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Psychologists and detainee interrogations: key decisions, opportunities lost, and lessons learned
1kspope@mac.com
Annual Review of Clinical Psychology
|January 12, 2011
Summary
The American Psychological Association (APA) faced controversy over psychologist roles in detainee interrogations post-9/11. This review examines APA policies, criticisms, and lessons learned regarding ethics, transparency, and professional conduct.
Area of Science:
- Psychology and National Security
- Professional Ethics in Psychology
Background:
- Following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, U.S. psychologists encountered ethical dilemmas regarding their involvement in detainee interrogations at facilities like Bagram, Abu Ghraib, and Guantanamo Bay.
- The American Psychological Association (APA) generated significant controversy through its policies and public statements concerning these roles.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the American Psychological Association's (APA) decisions, documents, and public statements related to psychologists' involvement in detainee interrogations.
- To analyze the criticisms leveled against the APA and its responses, focusing on key ethical and professional issues.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive review of APA policies, official documents, and public statements concerning national security and professional conduct.
- Analysis of major criticisms and the APA's subsequent responses to these critiques.
Main Results:
- The review examines the APA's policy development and reporting on ethics and national security, transparency, professional identity, qualifications, ethical-legal conflicts, anti-torture policies, harm avoidance, and interrogation effectiveness.
- Identifies areas of intense debate surrounding the APA's stance and actions.
Conclusions:
- The article synthesizes lessons learned from the APA's experience with psychologist involvement in detainee interrogations.
- Highlights missed opportunities and poses questions for future ethical considerations and policy development in psychology and national security.
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