"Doing My Profession is also Part of Worship": How Clinical Psychologists Address Aspects of Spirituality and Religion in Indonesia

This study aimed to explore how Indonesian clinical psychologists (CPs) address aspects of spirituality and religion (SR), particularly their attitudes towards and experience of it, on the mental health context. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 43 CPs in public health centres in Yogyakarta Province, Indonesia. Data were analysed using deductive thematic analysis and they generated ten sub-themes which were merged into three central themes. The first theme was experiences related to SR, particularly in Indonesian sociocultural context. The second theme concentrated on participants' clinical experience related to SR integration into clinical practice. The last theme highlighted the effort made by participants to create holistic mental health services. The originality of this study was represented by the interview quote in the title, "Doing my profession is also part of worship". It was found that SR is part of culture and belief among Indonesian people, including CPs and mental health treatment clients. In summary, participants genuinely acknowledged that they were not able to completely detach SR from their professional practice. However, participants also pointed out that they were different with spiritual-religious healers (SRHs) and favourably welcomed future collaboration with credible SRHs. This positive attitude embodied a holistic care approach that recognises the diverse biopsycho-social-spiritual needs of clients. Therefore, professional organisations and psychology faculties should establish regulations and education of SR in psychology curricula and conventional psychotherapy to achieve this holistic mental health services in Indonesia.

Ethics in the practice of clinical psychology

The paper presents an overview of ethical issues in clinical psychology. Specifically, it addresses the broad philosophical ideas and views on mental illness on which ethical principles are based, including Greek philosophy and Christianity. It goes on to describe the ethical code of the American Psychological Association as it pertains to general principles, psychological assessment or psychometry, education or training and psychological interventions. The principles of the code and research on the same are discussed with relevance to issues and challenges to ethical practice in India, and suggestions for ethical conduct are made. The paper emphasises the need to consider different viewpoints and take individual responsibility for difficult decisions.

Clinical ethics committees: a practical response to ethical problems in clinical practice

This article describes a recent development in the way in which ethical problems in clinical practice are being dealt with. The development of a network of Clinical Ethics Committees (CECs) across the UK is described, and the rationale for their emergence is explored. With the aid of a case example, two of the main methods available to CECs for analysis of cases referred to them are illustrated. A contrast is drawn between psychological and 'medical ethical' responses to the case example.

Multiple-Role Dilemmas for Military Mental Health Care Providers

Military psychologists and psychiatrists frequently face ethical quandaries involving boundary crossings, or extratherapy contact, and multiple relationships. A multiple relationship is defined as necessarily engaging psychotherapy patients in nonclinical roles, such as coworker, superior officer, neighbor, or friend. In contrast to their civilian counterparts, military mental health professionals must often engage patients in many different contexts and roles. In this article, we consider the distinctive features of mental health practice in the military and offer military providers several practice guidelines for avoiding harm to patients in military settings. This article is also designed to enhance sensitivity to multiple-role risks among nonpsychiatric providers.

Ethical considerations in writing psychological assessment reports

In this article, the author addresses the ethical questions and decision evaluators associated with the writing of psychological assessment reports. Issues related to confidentiality, clinical judgment, harm, labeling, release of test data, and computer usage are addressed. Specific suggestions on how to deal with ethical concerns when writing reports are discussed, as well as areas in need of further research.

Maintaining psychology's scientific and professional credibility and ethical responsibility to self-regulate: a comment on "validations" of mental health assessment instruments

Recent growth of "managed" mental health care in the United States has spawned huge demand for products that draw on one of psychology's most well developed subdisciplines, tests and measurement. The commercial potential of mental health assessment instruments intended for widespread use, to meet what Kraus, Seligman, and Jordan (this volume) describe as "an industry-wide surge in outcome evaluations in naturalistic ... settings," necessarily raises conflict of interest dilemmas for those who develop and market them. The American Psychological Association has devoted intensive effort to the preceding issue as it pertains to other aspects of the science and practice of clinical psychology. Comparable attention has not been focused recently on the development and marketing of assessment instruments. This Comment highlights the issue and suggests types of self-regulatory actions that might be taken, e.g., requiring and publishing full disclosure statements of authors' relationships to companies that market instruments like the Treatment Outcome Package in psychometric articles in which they are evaluated.

Informed Consent and Clinical Research Involving Children and Adolescents: Implications of the Revised APA Ethics Code and HIPAA

In 2003, 2 new sets of rules and regulations affecting the conduct of clinical research involving children and adolescents went into effect: the revised American Psychological Association's (APA) Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (APA, 2002; effective June 1, 2003) and the Privacy Rule (45 CFR Part 160 and A and E of Part 164; effective April; 14, 2003) of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA: Public Law 104-191). This article highlights those APA ethical standards and HIPAA regulations relevant to clinical research involving children and adolescents and discusses how psychologists can apply these rules in ways that will ensure ethical and legal compliance.

Drug companies and clinical psychology

This article argues that the pharmaceutical industry uses psychological techniques focusing on social conditioning, shame, and guilt to sell its concepts and products to an ever-widening group of health care professionals. Clinical psychology shows signs of both joining and resisting this process.

The current state of sexual ethics training in clinical psychology: issues of quantity, quality, and effectiveness

Given the harm caused to clients and the psychology profession by therapist sexual misconduct, sexual ethics training should be given high priority in graduate training programs. The present study surveyed sexual ethics training and student understanding of sexual ethics in clinical psychology doctoral programs from the perspectives of training directors (n=84) and students (n=451). Ninety-four percent of the students had received sexual ethics training; programs provided an average of 6 hr of training. Still, students showed significant deficits in knowledge of sexual ethics principles. Students who had discussed a client attraction with a supervisor showed the best understanding of sexual ethics. Suggestions for ensuring adequate sexual ethics training are discussed.

Fostering ethical willingness: Integrating emotional and contextual awareness with rational analysis

Ethical dilemmas are inherently challenging. By definition, clinicians decide between conflicting principles of welfare and naturally confront competing pulls and inclinations. This investigation of students' responses to an ethical scenario highlights how emotions and concerns can interfere with willingness to implement ethical knowledge. Clear-cut rules are the exception in psychotherapy, and clinicians must judge ethical issues on the basis of the unique context of each case. As such, subjectivity and emotional involvement are essential tools for determining ethical action, but they must be integrated with rational analysis. Strategies for attending to influential emotions and contextual factors in order to mobilize ethical commitment are described.