Ethical Dilemmas with Third Party Observers

Abstract

The practice of forensic neuropsychology can lead to many potential ethical dilemmas, including the request that a third party observer be present during an examination. Following a case example, we review relevant Ethical Standards from the recent revision of the American Psychological Association's Ethics Code (APA, 2002), as well as policy statements by the National Academy of Neuropsychology (NAN, 2000) and the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology (AACN, 2001) that should be considered when confronted with the request for observation by a third party. As many ethical dilemmas are rarely clear-cut, their answers will likely generate additional questions for the individual practitioner and the profession. Finally, we provide some suggested courses of action when presented with similar requests.