Psychotherapy, Research Paper Example

The American Psychological Association (APA) provides the ethical standards for Psychotherapy. In essence it is that of Standard 10 that really applies here. The standard covers a number of ethical considerations briefly enumerated as follows:

1. Informed consent to therapy: Psychotherapists need to obtain informed consent from their patients. This should happen early in the therapeutic relationship. This will need to cover such items as fees, third party involvement, questions and answers etc.
2. Therapy involving couples and families: Carefully define the psychologist/client relationships. The type of relationship required with each person.
3. Group therapy: The roles and responsibilities plus the bounds of confidentiality need defining at the outset.
4. Providing therapy to those under existing treatment : This is a question of avoiding conflict of interests. It is necessary to involve the other parties, the client and legal advisor before treatment commences.
5. Sexual intimacies: The psychologist must not be involved in sexual intimacies with the client, relatives of the client, guardian of the client or associates thereof.
6. Therapy with formal sexual partners: Psychologists should not provide treatment to former sexual partners.
7. Interruption of therapy: This is a duty of due care and ensuring a smooth transition once the treatment ends. The orderly resolution of client care.
8. Termination of therapy: When it is evident that the patient is no longer endangered or proposes a threat to society. (The Insight Centre, 2007)

” The ethics code only applies to psychologists activities that are part of their scientific, educational or professional role of psychologists”  (American Psychological Association, 2010).

Works Cited

AGPA. (2002, 2). AGPA and NRCGP Guidelines for Ethics. Retrieved 4 23, 2010, from AGPA: http://www.agpa.org/group/ethicalguide.html

American Psychological Association. (2010). Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct. Retrieved 4 23, 2010, from American Psychological Association: http://www.apa.org/ethics/code/index.aspx

The Insight Centre. (2007, 7 27). The Insight Centre. Retrieved 4 22, 2010, from Ethical Standards: http://insightcenter.org/PubInfo/EthicalStandards.pdf