Ethics and principles of psychological consultation. Code of Ethics for Psychologist in Education

The consequences of communicating with a psychologist are of great personal significance, whether for a child or an adult.

What kind of psychologist's intervention will be - developing or destroying the client's personality - depends on his compliance with the ethical principles of professional activity.

The draft code of ethics was adopted at the All-Russian Congress of Practical Educational Psychologists on May 26-28, 2003.

This Code of Ethics applies to all professional activities of educational psychologists in the Russian education system.

The main purpose of the Code of Ethics is to establish the fundamental rights and responsibilities arising from the characteristics of the professional activity of a psychologist. The Code should serve as a guide for the psychologist when planning and constructing work with a client, including in resolving problem and conflict situations that arise in the course of the psychologist’s professional activities. The Code is intended to protect clients and society as a whole from the undesirable consequences of the uncontrolled and unqualified use of psychological knowledge, and at the same time to protect psychologists and practical psychology from discredit. The Code is drawn up in accordance with the Geneva Convention on the Rights of the Child and current Russian legislation.

To solve emerging ethical problems, an Ethics Commission is being created as part of the regional scientific and methodological council of the service for practical psychology of education.

But can the Code of Ethics always fulfill all these functions? Let's look at some principles.

CONFIDENTIALITY PRINCIPLE

1. Information obtained by a psychologist in the process of carrying out work is not subject todeliberate or accidental disclosure, and in a situation where it is necessary to transfer itto third parties must be presented in a form that precludes its use againstinterests of clients.

2. Persons participating in psychological research, training and other activities should be aware of the scope and nature of information that may be communicated to other interested persons and/or institutions.

3. Participation of students, pupils, parents, teachers in psychologicalprocedures (diagnosis, counseling, correction, etc.) must be conscious andvoluntary.*

4.If information received from the client is requested by experts (foraddressing the issue of the competence of a psychologist during his certification), it should beprovided in a form that excludes the identification of the client by experts. For this purpose, all client information is registered and stored in strict confidentiality.

5. Reports on professional activities, research results andpublications must be compiled in a form that excludes personal identificationclient by people around them who are not included in the circle of specialists working withby this client.

6. The presence of third parties during diagnosis or consultation requires the prior consent of the client or those responsible for him (if the client is under 16 years of age).

7. The administration of the educational authority or educational institution on whose instructions the psychological examination is carried out must be warned that it is subject to the obligation of maintaining professional secrecy. When informing the administration of the results of the examination and his conclusion, the psychologist must refrain from communicating information that is harmful to the client and is not related to the educational situation.

Unfortunately, the principle of confidentiality is often not fully observed by practicing psychologists. Disclosure of information sometimes does not have the purpose of causing harm to the client, but, nevertheless, it happens. It often seems that if we convey information about an “interesting” case to our friends or relatives, then nothing bad will happen, because they don’t even know him and will never meet him or his relatives. But do we have the right to do this? No, we don't. Thus, the authority of not only us as specialists, but also of psychology as a whole is undermined. The client trusts us with information about his personal life, and we do not have the right to disclose it to anyone, much less discuss it with non-professionals in this field. There is another aspect of this problem when we are forced to provide information at the request of the administration. The psychologist must be able to present this information in a way that does not harm the client. Does every specialist think about this? We have a request, we have carried out diagnostics, drawn conclusions and the answer to the request is ready, but there is no time to process this response, make it “safe” for the client, and the administration seems to be normal adults who will use the information in the right way perspective. But we cannot guarantee this necessary perspective; we are obliged to ensure that the information is perceived and used for the benefit of the client, and not just anyhow.

PRINCIPLE OF COMPETENCE

1. The psychologist clearly defines and takes into account the boundaries of his own competence.

2. The psychologist is responsible for choosing the procedure and methods of working withclient.

Every practicing psychologist has a battery of tests that he uses in his work for diagnosis. There are recommended and frequently used techniques, and there are less popular ones. At the moment, there are many possible tests, a psychologist can choose almost any and use them in his work, but can he be responsible for their quality, for their compliance with the goals and objectives set in the work? Can a psychologist, especially a beginner, competently determine the limits of his capabilities? When working at school, you need to be able to use many techniques and use them competently. Not every psychologist can admit that he can’t do something or doesn’t know something. The fear of losing one's authority in the eyes of the administration or showing one's incompetence in any area often leads to the diagnostic procedure being violated and erroneous conclusions being drawn. All this has an unfavorable effect on the client; it is his interests that suffer in the first place.

