BCP Confidentiality and Informed Consent 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A psychometrist is testing a minor child. Who must provide informed consent before testing begins?
- The child, if over age 10
- A parent or legal guardian (Correct answer)
- The referring teacher
- The school principal
Correct answer: A parent or legal guardian
Minors cannot legally provide informed consent; a parent or legal guardian must consent on their behalf.
Question 2: Which of the following is NOT a required element of informed consent for psychological testing?
- Purpose of the evaluation
- Cost of the evaluation (Correct answer)
- Limits of confidentiality
- How results will be used
Correct answer: Cost of the evaluation
While fees may be discussed, the specific cost of an evaluation is not a required ethical element of informed consent.
Question 3: A client asks to review their raw test scores and protocols. Under HIPAA, the covered entity may:
- Always deny access to protect test security
- Provide access to the designated record set including test data (Correct answer)
- Share only summary reports, never raw data
- Require the client to obtain a court order first
Correct answer: Provide access to the designated record set including test data
HIPAA grants individuals the right to access their designated record set, which includes test data and raw scores.
Question 4: When a third party (e.g., an employer) requests psychological testing, confidentiality obligations primarily protect:
- The employer's business interests
- The examinee being tested (Correct answer)
- The referring professional
- The testing company's proprietary data
Correct answer: The examinee being tested
Regardless of who pays for or requests the evaluation, ethical duties of confidentiality run to the examinee.
Question 5: A psychometrist discovers mid-assessment that a client is suicidal. The most appropriate action is to:
- Complete the testing session before addressing it
- Immediately stop testing and notify the supervising psychologist (Correct answer)
- Document the concern and continue testing
- Inform the client's family without consulting a supervisor
Correct answer: Immediately stop testing and notify the supervising psychologist
Imminent danger to self or others is a recognized exception to confidentiality that requires immediate consultation with a supervisor.
Question 6: In a forensic evaluation ordered by a court, the informed consent process differs because:
- No consent is required since the court ordered it
- The evaluee must be informed that the evaluation is not confidential and results go to the court (Correct answer)
- Standard therapeutic confidentiality applies
- The psychometrist cannot share any results without the client's written permission
Correct answer: The evaluee must be informed that the evaluation is not confidential and results go to the court
In court-ordered evaluations, examiners must inform evaluees that results will be provided to the court and are not confidential.
Question 7: A psychometrist overhears colleagues discussing a client's test results in a hospital elevator. The best course of action is to:
- Join the conversation to add clinical context
- Say nothing, as the conversation is between professionals
- Remind colleagues that such discussions violate confidentiality standards (Correct answer)
- Report the incident to hospital administration immediately without speaking to colleagues first
Correct answer: Remind colleagues that such discussions violate confidentiality standards
Discussing identifiable client information in public spaces violates confidentiality, and the ethical response is to address this with colleagues.
BCP Confidentiality and Informed Consent 2
A psychometrist is testing a minor child.
Who must provide informed consent before testing begins?