Ethics and Professional Issues

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

Pre-teaching period: students are required to read over the APS ethical guidelines.

85 hours

None

Completion of APAC approved psychology studies to fourth-year (Honours) level.

None

For the purposes of considering requests for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.

The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements, Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

This component is organised around three major areas: theoretical foundations of ethics; ethical problems and the application of ethical principles to practice, and legal and institutional regulations; and codes of practice and guidelines. The exploration, clarification and possible resolution of selected ethical dilemmas commonly faced by psychologists will be covered and may include:

• psychologist/client relationships (for example, confidentiality, boundary violations, assessment of dangerousness, patient and client rights, professional responsibility, special groups, such as children, employer-psychologist ethical differences);
• psychologist/institutional relationships (eg. state regulation of professional practice, legal requirements, certification, mandatory reporting, guardianship, unprofessional conduct);
• research ethics, and personal ethical development.

Students will be given the opportunity to become familiar with the ethical codes and guidelines of the APS and the Psychologists' Registration Board and the operation of their regulating bodies; explore in depth, within the context of ethical practice, professional issues related to working with clients or patients, other professionals, employers and employees and institutions and organisations; become familiar with current ethical theories as they relate to professional practice and proficient in analysis of ethical issues and problems that psychologists are likely to encounter in their professional practice; and develop a personal conceputal framework for approaching ehtical and professional issues.

• Online quiz (25 questions) covering ethical guidelines provided by Australian Psychology Society and the Australian Registration Board (N.B. background reading must have been completed during pre-teaching period), held end of day 1 of teaching period (20%);
• Report addressing case study of ethical dilemma (500 words), due day 3 of teaching period (20%);
• Essay (1000 words), due one week after the end of the teaching period (60%).

• Confidentiality for Mental Health Professionals : A Guide to Ethical and Legal Principles
• Students undertake provided readings from Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (apac) and the Australian Psychology Society ethical guidelines for psychologists and complete and on-line questionnaire

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

Advanced information interpretation skills

Advanced analytic, integration and problem solving skills

Advanced written skills