HEADING 1
GENERAL PRINCIPLES
Article 1
The regulations embodied in this code of ethics are binding on all
persons registered with the Board of Psychologists.
The Psychologist is required to be familiar with these rules, and
ignorance thereof does not exonerate the Psychologist from disciplinary
liability.
Article 2
Non-compliance with precepts laid down in this code of ethics and any
action or omission that is not in line with the decorum, dignity or
correct performance of the profession are punished through disciplinary
sanctions provided for in article 26, first paragraph of Law 56 dated
February 18, 1989.
Article 3
The Psychologist shall consider the growth of knowledge of human
behaviour his duty and use it to promote the psychological well-being of
the individual, group and community.
In all professional contexts, he shall work to improve the ability of
the person to understand himself and other people and to behave in a way
that is aware, effective and appropriate.
The Psychologist shall be aware of social responsibility stemming from
the fact that exercising the profession can have a significant influence
on the lives of others; he shall therefore pay particular attention to
personal, organisational, financial and political factors in order to
avoid non-appropriate use of his influence and not unduly exploit the
trust and any dependent-type relationship with clients and/or patients.
The Psychologist is responsible for his own professional actions and
their foreseeable direct consequences.
Article 4
In exercising the profession, the Psychologist shall respect the
dignity and right of self-determination, autonomy and confidentiality of
those who use his services; he shall respect their opinions and shall
refrain from imposing his system of values. He shall not discriminate on
the basis of religion, race, nationality, social class, socio-economic
status, sex, sexual orientation or disability.
For this reason he shall use methods and techniques for safeguarding
these principles and refuse to co-operate in actions that are damaging
thereto.
When conflicts of interest arise between the client and/or patient and
the institution the Psychologist works for, the Psychologist shall
clearly state the terms of his own responsibility and the restrictions
he feels for reasons of professional loyalty and therefore inform the
parties in question.
Should the recipient and commissioner of support or psychotherapy not be
the same persons, the Psychologist shall first and foremost protect the
recipient of the assistance provided.
Article 5
The Psychologist is required to maintain an adequate level of
professional training and keep up to date with developments in his
subject and specifically in the sector he works in. He shall recognise
the limits of his own skill and therefore only use theoretical and
practical instruments for which he has acquired the specific skill and
where he has obtained necessary formal authorisation.
He shall not use methods without a scientific basis and shall not arouse
unfounded expectations in the client and/or patient.
Article 6
The Psychologist shall not accept working conditions that compromise
his professional autonomy or compliance with the regulations in this
Code and, if such conditions arise, he shall inform his Order.
In co-operating with professionals in other disciplines, he shall
exercise his own professional autonomy in respect of the others' areas
of competence.
Article 7
The Psychologist shall safeguard his autonomy in choosing methods and
psychological techniques and their use; he shall therefore be
responsible for their use and application, the results and the
assessments and the interpretations stemming therefrom.
Article 8
In his professional activities, research activities and communicating
the results thereof, the Psychologist shall carefully assess, partly in
relation to the context, the degree of the validity and reliability of
the information and sources on which he has based the conclusions
reached ; he shall, where necessary, indicate alternative
interpretations and state the limits of the results.
In specific cases the Psychologist shall express professional
assessments and judgements only if they are based on first-hand
knowledge or on adequate and reliable documentation.
Article 9
The Psychologist shall oppose the improper exercise of the profession
as defined in articles 1 and 3 of law 56 dated February 18, 1989 and
give the Order's council the cases of improper exercise that comes to
his knowledge.
In the same way, he shall use his professional qualifications
exclusively for those activities pertaining to them and with this shall
not exploit them for improper or misleading actions.
Article 10
In carrying out research activities, the Psychologist is required to
give adequate explanation to subjects involved therein, in order to
obtain their previous informed permission. This information shall
include the name and the professional status of the researcher and any
Institution he belongs to. He shall also guarantee these persons full
freedom to choose to refuse or withdraw said permission.
In cases where the type of research does not allow the subject to be
fully informed about all aspects, the Psychologist shall anyway be bound
at the end of the test or when the information has been gathered, to
communicate the due information and obtain authorisation for the use of
the data obtained.
As far as subjects who, because of age or other reasons, are not able to
satisfactorily give their permission as per the first paragraph are
concerned, permission must be given by a parent or guardian and,
likewise, by the subject himself when he is in a position to understand
the nature of the co-operation requested.
The right to confidentiality, non-recognisabilty and anonymity shall be
respected also in cases where there has been no opportunity to enter
into a relationship with the subjects previously.
Article 11
When the purpose of the professional activity is animal behaviour,
the Psychologist shall undertake to respect their nature and not inflict
unnecessary suffering on them.
