A principle-based analysis of the 2002 American Psychological Association Ethics Code

The authors adopt a position that the Standards in the American Psychological Association (APA; 2002) Ethics Code should be based on or be logically related to some underlying ethical theory. The authors then review the 2002 APA Ethics Code from the standpoint of principle-based (prima facie) ethics. Their analysis shows that almost all of the enforceable standards in the 2002 APA Ethics Code are based on or can be linked logically to the criteria of principle-based ethics.