ETHICS AND STANDARDS FOR BIOFEEDBACK AND NEUROFEEDBACK WEBINAR RECORDING
Presenter: Don Moss, PhD, BCIA-C
Donald Moss, PhD, BCIA-C, for this 2-part webinar recording on the professional ethics and standard for behavioral health, biofeedback and neurofeedback. The instruction time for the full series totals to three hours.
Part I: The session reviewed legal and ethical responsibilities of behavioral health practitioners, and focused especially on biofeedback and neurofeedback practitioners. Biofeedback professionals are governed in clinical practice by country and state regulations under the relevant licensing act, professional codes of ethics for his or her home profession, and the Professional Standards and Ethical Principles of Biofeedback (6th rev.) of the Biofeedback Certification International Alliance (BCIA). This webinar recording provides an overview of medical ethics, a discussion of the ethical standards of the American Psychological Association, and reviews the most recent AAPB/BCIA Professional Standards and Ethical Principles of Biofeedback. Violation of such guidelines, even when unintended, invites the risk of lawsuit, criminal prosecution, financial penalties, loss of licensure, and expensive and stressful legal and administrative reviews.
Part II: The session introduces the Standards of Practice for Neurofeedback and Neurotherapy, endorsed by the International Society for Neurofeedback and Research (ISNR). Dr. Moss discussed relevant guidelines governing: entry level competence; scope of practice; the delivery of experimental or non-documented therapies; the informed consent process; principles of privacy, confidentiality, and privileged communication; guidelines on dual/multiple relationships; and questions of touch, privacy, and respect. He emphasizes on the imperative to maintain a positive treatment relationship, eliciting rapport and trust. The therapeutic relationship, along with knowledge of current standards of practice and adherence to professional guidelines, minimize the risk of misunderstanding and litigation.
All views expressed in the sessions are solely those of the presenters and participants.
Learning Objectives
At the end of this webinar, the learner will be able to:
1. Identify principles for psychologists considering ethical issues related to privacy and disclosure, client confidentiality and scope of practice in biofeedback and neurofeedback.
2. Describe how ethical practice in biofeedback and neurofeedback protects patients, providers and professionals.
3. List specific skills and competence related to ethical biofeedback and neurofeedback practice.
References
Professional Standards and Ethical Principles of Biofeedback (6th rev.) of the Biofeedback Certification International Alliance (BCIA).
The Standards of Practice for Neurofeedback and Neurotherapy, endorsed by the International Society for Neurofeedback and Research (ISNR).
Austad, C. S., & Gendron, M. S. (2018). Biofeedback: Using the power of the mind–body connection, technology, and business in psychotherapies of the future. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 49(4), 264–273.
Haberstroh S.,Barney L.,Foster, N., Duffey, T., (2014) Pages 149-157 |The Ethical and Legal Practice of Online Counseling and Psychotherapy: A Review of Mental Health Professions.
Hammond, D. C., Bodenhamer-Davis G., Gluck, G, Stokes D., et. al (2011) Standards of Practice for Neurofeedback and Neurotherapy: A Position Paper of the International Society for Neurofeedback & Research, Journal of Neurotherapy, 15:1, 54-64.
Ito, J. R. (2014). Review of Ethics for psychologists: A casebook approach [Review of the book Ethics for psychologists: A casebook approach, by L. Tien, A. Davis, T. A. Arnold & G. A. H. Benjamin]. Asian American Journal of Psychology, 5(4), 383–384.
Knapp, S. J., & VandeCreek, L. D. (2012). Practical ethics for psychologists: A positive approach (2nd ed.). American Psychological Association.
Schwartz, MS, Andrasik, F. (2016) Biofeedback: A Practitioner’s Guide, Fourth Edition, . New York, NY: The Guilford Press
Zucchero, R.A., (2011) Psychology Ethics in Introductory Psychology Textbooks
About Donald Moss, PhD, BCIA-C
Donald Moss is Dean of the College of Integrative Medicine and Health Sciences, at Saybrook University. There he has built training programs in clinical hypnosis, biofeedback, integrative mental health, and integrative and functional nutrition. Dr. Moss has served as president of Division 30 (hypnosis) of the American Psychological Association and president of the Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback (AAPB).
He is chief editor of Biofeedback: A Clinical Journal, and has been an associate editor or consulting editor for multiple journals, including the journal Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, the Journal of Neurotherapy, Psychophysiology Today. He has published over 70 articles and book chapters on psychophysiology, spirituality, health, and integrative medicine. His most recent chapter is titled The Use of Biofeedback and Neurofeedback in Pediatric Care, in a new volume on Functional Disorders in Pediatrics (Springer, 2014).
