Ethical Issues in School Psychology

Ethics

The term ethics refers to a system of principles of conduct that guide and limit the behavior of an individual. Ethics is composed of a range of acceptable (or unacceptable) social and personal behaviors, from rules of etiquette to more basic rules of society. Ethics defines both what is good for the individual and society, and the obligations people owe themselves and one another. A system of ethics develops within the context of a society or culture, and may change over time as the society changes.

The terms ethics and morality are often used interchangeably. However, according to philosophers such as Solomon (1984), the term morality refers to a subset of ethical rules of special importance. Moral rules can be differentiated from other aspects of ethics in that they are more important, fundamental, universal, rational, and objective. A society's moral rules, if violated, typically result in strong disapproval or punishment.

The term applied professional ethics refers to the application of broad ethical principles and specific rules to the problems that arise in professional practice. W. D. Ross, a 20th-century English philosopher, identified a number of principles that provide a foundation for the ethical codes of psychologists and other professionals: nonmaleficence, fidelity, beneficence, justice, and autonomy (Bersoff & Koeppl, 1993).

Codes of Ethics

Professional organizations such as the American Psychological Association (APA) and the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) adopt codes of ethics to protect the welfare of consumers of psychological services and maintain the public trust in psychology. These codes are drafted by committees within professional organizations, and reflect the beliefs of association members about what constitutes appropriate professional conduct. When practitioners violate codes of ethics, they may face sanctions by their professional organization. Adoption of a formal code of ethics also serves to enhance the prestige of the profession, and may reduce the perceived need for external regulation and control.

The NASP's Professional Conduct Manual (NASP, 2000) was developed to provide guidelines specifically for school psychologists employed in the schools or in independent practice. The NASP's code focuses on protecting the well-being of the student/ client, but also prescribes conduct to protect the rights and welfare of parents, teachers, and other consumers of school psychological services. The code provides guidelines in:

• Professional competence
• Professional relationships with students, parents, the school, the community, other professionals, and trainees and interns
• Advocacy of the rights and welfare of the student/client
• Professional responsibilities in assessment and intervention
• Reporting data and sharing results
• Use of materials and technology
• Research, publication, and presentation
• Professional responsibilities related to independent practice

The APA's Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (2002) consists of general principles and specific ethical standards to protect the welfare of individuals and groups with whom psychologists work. The APA's code differs from the NASP's Professional Conduct Manual in that it was developed for psychologists with training in diverse specialty areas (e.g., clinical, industrial-organizational, school), and who work in a number of different settings (private practice, industry, hospitals and clinics, public schools, university teaching, and research). The sections comprising the APA's code are Introduction and Applicability, Preamble, General Principles, and Ethical Standards. The General Principles section includes five broadly worded aspirational goals to be considered by psychologists in ethical decision

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