Ethical Recommendations

Ethical Recommendation

You will examine researchers’ views on the role and impact of professional codes, which are expected norms that can provide an organization with means to control organizational risk management and to protect an organization. For example, Adelstein and Clegg (2016) do not view professional codes as necessarily positive. Cox (2012) argues that when treatment of an individual is multidisciplinary, conflicts between the standards of different organizations can prove problematic. As a result, Cox believes that all members of the treatment team should be held ethically accountable to ensure that a quality program is provided. He believes that an interdisciplinary code of ethics and conduct will enhance the public’s trust that the treatment is in the best interest of the client. However, ethical dilemmas can arise. 

Figar and Đorđević (2016) describe an ethical dilemma as a situation which requires making a choice between two or more alternatives. Unfortunately, this can be a difficult task with possible unpleasant consequences since the outcome of the ethical alternative may appear more detrimental than the consequence of the unethical alternatives. The process of making the decision involves ensuring that the practitioner fulfills his moral obligation to not hurt others and to balance the rights of all parties. The practitioner must also ensure that he does not harm others without proper reasons. The decision-making process should also consider the need to select an alternative that produces the best outcome for the greatest number of people. 

For psychologists, the ethical guidelines are based on the Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct, including the 2010 and 2016 Amendments. Psychologists must comply with these standards. It is important to note that the APA differentiates between standards and guidelines. Standards are mandatory and have an enforcement mechanism. Guidelines, on the other hand, are basically recommendations of specific professional conduct. In working with the public, psychologists must be aware of all applicable standards as enumerated in the APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (APA guidelines, 2014). 

References

Adelstein, J., & Clegg, S. (2016). Code of ethics: A stratified vehicle for compliance. 
Journal of Business Ethics, 138(1), 53-66.  

APA guidelines: Their importance and a plan to keep them current: 2013 annual report of the Policy and Planning Board. (2014). 
American Psychologist, 69(5), 511-519.  

Cox, D. J. (2012). From interdisciplinary to integrated care of the child with autism: The essential role for a code of ethics. 
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 42(12), 2729-2738.  

Figar, N., & Đorđević, B. (2016). Managing an ethical dilemma. 
Economic Themes, 54(3), 345-362.  

Learning Objectives

1. Investigate ethical principles from the APA Code of Ethics in the context of Child and Adolescent Developmental Psychology

2. Personalize a process for addressing ethical issues in the context of Child and Adolescent Developmental Psychology.

Ethical Recommendations 

Competence is a requirement in all fields of psychology. For example, Fletcher and Maher (2014) remind readers that sports psychologists and consultants are mandated to practice exclusively within the boundaries of their competence. They report that some practitioners consider competence a nebulous concept. They define competence as the ability to perform tasks at a level consistent with education and training in conjunction with sensitivity to cultural needs and reflecting evidence-based practices. 

Johnson (2014) reviewed the concept of competence among Canadian psychologists and concluded that they are required to provide services that benefit their clients and to avoid harm by only performing activities that are within their professional competence. They must limit their practice to the area in which they have the appropriate education, training, and experience. They also must maintain this competence through ongoing training. They are expected to maximize benefits to the client and minimize harm. According to Daly, Doll, Schulte, and Fenning (2011), a culture of competence is developing in professional psychology, which has resulted in practitioners receiving training in accepting of continual assessment as a fundamental part of everyday life. 

Background

In this assignment, you are required to read the scenario below and provide competence-based recommendations. 

Scenario

Denise’s parents have come to you to help them determine the best treatment for their daughter, who is struggling academically, behaviorally, and socially at school. Her parents are confused after consulting with various therapists and psychologists and reading books by so-called experts on treatment options. As a recognized expert, Denise’s parents expect you to help them evaluate the recommendations they’ve received. 

Some recommendations are straightforward and easy to ethically support. For example, Denise’s teacher suggests 1-2 hours of math tutoring each week until the end of the term. However, Denise’s parents are now asking for your opinion on several other treatment options: 

· Neurofeedback for her possible ADHD symptoms

· Medication for ADHD

· Exposure therapy, recommended by her physician, to reduce her anxiety—specifically her fear of the neighbors’ dogs

· Martial Arts, suggested by her school counselor, to increase her self-esteem

· The Feingold Diet, proposed by the family chiropractor, to improve her focus 

Assignment Task

Your task is to develop a table offering your competence-based recommendations for each of these five techniques. These recommendations should include the necessary information to evaluate an expert’s opinion regarding each of the five recommended techniques. As an ethical practitioner who values competence, you should complete this table before offering an opinion to Denise’s parents. While your research does not need to be extensive, you should rely only on peer-reviewed studies.

Here is a sample table for you to consider. 

After completing your table, write a brief report (1-2 pages) explaining your final recommendations to Denise’s parents. In this report, explain how your recommendations comply with the APA ethical standard of competence. 

Reference: Support your assignment with at least one peer-reviewed article for each of the five interventions listed.

In addition to these specified resources, you may include other scholarly articles or books, including seminal articles.

Length: The assignment should include both a table and a brief report (1-2 pages), not including the title and reference pages. 

Your assignment should demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the ideas and concepts presented in the course by providing new thoughts and insights relating directly to this topic. Your response should reflect scholarly writing and current APA 7th standards.