CONFIDENTIALITY

in Psychological
Te s t i n g

PSYCHOLOGICAL
ASSESSMENT

CALINGACION, SHANISSE D.
Y C O Y, K R I S T I N E J O Y E .
 SUMMARY OF DISCUSSION:
HOW DO WE MAINTAIN § What is confidentiality?
CONFIDENTIALITY IN THE § How do we maintain confidentiality?
IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF § The Limitations of Confidentiality
OUR PROFESSIONAL AND § Minimizing Invasions of Privacy
SCHOLARLY FUNCTIONS? § When do we disclose confidential
information?
 What is Confidentiality?
It is a part of the ethical guidelines
of psychologists and means that
information between a patient and
a therapist cannot be shared with
anyone in the course of treatment.
 Maintaining Confidentiality
The Psychologists should:
ü Make provisions for maintaining confidentiality in
the collection, recording, accessing, storage, dissemination,
and disposal of information;
ü Take reasonable steps to protect the
confidentiality of information after they leave a specific
work setting, or cease to provide psychological services.

ü Make sure that the information is secured and is

not placed in areas, spaces or computers easily accessible
to other unqualified persons.
 LIMITATIONS OF
• It is the duty of the psychologist to discuss with their clients
the limitations of confidentiality, may it be due to:
ü Regulated laws

ü Institutional rules

ü Professional or scientific relationship

• If the psychological services, products, or information is coursed through an electronic

transmission, it is the psychologist’s duty to inform the clients of risk to privacy.
 LIMITATIONS OF

• Psychologists working in multidisciplinary teams should clarify with their

colleagues:
ü The ethical requirement for confidentiality of psychological assessment data;
Hunter Wizard
ü The type and extent of information that will be shared;

ü How that information sharing will take place.

• In court cases, information should be limited only to those pertinent to the legitimate request
of the court.
MINIMIZING INVASION OF PRIVACY
ü When psychologists consult ü Psychologists only discuss
cases with their colleagues or confidential information they
makes written and oral reports, obtained from their work only
they should only reveal to persons clearly concerned or
information that is relevant to only for scientific, medical, and
the purpose for which the professional purposes.
communication is made.
DISCLOSING CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION
Psychologists may disclose confidential information…

ü Only when the client or legal representative gave their consent, unless it is
prohibited by law.

ü Only to the source of referral and with a written permission from the client
if it is self-referral.
DISCLOSING CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION
ü Without the consent of the client or legal representative
only when it is mandated by law or permitted by law for
valid purposes such as:
§ When professional services are needed to be provided to the client.
§ When appropriate professional consultations are needed to be obtained.
§ When the client, psychologist, or others are needed to be protected from harm
§ When payments for psychological services are needed to be obtained from a client
who does not pay for services as agreed.
DISCLOSING CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION
ü Only qualified psychologists
should supervise releases, when
confidential information is needed
to be shared with:
§ Schools
§ Organizations
§ Social Agencies or Industry
ü Release of information
gathered from:
§ Schools
§ Hospitals
§ Office or organizations
Becomes confidential and may
only be acquired with prior
approval from management.
 What happens when a Psychologist breaks
Confidentiality?
§ Psychologists who break confidentiality can get in trouble with state

licensing boards. They can also be sued by their clients in some cases.

§ Psychologist are held to very high ethical standards by their governing

state board and a violation of those ethics could result in fines, loss of

licensure, or even jail time.

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https://injury.findlaw.com/medical-malpractice/breaches-of-doctor- Leicester: Author.

patient-confidentiality.html
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THANK YOU!