is unavailable. The assistant who attended to the patient the first time is also not available to the duty is passed to a nurse. The patient has to go through the same process of acclimatization again before they can progress with their treatment. This method is also thought to be unjust to the patient because he or she does not benefit from the insight of a specialist.
This kind of non-specialist attention is thought to be of lower quality than that of a specialist. This raises another issue with the violation of Principle B of Fidelity and Responsibility. The inability of the nurse to take full responsibility for the patient cannot be blamed entirely on the nurse. This is because she is merely filling in a gap that has been created by organizational challenges. Were the gap to be left unfilled, then the patient would continue suffering. It can be argued that in such a case, it is better to give the patient the low-quality care than no care at all. This does not mean that the issue of ethics should be downplayed or ignored in its entirety.
It may be easier to adhere to principles of ethical practice in an individual clinical setting than in a group or research setting. However, the majority of organizations are forced to give the psychological care in a group setting. An example is a situation where children in a particular school have witnessed a school shooting incidence. All these children from different backgrounds and demographic compositions have all internalized the event differently yet they all need help. The time and resources to give them adequate assistance is lacking. This is how intervention programs are formed between the schools, families and the community. These three bodies often do not employ the services of specialists because it is impractical. They are however tasked with the mammoth task of carrying out functions that they are sometimes ill-prepared for (Van, 2017)
Confidentiality is another code of ethics that need not be breached. The patient has full rights to keep his information secret. This is to avoid discrimination and to protect a subject’s family and associates. Confidentiality can be breached if the health care provider feels that their life or that of the patient or any other person is threatened. Other codes that apply include prohibition of the misappropriation of funds, inaccurate billing or unprofessional physical contact
Studies done by bodies such as the Rand Cooperation, Department of Defense as well as different stakeholders in the education sector have shown that school-based interventions are beneficial. This is despite the fact that the facilitator had to deal with people who had experienced trauma such as Hurricane Katrina, terrorist attacks and all sorts of other trauma. In addition to this, some children and adolescents have already exposed to community-based violence as well as other issues that affected their psychological development. The role of ethics in such a situation can never be seen through black and white lenses because the circumstances vary in complexity. While fundamental principles such as the safeguarding of subjects and avoidance of bias may still apply here, it may be challenging to ensure principles that have the multiplicity of purpose are maintained. Examples are the principle governing roles and obligations of the service providers are clear and concise. A teacher may be forced to perform counseling duties that violate privacy because of their group setting. The responsibility to the school and the parents may also be a hindrance (Ridgard, 2015).
Conclusion
The role of ethics in psychology is to protect both the patient and the mental health specialist. The code of ethics is therefore designed to protect the subject and the psychologist from any physical or emotional harm. The adherence to these principles should be examined on a case by case basis to ensure that both practicality and sensibility are applied. Otherwise, these guidelines will be nothing more than rules that the people serve, instead of rules that help the people.
References
Jaycox, L. (2006). How Schools Can Help Students Recover from Traumatic Experiences: A Tool-Kit for Supporting Long-Term Recovery. Retrieved from https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/ncent-ebooks/detail.action?
Ridgard, T. (2015). Trauma-Informed Care in Schools: A Social Justice Imperative. Communique (0164775X). 44 (2), 1-15.
Van de Water, T. (2017). Impediments and catalysts to task-shifting psychotherapeutic interventions for adolescents with PTSD: perspectives of multi-stakeholders. Child & Adolescent Psychiatry & Mental Health. 11, 1-10.