Article 12
The Psychologist is required to observe professional secrecy. For
this reason he shall not reveal information, facts or news he has
learned in the course of exercising his profession nor shall he impart
information about the professional services carried out or scheduled,
unless the cases in the following articles apply.
Article 13
The Psychologist shall refrain from testifying to facts that have
come to his knowledge as a result of his professional relationship. The
Psychologist may make an exception to the obligation to maintaining the
professional secret when there is valid agreement by the client and/or
patient that can be clearly shown.
He shall however assess the properness of using said permission,
considering the psychological protection of the client and/or patient
Article 14
In cases where there is an obligation to make a report or declaration,
the Psychologist shall limit the reference of what has come to his
knowledge during the professional relationship to the minimum extent
necessary, for the purposes of the psychological protection of his
patient.
In other cases he shall carefully evaluate the need to make a total or
partial exception to the confidentiality he is bound by, when serious
dangers for the life or psychophysical well-being of the patient or
others arise.
Article 15
In the case of groups therapy, the Psychologist is required to make
the rules that govern such therapy clear at the beginning.
He is likewise required to bind the members of the group to respecting
each other's right to confidentiality when necessary.
Article 16
In cases of co-operation with other professionals equally bound to
observe professional secrecy, the Psychologist may only divulge the
information strictly required depending on the type of relationship.
Article 17
The Psychologist shall write scientific reports also intended for
professionals bound by professional secrecy in such a way as to preserve
the patient's anonymity in all cases.
Article 18
The secrecy of what the patient and/or customer tells the
Psychologist must also be protected through the keeping and control of
notes, writings or recordings of all types and in any form that concern
the professional relationship.
The Psychologist must take steps to ensure that, in the case of his
death or incapacity, this protection is given to a colleague or the
professional Order.
Documentation must be kept for at least five years following the end of
the professional relationship with exceptions made in the cases provided
for by regulations covering specific matters.
The Psychologist co-operating in the setting up and use of documentation
systems shall work to create guarantees of protection for clients and/or
patients.
Article 19
In all professional contexts, the Psychologist shall work in such a
way as to ensure, as far as possible, the client and/or patient's
freedom of choice regarding the Psychologist to seek help from.
Article 20
The Psychologist who works on the selection and assessment of
colleagues or other professionals or students, is required to observe
exclusively the criteria of his specific competence, qualification or
training and not take into consideration decisions contrary to said
principles.
Article 21
The teaching Psychologist shall inculcate in the students interest in
the ethical principles and allow his professional practice to be
inspired by them. He shall recognise as his duty to ensure his conduct
conforms with the content of the training he imparts.
The Psychologist shall refrain from setting up, either personally or
through others, educational activities which have the aim of using
instruments or practices that are the exclusive preserve of the
Psychologist for persons outside the profession except for teaching
students on Psychology degree courses and post-graduate courses in
psychological matters.
HEADING 2
RELATIONS WITH PATIENTS AND CUSTOMERS
Article 22
The Psychologist shall adopt behaviour that is not harmful for the
people he cares for professionally and shall not use his role or his
professional instruments to ensure undue advantages for himself or
others.
Article 23
At the beginning of the relationship, the Psychologist shall
establish his fee.
In a clinical situation, this fee cannot be dependent on the result of
the Psychologist's professional intervention.
Article 24
At the beginning of the professional relationship, the Psychologist
shall give the individual, group, institution or community, adequate and
understandable information about his services and their purpose the
degree and the legal limits of confidentiality. He thereby operates in
such a way that those entitled to do so can give their informed
agreement.
If the professional services are set to last over a period, the foreseen
duration should, if possible, be indicated.
Article 25
The Psychologist shall not use the diagnosis and assessment tools at
his disposal, inappropriately.
In the case of interventions commissioned by other people, he shall
inform the subjects about the nature of his professional intervention
and shall not use the information obtained in such a way that it could
be prejudicial to them, if not within the limits of the mandate received.
In communicating the results of his diagnosis or assessments, the
Psychologist is required to regulate this communication in terms of the
psychological protection of the subject, as well.
Article 26
The Psychologist shall refrain from undertaking or continuing
professional activity where his conflicts or personal problems interfere
with the effectiveness of his services, make them inadequate or damaging
for the people they are aimed at.
The Psychologist shall also avoid taking on other professional roles
towards the same client and/or patient if the nature of the preceding
relationships could compromise his credibility.
Article 27
The Psychologist shall evaluate and, if necessary, propose the
interruption of the therapeutic relationship if he notes that the
patient is not deriving any benefit from the cure and it is not
reasonable to predict that he will derive benefit from the cure if it is
continued.