PRINCIPLE OF RESPONSIBILITY

1. The psychologist is aware of his professional and personal responsibility toclient and society for their professional activities.

2. When conducting research, a psychologist cares, first of all, about the well-being of people and does not use the results of his work to their detriment.

3. The psychologist is responsible for compliance with this Code of Ethics, regardless of whether he carries out psychological work himself or whether it is carried out under his leadership.

4. The psychologist bears professional responsibility for his own statementson psychological topics made in the media and in publicspeeches.

5. A psychologist in public speaking has no right to use unverifiedinformation, mislead people about your education andcompetence.

(In cases where the child has not reached the age of 16, consent to his participation in psychologicalprocedures must be given by parents or persons replacing them).

6. The psychologist may not inform the client about the true goals of psychologicalprocedures only in cases where alternative ways to achieve these goalsimpossible.

7. When making a decision to provide psychological assistance to persons incompetentpersons (minors; persons in acute stress;patients who at the time of treatment have a diagnosis of a mental disorder, whichknown to the psychologist, etc.) the psychologist is responsible for the consequences of the chosen andthe intervention he used.

The psychologist should not take all the responsibility upon himself.

His task is more complex - to gradually develop a sense of and readiness for responsibility among the clients being consulted. The consultant himself is responsible for the organization of such assistance, but not for the decisions made - this right (and responsibility) belongs to the client as a subject of self-determination.

PRINCIPLE OF CLIENT WELL-BEING

1. In his professional actions, the psychologist focuses on well-being andtakes into account the rights of all subjects of the educational process. In cases where the duties of a psychologist conflict with ethical standards, the psychologist resolves these conflicts, guided by the principle of “do no harm.”

2. A psychologist in the course of his professional activities should not allowdiscrimination (restrictions on constitutional rights and personal freedoms) based on socialstatus, age, gender, nationality, religion, intelligence and any otherdifferences,

3 In the professional activity of an educational psychologist, prioritythe rights and interests of the child as the main subject of the educational process are declared.

4 The psychologist has a benevolent and non-judgmental attitude towardsto the client.

It is very difficult to treat a client without judgment, one way or another we form our own opinion about him even before the start of any events. This may harm the client. The danger lies in the fact that when forming our opinion about him, giving him an assessment, we set ourselves up in advance for a certain type of reaction on his part; we interpret his behavior and statements through the prism of our own opinion, due to which the information is distorted.

In conflict situations, the psychologist is obliged to be guided by the interests of the child, but this position may conflict with the position of the administration of the institution. Not every psychologist “has the guts” to contradict the “boss,” and not everyone knows how to use the legal framework; moreover, often in conflict situations that become personal, the legal framework is not an argument.

In addition, in his work, a practical psychologist is faced with so-called ethical problems and “temptations”:

The temptation of power.

It is known that a psychologist has many opportunities to make people dependent on himself.

It’s bad when power over the actions and actions of other people becomes an end in itself for someone.

The Temptation of Self-Adornment at Work arises when a psychologist uses his profession more to demonstrate his merits than to help people who turn to him.

But, on the other hand, it is also impossible not to make any impression on the client (not to be able to please him). The problem is in the desire to “Make an Impression” to find a measure that would not turn the consultation into a one-man show and would allow the client being consulted to express themselves to the maximum.

The temptation to follow “methodological fashions” arises when, in pursuit of the latest innovations in practical psychology, a specialist spends a lot of time getting acquainted with new methods and does not really have time to master any of them.

But, on the other hand, psychologists really should not lag behind the latest innovations. Probably some measure is required here.

The temptation to peddle occurs when a psychologist forgets about his health and the interests of his family and friends.

For example, a psychologist, in order not to seem “callous,” gives out his phone number to everyone, constantly, even on holidays, arranges additional meetings with his clients, who, perhaps, really have no one else to communicate with.

Often, the lack of basic mental hygiene at work for a practicing psychologist leads him to a psychiatric hospital. It is noteworthy that some authors associate the psychologist’s “emotional burnout” syndrome with his selflessness in work, excessive empathy, and gentleness, while other authors, on the contrary, with authoritarianism and a low level of empathy.

Having considered some ethical principles and problems that a psychologist faces, we can conclude that the implementation of these provisions rests entirely with the conscience of the psychologist. It is very difficult to check whether a psychologist follows these principles in his work or not. Of course, a commission is being created to regulate compliance with Ethical Standards, but it is not possible to monitor the work of each psychologist in each individual institution. Many clients who come to a psychologist may not be aware of their rights (not every psychologist, for various reasons, informs their clients about their rights) and the responsibilities of the psychologist himself; some do not report violations of ethical standards by the psychologist.

