Article archive / September 1, 2016
Originally published: . Volume 7, No. 9. Source pages: 14.
According to a press release from the American Psychological Association, the Council of Representatives meet at its August convention in Denver and voted to approve revisions to Standard 3.04 of the APA Ethics Code (Avoiding Harm). The revision was crafted by the Ethics Committee and includes language prohibiting psychologists from participating in torture.
The wording specifically defines the term as "any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person." The revised standard focuses on the behavior of the psychologist rather than on the setting in which the behavior happens, said the authors.
The Council considered a resolution to provide support and assistance to military and national security psychologists who are trying to conform to the ethics code. The announcement said that this had previously been considered but after the Hoffman Report a resolution was passed prohibiting psychologists work in national security interrogations. The measure would allow psychologists to provide mental health services to detainees. “Due to the complexity of the issue, the council decided to postpone its consideration until the February 2017 council meeting.”
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