The Ethical Influence of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
In the ever-growing field of psychology and psychological research, researchers and
psychologists must not only be mindful and stay well-informed of the ethical guidelines of the
American Psychological Association (APA, but they must also work within the ever-changing
laws set at both the state and the federal level. Adhering to such laws leads to a level of influence
in how psychologists and psychological researchers conduct themselves and their research. One
example of such an influence can been seen in the legal circumstances surrounding the Health
Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). When it comes to HIPAA, there have
been both subjective and objective viewpoints regarding how the Federal Act influences the
many areas of psychology. Therefore, it is asserted that legal elements of the HIPAA influences
psychology and psychological research on more than one aspect on an ethical level.
Legal Elements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
Individuals seek out medical or psychological treatment needed or as directed when they
are ill or hurt (physically or mentally). While in treatment, the client typically develops a trust for
the clinician over a period. Clients give reveal personal details about themselves (and at
times family members or significant others) that could be utilized to aid in either the diagnosis or
the treatment or both. However, after the passing of the Health Insurance Portability and
Accountability Act (HIPAA), a client’s ability to trust his or her clinician in terms of privacy and
confidentiality was increased. This is due to the assertion that the HIPAA is one of the most
momentous pieces of legislation transmuting both the medical fields and the mental health fields.
HIPAA was developed (and ratified) as a comprehensive Congressional effort for healthcare