The measure of “punishment” for a psychologist for not complying with Ethical Standards is not prescribed, nor is it said whether this is a “crime”. Perhaps this is a consequence of the fact that the consequences of violating the code are different, it is difficult to predict them in advance, and it is also difficult to differentiate them. However, it may be precisely due to the fact that there is no “punishment” for such violations that this code does not have much force for psychologists and is perceived as some kind of instructions, a model of how it should be. And the attitude is appropriate - well, just think, he retreated a couple of times, well, okay, no one will notice. However, a violation of the Code of Ethics is a violation of individual rights, an infringement of individual rights, for which a specialist must be held accountable.

CODE OF ETHICS

Teacher-psychologist of the service of practical psychology

education in Russia

Adopted at the All-Russian Congress of Practical Educational Psychologists,

held in May 2003 in Moscow.

This Code of Ethics applies to all professional activities of a teacher-psychologist in the Russian education system (hereinafter referred to as a psychologist).

The study of the Code of Ethics is included in the basic professional training of a practical educational psychologist.

To solve emerging ethical problems, an Ethics Commission is being created as part of the regional scientific and methodological council of the service for practical psychology of education.

Basic ethical principles of the activity of a psychologist

Ethical principles are intended to ensure:

solving professional problems in accordance with ethical standards;

protection of the legal rights of people with whom psychologists enter into professional interaction: trainees, pupils, students, teachers, supervisors, research participants and other persons with whom the psychologist works;

maintaining trust between psychologist and client;

The main ethical principles are:

1. Principle of confidentiality.

2. The principle of competence.

3. The principle of responsibility.

4. The principle of ethical and legal competence.

5. The principle of qualified propaganda of psychology.

6. The principle of client well-being.

7. The principle of professional cooperation.

8. The principle of informing the client about the purposes and results of the examination.

These principles are consistent with professional standards accepted for the work of psychologists in the international community.

1. Principle of confidentiality

1. Information obtained by a psychologist in the process of work is not subject to deliberate or accidental disclosure, and in a situation where it is necessary to transfer it to third parties, it must be presented in a form that precludes its use against the interests of clients.

2. Persons participating in psychological research, training and other activities must be aware of the volume and nature of information that may be communicated to other interested persons and (or) institutions.

3. The participation of students, pupils, parents, teachers in psychological procedures (diagnosis, counseling, correction, etc.) must be conscious and voluntary.

4. If information received from the client is requested by experts (to resolve the issue of the psychologist’s competence during his certification), it must be provided in a form that excludes the identification of the client by experts. For this purpose, all client information is registered and stored in strict confidentiality.

5. Reports on professional activities, research results and publications must be compiled in a form that excludes identification of the client’s personality by people around him who are not included in the circle of specialists working with this client.

6. The presence of third parties during diagnosis or consultation requires the prior consent of the client or those responsible for him (if the client is under 14 years of age).

7. The administration of the educational management body or educational institution on whose instructions the psychological examination is carried out must be warned that it is subject to the obligation to maintain professional secrecy. When informing the administration of the results of the examination and his conclusion, the psychologist must refrain from communicating information that is harmful to the client and is not related to the educational situation.

2. The principle of competence

1. The psychologist clearly defines and takes into account the boundaries of his own competence.

2. The psychologist is responsible for choosing the procedure and methods of working with the client.

3. Principle of responsibility

1. The psychologist is aware of his professional and personal responsibility to the client and society for his professional activities.

2. When conducting research, a psychologist cares, first of all, about the well-being of people and does not use the results of his work to their detriment.

H. The psychologist is responsible for compliance with this Code of Ethics, regardless of whether he carries out psychological work himself or whether it is carried out under his leadership.

4. The psychologist bears professional responsibility for his own statements on psychological topics made in the media and in public speeches.

5. A psychologist in public speeches has no right to use unverified information or mislead people about his education and competence.

6. The psychologist may not inform the client about the true goals of psychological procedures only in cases where alternative ways to achieve these goals are impossible.

7. When making a decision to provide psychological assistance to incompetent persons (minors; persons in an acute state of stress; patients who at the time of treatment have a diagnosis of a mental disorder that is known to the psychologist, etc.), the psychologist is responsible for the consequences of the chosen and used them interference.

4. Principle of ethical and legal competence

1. A psychologist plans and conducts research in accordance with current legislation and professional requirements for conducting psychological activities.

