Question: How Ethics Differ in Research and Therapeutic Practice

Prior to beginning work on this discussion, read the APA's Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct in its entirety, paying special attention to standards 8 and 10 that cover ethics in research and therapeutic practice. Oftentimes research methods courses discuss the ethics of research and focus on historic examples of unethical research studies. This discussion of ethics will involve a different focus. The Ethical Principles and Code of Conduct presents information on ethical standards and expectations that apply to specific situations, including therapy and research. Explain the differences between the ethical standards for clients being treated by psychologists in counseling sessions and the standards for conducting psychological research with human participants. Consider your future career in the field of psychology and describe the parts of the Ethical Principles and Code of Conduct you expect to relate directly to your future career. Select and provide the number for one ethical requirement that applies specifically to psychological research and briefly summarize the standard. Explain why this requirement may not apply to a therapy situation.

Guided Response: Review several of your colleagues' posts and respond to at least two of your peers who selected a different ethical requirement than you. You are encouraged to post your required replies earlier in the week to promote more meaningful interactive discourse in this discussion.

As you formulate your responses, answer the following questions:

• Did your colleague provide a thorough explanation of the differences between the ethical requirements for research versus those for therapeutic practice?

• What differences did your colleague note which you did not list in your initial post?

• Considering the future career your colleague mentioned, did he or she correctly describe the parts of the APA code which would directly relate to that career path?

• What suggestions might you make to your colleague in terms of ethical standards which would apply to this career path?

• Do you concur with your colleague's choice of ethical standard that applies specifically to psychological research?

• If so, why? If not, what standards might you suggest your colleague consider that apply specifically to research?

• Did your colleague provide a convincing explanation as to why this standard would not apply to therapeutic practice?

• Can you think of additional explanations for why this requirement may not apply to a therapy situation?