Diagnostic Code for Psychologists. Part II of the Code of Ethics of the Polish Psychological Association

Abstract

The aim of this article was to present the Diagnostic Code for Psychologists developed by a team of experts on 1 October 2020. As of 2018, the Code of Ethics of the Polish Psychological Association (PPA) consists of three distinct parts, and the diagnostic code constitutes the second part. Detailed ethical guidelines for mental health assessments have been developed by a team of experts from different fields of psychology and reviewed by the members of the professional community. All comments were taken into consideration in the revision process, and the developed principles were modified. The diagnostic code was submitted to the Management Board of the PPA on 27 October 2020, and approved by the Extraordinary General Assembly of PPA Delegates. The ethical principles for mental health assessments included in 21 articles are in force with the Code of Ethics of a Psychologist (PPA, 2018) and the “Standards of Psychological Diagnosis” (PTP, 2020), together forming a three-tier structure of the code in the field of psychological assessment. The diagnostic code applies mainly to mental health assessments. It can be also used to make clinical diagnoses during the therapeutic process based on the specific requirements of this therapeutic modality. The PPA has implemented a three-tier model of ethical principles in mental health diagnosis. These regulations provide psychologists with significant support in daily practice, in particular psychologists who make formal diagnoses that carry legal consequences for health care, social policy, education, and legal proceedings. The text presented in this paper is an official PPA document and can encourage practitioners and professional ethics lecturers to reflect on the dilemmas associated with diagnoses and mental health assessments.