2. In the event of a discrepancy between the norms of this Code and the responsibilities assigned to him by the administration of the educational institution, the psychologist is guided by the norms of this Code. Such cases are brought to the attention of the administration of the institution where the psychologist works, and the professional psychological community (methodological association) or the regional scientific and methodological council of the service of practical psychology.

3. The norms of this Code apply only to the professional relations of the psychologist with the client and other subjects of the educational process.

4. The psychologist may perform his duties as an official expert in accordance with the law. At the same time, the norms of this Code fully apply to him.

5. The principle of qualified propaganda of psychology

1. In any messages intended for people who do not have a psychological education, excessive information that reveals the essence of professional methods of work should be avoided. Such information is only possible in messages for specialists.

2. In all communications, the psychologist must reflect the capabilities of the methods of practical psychology in accordance with the real state of affairs. You should refrain from any statements that may lead to unjustified expectations from the psychologist.

Z. A psychologist is obliged to promote the achievements of psychology professionally and accurately in accordance with the actual state of science at the moment.

6. Principle of client well-being

1. In his professional actions, the psychologist focuses on well-being and takes into account the rights of all subjects of the educational process. In cases where the duties of a psychologist conflict with ethical standards, the psychologist resolves these conflicts, guided by the principle of “do no harm.”

2. A psychologist in the course of professional activities should not allow discrimination (restrictions on constitutional rights and personal freedoms) based on social status, age, gender, nationality, religion, intelligence and any other differences.

3. In the professional activities of an educational psychologist, the rights and interests of the child as the main subject of the educational process are declared a priority.

4. The psychologist maintains a friendly and non-judgmental attitude towards the client.

7. The principle of professional cooperation

1. The work of a psychologist is based on the right and obligation to show respect for other specialists and their methods of work, regardless of their own theoretical and methodological preferences.

2. The psychologist refrains from public assessments and comments about the means and methods of work of colleagues in the presence of clients and persons being examined.

3. If an ethical violation cannot be eliminated informally, the psychologist can bring the problem to the discussion of the methodological association (MO), in conflict situations - to the ethical commission of the regional scientific and methodological council of the service of practical psychology of education.

8. The principle of informing the client about the purposes and results of the examination

1. The psychologist informs the client about the goals and content of the psychological work carried out with him, the methods used and methods of obtaining information, so that the client can decide to participate in this work. In cases where a psychological procedure is carried out with children under 14 years of age, the child’s consent to participate in it must be given by the parents or persons replacing them.

2. In the process of professional activity, the psychologist expresses his own judgments and evaluates various aspects of the situation in a form that excludes restrictions on the client’s freedom to make an independent decision. In the course of providing psychological assistance, the principle of voluntariness on the part of the client must be strictly observed.

3. The psychologist must inform participants in psychological work about those aspects of the activity that may affect their decision to participate (or not to participate) in the upcoming work: physical risk, discomfort, unpleasant emotional experience, etc.

4. To obtain the client’s consent to perform psychological work with him, the psychologist must use clear terminology and language that the client can understand.

5. The conclusion based on the results of the examination should not be categorical; it can be offered to the client only in the form of recommendations. Recommendations must be clear and not contain obviously impossible conditions.

6. During the examination, the psychologist must identify and emphasize the client’s abilities and capabilities.

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Principle A. Competence .

Psychologists make every effort to raise standards and define the boundaries of competence in their work. They engage only in activities and use only those methods for which they have documented qualifications and personal experience. Psychologists are aware of the fact that the competence required to teach, serve, or study groups of people often depends largely on the characteristics of those groups themselves. In areas where professional standards and norms have not yet been established, psychologists exercise increased responsibility and do everything possible to protect the well-being of those with whom they work. They improve their skills in their areas of activity and recognize the need for additional training early on. Psychologists pay attention to scientific, professional, technical and administrative materials, trying to find their proper use.

Principle B: Integrity.

Psychologists strive to maintain integrity in the science, teaching, and practice of psychology. In their work, psychologists are honest, friendly and respectful of others. Psychologists should not make false, erroneous or untruthful statements when reporting their qualifications, work, research and teaching. Psychologists must be well aware of their personal values, needs, beliefs and the limitations that all this may impose on their work. To be more effective in their work, psychologists try to clarify their professional roles for others and behave in accordance with these roles. Psychologists try to avoid incorrect and potentially dangerous ambiguous relationships.

Principle C. Professional and scientific responsibility.

