Psy 475 Essay

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University of Phoenix Material – Katie Dobbins Issues in Psychological Testing Worksheet Using the text for this course, the University Library, the Internet, and/or other resources answer the following questions. Your response to each question should be at least 200 words in length. 1. What are at least two ethical issues associated with psychological testing? What impact do these issues have on the field of psychological testing? There are many ethical principles associated with psychological testing, such as competence, informed consent, knowledge of results, confidentiality and test security. (Hogan, 2007) Informed consent is a big role in testing. This means that the person taking the test is aware of the test and has agreed to take it. Hogan expresses that no matter the barrier; the nature and purpose of the test must be reveled. Minors must have consent from a parent or legal guardian. Confidentiality is another main principle. By ensuring the patient that the results are confidential, there is a trust that can be built between patient and psychologist, allowing for more accurate responses to be given on the test. When confidentiality is maintained, only qualified personnel have access to the results of the test, however this principle can also be void if the patient poses harm to him/herself or others. This principle goes hand in hand with knowledge of results principle, which ensures that the patient has a right to a full disclosure of the testing results. (Hogan, 2007) In order to ensure valid results, psychologist must make sure that the person taking the test is competent. By ensuring this, norms, reliability, validity and construction are developed and the test is utilized in a responsible manner. Competency also allows for test takers to feel comfortable and capable, resulting in a better diagnosis and treatment.
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