Psychologist to Press Ethics Charges Against California Oral Examiners
Claude Steiner, July 10, 1998
Randy Solomon PhD, a San Diego psychologist is pressing ethics charges with the American Psychologist Association against the two examiners that represented the Board of Psychology at his June 1998 oral licensing examination in Los Angeles.
When, in response to their first oral examination question, Dr. Solomon responded with his own question: "What do you know about the the validity and reliability of the oral examination?" the two examiners, George Watson PhD and Adam Weisman Phd, refused to answer. They further refused to answer questions about their training in the administration of tests or their views about the ethical issues surrounding a situation in which competent psychologists are deprived of their right to independent practice, on the basis of an invalid test.
When Dr. Solomon persisted in his questioning, the examiners escorted him to the office of Dr. Martin Greenberg who again refused to address the issues raised by Dr. Solomon."This is not the forum." said Dr Greenberg.
Finally persuaded by his failure to have his questions answered after years of trying, Dr Solomon filed the complaint documents against his colleagues on July 6. "I have given up getting a fair response from the Board or its representatives" said Solomon "I have no recourse but to go to a higher authority."
In his complaint he alleged violations of General Standards (1.04 in the APA Code of Ethics) Boundaries of Competence, (1.06) Basis for Scientific and Professional Judgements, (1.07) Describing the Nature and Results of Psychological Services,(1.14) Avoiding Harm, (1.15) Misuse of Psychologists' Influence (1.16) Misuse of Psychologists' Work, (2.02) Competence/Appropriate Use of Assessments, (2.04)
In a related event, at their Spring meeting the Board decided not to adopt the APA Code of Ethics to regulate their own behavior citing the code "vagueness and unrealistic idealism."