Ethical issues in sport psychology

- Technological advances provide new modes of sport psychology service delivery.
- Ethical issues with teletherapy include confidentiality and informed consent.
- Competency, title usage, and cultural competency are important ethical topics.
- Practitioners should be mindful of the potential for multiple role relationships.

The field of sport psychology is dynamic and growing. To continue building credibility with the public and allied professionals, effective and ethical practice is crucial. Advances in technology have allowed sport psychology professionals to consult with athletes from a distance, but practitioners must be mindful of their competency to use technology, confidentiality concerns, and the suitability of technology for their clients. Movement toward defining competency and clarifying issues of title usage are additional areas in which the field is gaining momentum. Recent attention has also been drawn to the topics of professional development and cultural competency. With the unique settings in which applied sport psychology practice takes place, attention to multiple relationships is another key ethical issue.