Implications of the 1992 ethics code for the practice of individual psychotherapy.

Standard 4, Therapy, with additions such as structuring the relationship, obtaining informed consent, providing mental health services to those served by others, and interrupting and terminating services, are addressed and critiqued.

Abstract

The current ethics code (American Psychological Association [APA], 1992) provides improved standards through increased specificity and proscriptive guidance than did the previous code (APA, 1990). Standards 4 and 5 are focused for review in this article. Standard 4, Therapy, with additions such as structuring the relationship, obtaining informed consent, providing mental health services to those served by others, and interrupting and terminating services, are addressed and critiqued. Standard 5, Privacy and Confidentiality, is expanded in the current code. Some principles are critiqued with regard to their vagueness, their tendency to be dilute in terms of power and enforceability, their failure to maintain the highest principles for the welfare of clients, and their possible advocacy of the welfare of psychologists above that of the clients.