Decoding the Ethics Code, Ch. 5
CHAPTER 5
Standards on Competence
2. Competence
2.01 Boundaries of Competence
(a) Psychologists provide services, teach, and conduct research with populations and in areas
only within the boundaries of their competence, based on their education, training, supervised
experience, consultation, study, or professional experience.
Psychologists benefit those with whom they work and avoid harm through the
application of knowledge and techniques gained through education, training, supervised
experience, consultation, study, or professional experience in the field
(Principle A: Beneficence and Nonmaleficence). Competence is the linchpin
enabling psychologists to fulfill other ethical obligations required by the APA Ethics
Code (APA, 2010c). Under Standard 2.01a, psychologists must refrain from providing
services, teaching, or conducting research in areas in which they have not had the
education, training, supervised experience, consultation, study, or professional experience
recognized by the discipline as necessary to conduct their work competently.