Psychologists maintain professional standards of work, take responsibility for their professional and scientific activities, trying to use their methods differentiated, depending on the needs of the different groups with which they deal. Psychologists cooperate with other professionals and social institutions to better serve the interests of patients, clients or other recipients of their services. The moral standards and norms of a psychologist are as much a private matter as those of other people, except to the extent that these norms may compromise professional responsibility or diminish public confidence in psychology and psychologists. Psychologists are not indifferent to the ethical side of the scientific and professional pursuits of their colleagues. Psychologists consult with colleagues when necessary to prevent or avoid unethical practices.

Principle D: Respect for human rights.

Psychologists have due respect for the fundamental rights, honor and dignity of all people. They respect people's rights to privacy, privacy, self-determination and autonomy, but are aware that their legal responsibilities may conflict with the exercise of these rights. Psychologists recognize cultural, individual, and role differences, including those related to age, gender, race, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, illness, language, and socioeconomic status. Psychologists try to reduce the impact of these factors on their work and do not knowingly engage in any discriminatory practices.

Principle E: Concern for the Welfare of Others .

Psychologists care about the well-being of those with whom they interact. In their professional activities, psychologists consider the welfare and rights of their patients, clients, students, supervisors, research participants, and other concerned individuals. In cases where the responsibilities of psychologists conflict with ethical standards, psychologists try to resolve these conflicts, guided by non-harm. Psychologists never forget about the power over other people that psychology actually gives, or which is attributed to this profession, and they do not try to use this power for personal gain, both in professional activity and outside it.

Principle F. Social responsibility.

Psychologists are aware of their professional and scientific responsibility to the society in which they work and live. They try to popularize psychological knowledge to improve the well-being of society. Psychologists do everything they can to reduce human suffering. When conducting research, they care primarily about the well-being of people and about deepening psychological knowledge. Psychologists try to avoid misusing the results of their work. Psychologists, in accordance with the law, try to develop social policy in such a way that it serves the interests of their patients, clients and the public.

In particular, the concept of “client” is explained as a symbol for a person who is the object of research, counseling, special education, training, treatment, undergoing professional selection, certification, or a subject being studied in the interests of human science.

The ethical code of the psychological society presents the main ethical principles and rules for the activities of a psychologist:

the principle of non-damage to the Client;

principle of competence of a psychologist;

the principle of impartiality of the Psychologist;

the principle of confidentiality of the activities of a psychologist;

principle of informed consent.

Each of the named principles in the Code of Ethics is disclosed and justified by certain rules. These principles must be known and followed in professional activities. Let's look at them.

1. The principle of non-damage to the Client requires the Psychologist to organize his work in such a way that neither its process nor its results cause harm to the Client’s health, condition or social status. This principle provides the following rules.

The rule of mutual respect between the psychologist and the Client.

The psychologist proceeds from respect for personal dignity, rights and freedoms proclaimed and guaranteed by the Constitution of the Russian Federation. Work with the Client is permitted only after obtaining the Client’s consent to participate in it, after notifying him of the purpose of working with him, of the methods used and how to use the information received. If the Client is not able to make a decision on his participation in the experiment, such a decision must be made by his legal representatives.

Safety rule for the Client of the methods used.

The psychologist uses only such research methods that are not dangerous to the health or condition of the Client, do not present it in the research results in a false, distorted light, do not provide information about those psychological properties and characteristics that are not related to specific, agreed upon tasks of psychological research.

Rule for preventing dangerous actions of the Customer regarding the Client.

The Psychologist formulates his recommendations, organizes the storage, use and publication of research results in such a way as to exclude their use outside of the tasks that were agreed upon between the Psychologist and the Client, and which could worsen the Client’s situation. The psychologist informs the Client about the nature of the information transmitted to the Client and does this only after receiving the Client’s consent.

2. The principle of competence of a psychologist. According to this principle, a Psychologist can provide only those services for which he has the necessary qualifications and education. He is guided by scientific and professional standards in his work and uses tried and tested techniques. The psychologist must adhere to the principle of scientific integrity and verify the results obtained. A psychologist can undertake only such work that makes it possible to comply with the above obligations. This principle is revealed by the following rules.

2.1.Rule of cooperation between Psychologist and Client.

The psychologist is obliged to notify the Customer about the real possibilities of modern psychological science in the field of questions posed by the Customer, about the limits of his competence and the limits of his capabilities. The psychologist must inform the Customer about the principles and rules of psychological activity and obtain the Customer’s consent to be guided by them in the process of work. Psychologists cannot offer special procedures, techniques or other means that they do not know or the effectiveness of which is subject to professional or scientific doubt.

