Ethical and Legal Considerations for Internet-Based Psychotherapy

Abstract

The provision of mental health services over the Internet is becoming increasingly commonplace as new technologies continue to develop. Evidence in support of the efficacy of many such interventions is accumulating. Given the potential global reach of Internet-based psychological services, the authors examine ethical issues relating to this growing area of practice through the lens of the Universal Declaration of Ethical Principles for Psychologists (International Union of Psychological Science, 2008). They also raise issues relating to potential liability risks and offer recommendations intended to guide mental health practitioners who are considering involvement in the provision of Internet-based services.

Keywords:

• Internet-based psychotherapy
• ethics
• Universal Declaration of Ethical Principles
• liability.

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the journal editors, Dr. Gordon G. J. Asmundson and Dr. Gerhard Andersson, for inviting this article. We also thank two anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments. Theresa Dever Fitzgerald and Paulette V. Hunter are partly supported through funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Thomas Hadjistavropoulos is partly supported through a senior research fellowship from the RBC Foundation.