Ethical Conflicts in Psychology » (4th Edition)

Bersoff, Donald N., JD, PhD (Villanova Univ)

Bersoff has some 40 years of experience as an educator, practitioner, author, and consultant in law and psychology. In addition to 20 articles published since the second (1999) edition, the third edition of his resource text includes new material on computerized testing, therapy, and research; ethical practice within the boundaries of managed care; the American Psychological Association (APA) 2002 Ethics Code; and the revisions to the Rules and Procedures for adjudicating complaints of unethical conduct against APA members adopted by the APA's Ethics Committee in August 2002. For practicing psychologists and psychology students. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Doody Review Services

Reviewer:Peter B. Zeldow, PhD(Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine)
Description:This large book contains 10 "chapters" that include articles (often abridged), introductory remarks and commentary by the editor, and occasional legal decisions and policy documents in the areas of psychological assessment, psychotherapy, forensics, research, teaching, and supervision. The editor has made a particular effort to represent multiple viewpoints on each topic.
Purpose:The author's worthy objective is to develop the sensitivity of psychologists to the ethical dimensions of their work by introducing them to the "formal and enforceable documents that regulate professional, scientific, and academic conduct." The book definitely fulfills its objective.
Audience:The book is intended for graduate students in psychology and for psychologists in teaching, practice, and research settings. It is ideally suited for ethics and professional issues courses in psychology. The author, former counsel to the American Psychological Association (APA), is both a psychologist and attorney, and is a most credible authority.
Features:In addition to the articles and author's notes mentioned above, the book includes important documents of the APA pertaining to the care of laboratory animals, guidelines for child custody evaluations, sex role stereotyping, and cultural diversity. The ethical principles, rules, and procedures, and bylaws of the APA are also reproduced or excerpted.
Assessment:This is an excellent reference work and textbook. It is up-to-date, comprehensive, and carefully edited. It will be useful to all psychologists and belongs in all health sciences libraries.