2.2. Rules for professional communication between Psychologist and Client.

The Psychologist must master the methods of psychodiagnostic conversation, observation, and psychological and pedagogical influence at a level sufficient to maintain the Client’s feeling of sympathy and trust, satisfaction from communication with the Psychologist. The relationship between a psychologist and a client or patient is of a special nature due to the need to establish trust between them. A psychologist has the right to refuse to assume professional obligations or to terminate their fulfillment in the event of termination of a trusting relationship.

2.3. The rule for the validity of the Psychologist's research results.

The psychologist formulates the results of the study in terms and concepts accepted in psychological science, confirming his conclusions by presenting primary research materials, their mathematical and statistical processing and the positive conclusion of competent colleagues. When solving any psychological problems, research is carried out, always based on a preliminary analysis of literary data on the issue at hand.

A code of ethics is a set of moral rules of behavior on the basis of which the activities and relationships of people in one or another area of their communication are built. The ethical code is based on moral norms that express categories of goodness, that is, such general principles developed in the history of human culture and civilization, following which is good for people, benefits them, and makes them happy. The opposite are the categories associated with evil, orientation towards which makes people, on the contrary, unhappy and harms them.

The code of ethics is based on morality, not law. This means that a person who violates this code is not subject to trial in accordance with the law, and cannot receive a punishment that would allow the use of coercive measures against him. In contrast, the legal code is based on rules of law that permit violent actions against those persons who violate it and are convicted by the court, as well as those against whom criminal cases have been initiated by the justice authorities.

An ethical code is introduced into the work of the psychological service and into the management of the activities of practical psychologists included in its structures because not all problems that a practical psychologist faces in life in the educational system can have an unambiguous and precise legal solution, be described and are presented in the form of legal norms regulating the actions of a psychologist in a particular social situation. He often has to act and make decisions based on intuition and feelings, which is not allowed in legal practice. Often it is feelings and intuition that prompt the psychologist to make the most correct decision or protect against making a hasty, premature and potentially erroneous decision.

There are several sources on the basis of which the norms of the ethical code of a practical psychologist are developed. This is philosophy, religion, culture, customs, traditions, ideology and politics, acting as spheres or attributes of human activity that set the basic principles of morality for the creation and functioning of an ethical code. In philosophy, for example, there is a special section that has been developed for a long time, which is called “ethics”. It gives a scientific definition of morality, examines its origins, basic moral categories, and their transformation in the process of development of human culture and civilization. From time immemorial, religious views have contained certain moral principles that are imperative for believers, that is, they have the force of a moral law for them. Culture includes the norms of human relations that are implemented in society, in the family, in the education system, in personal and business relationships of people. Components of socio-psychological human culture are also customs and traditions that provide a socially or nationally specific flavor of ethical standards. Ideology and politics also represent specific sources of moral consciousness, based on the interests of states, peoples, nations, classes, ruling parties, and social groups of the population.

The specific content of the ethical code that underlies the professional activities of people depends on all of the listed factors, as well as on the specifics of the professional activity in question. Currently, in various countries where psychological services have been deployed and have been functioning for a long time in the education system, their own codes of ethics for practical psychologists have been developed. A version of such a code, which is briefly outlined below, is based on the analysis and synthesis of some similar documents, in particular those developed in the USA, Germany, and Spain. It is supplemented with provisions reflecting the state of the education system in the Russian Federation at the time of writing this textbook.

All moral standards included in the code of ethics of a professional practical psychologist can be divided according to the areas of activity in which they are implemented. This is the position from which a practical psychologist proceeds when discussing issues affecting the interests of children; the actions of a psychologist in those cases of life when the interests of a child’s development are violated by someone; the actions of a psychologist in the case when he himself is not able to satisfactorily help the child or is forced to use in practice not fully tested and approved methods; relationships that develop between a psychologist, parents, and teachers in situations concerning the disclosure of data from psychodiagnostic examinations; the actions of a psychologist in cases where the fate of a child is decided.

Below is an example code of ethics that regulates the moral actions of a practical psychologist in the education system in various situations:

1. The professional activity of a psychologist in the education system is characterized by special responsibility to children.

2. In cases where the personal interests of the child conflict with the interests of the educational institution, other people, adults and children, the psychologist is obliged to perform his functions with maximum impartiality.

3. The work of a psychologist is based on the principle of professional independence and autonomy. His decision on issues of a professional psychological nature is final and cannot be canceled by the administration of the educational institution or higher management organizations.

