Ethics in Psychology

The APA's Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (2017) establishes five general principles guiding psychological practice: beneficence and nonmaleficence (acting in the client's best interest and avoiding harm), fidelity and responsibility (establishing trustworthy relationships and accepting professional responsibility), integrity (promoting accuracy and honesty), justice (ensuring equitable access to services), and respect for people's rights and dignity (including autonomy and privacy).

Informed consent constitutes a fundamental ethical pillar: the client must receive clear information about the nature of treatment, its risks and benefits, available alternatives, and the limits of confidentiality before agreeing to participate. Confidentiality, in turn, has important legal and ethical limits. The case of Tarasoff v. Regents (1976) established the duty to warn: when a therapist determines that a patient poses a serious danger to an identifiable third party, the protection of the potential victim takes priority over confidentiality.

Dual relationships — situations in which the psychologist maintains a relationship with a client beyond the professional one (friendship, business, romantic) — represent a significant area of ethical risk. The power differential inherent in the therapeutic relationship makes these connections potentially exploitative, even when they appear consensual. Sexual relationships with current clients are prohibited by all ethical codes; with former clients, most codes establish a minimum waiting period.

Professional competence requires that the psychologist practice only within the boundaries of their training and experience, and seek supervision or referral when a case exceeds their competence. Cultural competence — the ability to work effectively with people from diverse cultural backgrounds — has been increasingly recognized as an essential dimension of professional competence, requiring continuing education and self-awareness about one's own biases and limitations.