If requested, the Psychologist shall provide the patient with the
necessary information to look for other and more suitable help.
Article 28
The Psychologist shall avoid mingling his professional role with his
private life in such a way that could interfere with his professional
business or any way bring society's image of the profession into
disrepute.
Carrying out assessments or diagnosis of, offering psychological help or
psychotherapy to persons with whom the Psychologist has had or is having
significant personal relations especially of a sentimental, emotional
and/or sexual kind represents a severe breach of ethics.
Likewise, establishing these relations during the course of a
professional relationship is also a severe breach of ethics.
The Psychologist is forbidden to carry out any activity by way of his
professional relationship that could produce direct or indirect
advantages of pecuniary or other type with the exception of the agreed
fee.
The Psychologist shall not exploit the professional position he assumes
towards colleagues under his supervision or in training under him for
reasons other than those of the professional relationship.
Article 29
The Psychologist may make his intervention dependent on the condition
that the patient uses certain organisations, institutes or clinic-type
structures recommended by the Psychologist, only for well-grounded
reasons of a scientific or professional nature.
Article 30
In exercising his profession, the Psychologist is forbidden any type
of remuneration that, while not constituting the payment for a
professional service, derives from relationships with other
Psychologists, professionals or health or other types of structures or
institutions.
Article 31
Professional services rendered to minors or mentally incapable
persons depends on the Psychologist having the parent or guardian's
permission.
The Psychologist, who without the permission referred to in the first
paragraph, judges professional intervention necessary as well as the
complete confidentiality thereof, is required to inform his order's
council that the professional relationship have been established.
Exceptions to the above are cases where such services are performed
as ordered by authorities legally empowered to do so or in structures
established for the purpose by law.
Article 32
When the Psychologist agrees to provide a professional service at the
request of a client who is different from the person or the body subject
to such services, the Psychologist is required to clarify the nature and
purpose of the intervention with the parties.
HEADING III
RELATIONS WITH COLLEAGUES
Article 33
Relations between Psychologists must be inspired by the principle of
reciprocal respect, loyalty and solidarity.
The Psychologist shall support and back colleagues who, in the course of
their work, whatever their working relationship or hierarchical position
see their autonomy and the respect of ethical standards threatened.
Article 34
The Psychologist shall undertake to contribute to the development of
the psychological discipline and communicate the progress of his
knowledge and techniques to the professional community in part to
diffusing it for the purposes of human and social welfare.
Article 35
In presenting the results of his research the Psychologist is
required to indicate the source of other contributions.
Article 36
The Psychologist shall refrain from publicly giving negative
judgements about his colleagues' training, skill and results achieved
following professional intervention or, anyway, judgements that could
injure their reputation or professional standing.
A factor that renders this even more serious is when such judgement has
an aim of taking clients away from his colleagues.
Whenever serious shortcomings are noticed in the skill of colleagues,
or cases of improper professional conduct that could be damaging to the
parties using the service or the reputation of the profession, the
Psychologist is required to give prompt notification to the council of
the competent Order.
Article 37
The Psychologist shall send clients to colleagues or other
professionals bearing in mind their skill in operating the professional
context required by the patient and/or customer.
If the interests of the patient and/or customer requires resort to other
specific skills, the Psychologist shall propose the consultancy of other
colleagues or other professionals. For this sending and for the
proposals of consultancy he shall not expect or accept remuneration of
any kind.
HEADING IV
RELATIONS WITH SOCIETY
Article 38
In exercising his professional activity and in circumstances in which
he presents the profession in any way whatsoever, the Psychologist is
required to bring his conduct into line with professional decorum and
dignity.
Article 39
The Psychologist shall accurately present his training, experience
and skill.
In all cases, advertising and information about the professional
activity must be inspired by criteria of professional decorum,
scientific reputability and protecting the image of the profession
Article 40
Independently of the limits imposed by the current legislation
regarding advertising, the Psychologist shall not behave improperly in
public in order to win clients.
In any case the advertising and the information concerning the
professional activity must be inspired by criteria of professional
decorum, scientific responsiblity and the protection of the image
HEADING V
IMPLEMENTATION REGULATIONS
Article 41
The Permanent Code of Ethics Observation Division has been set up
within the _Ethics Committee" of the Board of Psychologists with
the duty of gathering ethics-related legislation from the Order's
Regional and Provincial Councils and all other material useful for
formulating proposals for the Order's National Council committee with
the purpose of periodically revising the Code of Ethics.
Said revision will adhere to the form laid down by Law 56 dated February
18, 1989.
Article 42
This Code of Ethics will come into force on the day after the results
of the approval referendum have been announced in compliance with
article 28 (paragraph 6 letter C) of Law 56 dated February 18, 1989.
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