4. Only a special commission consisting of highly qualified psychologists and endowed with appropriate authority has the right to cancel a psychologist’s decision.

5. When working with children, the psychologist is guided by the principles of honesty and sincerity.

6. In order to be able to help children, the psychologist himself needs trust and appropriate rights. He, in turn, bears personal responsibility for the correct use of the rights given to him.

7. The work of a practical psychologist in the education system is aimed at achieving exclusively humane goals, which involve removing restrictions on the path of free intellectual and personal development of each child.

8. The psychologist builds his work on the basis of unconditional respect for the dignity and inviolability of the child’s personality, respects and actively protects his fundamental human rights, as defined by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

9. A psychologist is one of the main defenders of the child’s interests before society and all people.

10. A psychologist must be careful and circumspect in the choice of psychodiagnostic and psychocorrectional methods, as well as in his conclusions and recommendations.

11. A psychologist should not take part in anything that somehow limits the child’s development, his human freedom, physical and psychological integrity. The most serious violation of a psychologist’s professional ethics is his personal assistance or direct participation in matters that harm a child. Persons once found guilty of such violations are once and for all deprived of the right to work with children, to use a diploma or other document confirming the qualifications of a professional psychologist, and in cases determined by law are subject to trial.

12. A psychologist is obliged to inform those to whom he is subordinate, as well as his professional associations, about violations of the rights of the child by other persons that he has noticed, and about cases of inhumane treatment of children.

13. The psychologist must counteract any political, ideological, social, economic and other influences that could lead to a violation of the rights of the child.

14. A psychologist is obliged to provide only such services for which he has the necessary education and qualifications.

15. In the case of forced use of psychodiagnostic or psychotherapeutic (psychocorrectional) techniques that have not been sufficiently tested or do not fully meet all scientific standards, the psychologist is obliged to warn interested parties about this and be especially careful in his conclusions and recommendations.

16. A psychologist does not have the right to transfer psychodiagnostic, psychotherapeutic or psychocorrectional techniques for use by incompetent persons.

17. A psychologist is obliged to prevent the use of psychodiagnostic methods and psychological influence by professionally unprepared people, and to warn about this those who unknowingly use the services of such people.

18. Children of teenage and high school age have the right to individual consultation with a psychologist in the absence of third parties, including teachers, parents or people replacing them.

19. A psychologist should not prevent the examination or consultation of an adult child, at his request, to be carried out in the presence of other persons, with the exception of special cases related to the conduct of a medical-psychological or forensic psychological examination, determined by law.

20. The psychologist has the right to report or transfer data from an individual psychological examination of children of adolescence and youth to third parties only with the consent of the children themselves. At the same time, the child has the right to know what is said or conveyed about him and to whom.

21. Teachers, parents, their substitutes, and the administration of educational institutions are allowed to communicate only such data about children that cannot be used by these persons to harm the child.

22. Using the media and other available means of receiving or distributing it, psychologists are obliged to warn people about the possible negative consequences of their seeking psychological help from incompetent persons and indicate where and from whom these people can receive the necessary professional psychological help.

23. A psychologist should not allow himself to be drawn into such matters or activities where his role and functions are ambiguous and could cause harm to children.

24. A psychologist should not make promises to clients that he is unable to fulfill.

25. If an examination of a child or psychological intervention is carried out at the request of another person: a representative of an educational authority, a doctor, a judge, etc., then the psychologist is obliged to notify the child’s parents or persons replacing them about this.

26. The psychologist is personally responsible for keeping confidential information about the children he examines.

27. When hired to work in an educational institution, a psychologist must stipulate that, within the limits of his professional competence, he will act independently, and also familiarize the administration of the institution in which he will work, and other interested parties with the contents of this code of ethics. He must draw the attention of all persons who will be associated with him in professional work to the need to maintain secrecy and observe professional ethics. The psychologist must warn that professional interference in his work can only be carried out by a higher authority of the psychological service, vested with the appropriate powers. He must also stipulate that he cannot comply with unethical demands from others.

28. Violation of the provisions of the code of ethics by a professional practical psychologist is considered by the court of honor of the association of practical psychologists, and, if necessary, by a higher professional organization included in the structure of the psychological service of the educational system.

