Technology, professional practice, and ethics: Survey findings and implications

If a psychologist loses treatment records because of a computer failure, is it an ethical violation? The widespread growth of technology has outpaced the development of ethical standards for questions such as this, resulting in areas of uncertainty for psychologists. Pour hundred twenty psychologist s in independent practice rated the ethicality and their frequency of using 40 technologies. Technologies pertaining to the support functions of a psy chologist's office are commonly used, but those technologies directly affec ting clinical services are rarely used. More than half of the 40 items rece ived equivocal ratings on ethicality, suggesting psychologists need guideli nes and training for the use of technology in professional practice.