The work of a psychologist is in many ways similar to the work of a doctor, priest or lawyer: people trust these specialists with their secrets and problems. Trust in a psychologist largely depends on the confidence that everything that the psychologist learns about the client will be used for the benefit of the client and not to his detriment. A guarantee of this is the code of ethics, which prescribes certain principles or rules of conduct for a professional psychologist. In addition, the code allows you to resolve situations in which the interests of the state, society and the client collide. Therefore, it is very important that the code stipulates in which cases the interests of the client are a priority, and in which the interests of society or the state are priority. Another goal of the ethical code is to protect society from the undesirable consequences of the uncontrolled and unqualified use of psychological knowledge. Thus, the code should protect psychologists and psychology from discredit. As an example, consider the ethical code of an educational psychologist, developed and adopted by the psychological service of the Yaroslavl region. The basis of this code are ethical principles that determine the main value priorities of a psychologist.

The main ethical principles are:

1. The principle of responsibility.
2. The principle of competence.
3. Principle of confidentiality.
4. The principle of ethical and legal competence.
5. The principle of qualified propaganda of psychology.
6. The principle of client well-being.
7. The principle of professional cooperation.
8. The principle of informing the client about the purposes and results of the examination.
9. The principle of the morally positive effect of a psychologist’s professional actions.

Let's look briefly at each of the principles.

1. The principle of social responsibility means that a psychologist must act for the benefit of society, reducing human suffering and preventing the results of psychological activity from being used to the detriment of individuals or groups of people.
2. The principle of competence requires that a psychologist use only diagnostic or correctional and developmental methods that correspond to the level of his competence. At the same time, the psychologist must constantly expand the boundaries of his competence, improving his qualifications and becoming familiar with the latest achievements of psychology.
3. The principle of confidentiality dictates that information received by a psychologist from a client is not subject to disclosure. If necessary, it must be presented in a form that precludes its use against the client. In some cases (in the process of professional certification of a psychologist), if information is requested by specialists, it must be presented in a form that excludes the identification of the client’s personality by surrounding people.

In scientific publications or reports, psychological information is presented only in generalized or coded form.

4. The principle of ethical and legal competence was drawn up so that the psychologist remembers that his activities must comply with current legislation and the ethical standards of this code. The norms of this code apply only to the professional relationships of psychologists with their clients, relatives, teachers and the public, but do not affect the personal life of a psychologist.
5. The principle of qualified propaganda of psychology means that, firstly, in messages for non-professionals, information about such diagnostic techniques, the results of which may be distorted if they are previously familiar with them, should be avoided. Secondly, a psychologist in lectures and conversations must objectively reflect his capabilities, without creating unjustified expectations from the psychologist and psychology.
6. The principle of client well-being is the guiding principle of the code. It prescribes focusing on the rights of its clients and being guided by the principle “Do no harm.” Regardless of his emotional and physical state, a psychologist must be friendly, tactful, attentive and polite towards the client.
7. The principle of professional cooperation requires that a psychologist show respect for his colleagues - other specialists and their methods of work, regardless of theoretical and methodological preferences. Criticism or complaints about the style or methods of work of a colleague can only be expressed among specialists - psychologists.
8. The principle of informing the client about the goals and results of the examination instructs the psychologist to inform the client about the goals of the upcoming psychological work so that he can decide to participate in it. If psychological work is to be carried out with children under 16 years of age, the child’s consent to participate in it must be given by the parents or persons replacing them. At the same time, the client must know that at any moment, at any stage, he can refuse to participate in psychological work. Thus, psychological assistance is provided only on the basis of the client’s voluntary consent. When formulating results, the psychologist should focus on the client’s abilities and capabilities, rather than on his limitations and shortcomings.
9. The principle of the morally positive effect of a psychologist’s professional actions means that the psychologist must foresee the consequences of his public speeches or appearances in the media. He must try to reduce the undesirable consequences of his professional activities and prevent the inadequate use of psychological knowledge and techniques by non-professionals.

Questions and tasks for self-test

1. State the reasons for the adoption and use of the psychologist’s code of ethics.
2. What undesirable situations are intended to be prevented by the principles listed in the code of ethics?

Main literature

1. Psychological service of education: regulatory and legal aspect / ed. N. P. Ansimova, I. V. Kuznetsova. - Yaroslavl, 1999.

additional literature

2. Bozhovich, E. D. Psychological service in the structure of the pedagogical process / E. D. Bozhovich // Issue. psychology. - 1983. - No. 6.
3. Regulations on school psychological service / I. V. Dubrovina, A. M. Prikhozhan // Issue. psychology. - 1985. - No. 2.
4. Code of Professional Ethics for Psychologists of the Society of Psychologists of Hungary // Issues. psychology. - 1983. - No. 6.