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Timeline of APA Policies and Actions Related to Detainee Welfare and Professional Ethics in the Context of Interrogation and National Security

The American Psychological Association’s (APA) position on torture is clear and unequivocal: Any direct or indirect participation in any act of torture or other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment by psychologists is strictly prohibited. There are no exceptions. Such acts as waterboarding, sexual humiliation, stress positions and exploitation of phobias are clear violations of APA’s no torture/no abuse policy.

April 26, 2024

APA President Cynthia de las Fuentes, PhD, and CEO Arthur C. Evans, Jr., PhD, sent a follow-up letter (PDF, 211KB)opens in new window to President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., in support of his Administration’s efforts to close the Guantanamo Bay Detention Center.

May 12, 2021

APA President Jennifer F. Kelly, PhD, ABPP, and CEO Arthur C. Evans, Jr., PhD, sent a letter (PDF, 50KB)opens in new window to President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., in support of his Administration’s efforts to close the Guantanamo Bay Detention Center.

September 21, 2018

APA President Jessica Henderson Daniel, PhD, ABPP, responds (PDF, 68KB)opens in new window to the Defense Department letter of concern regarding APA’s 2015 Council resolution on psychologists and national security.

August 9, 2018

Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Tom McCaffery sends a letter of concern (PDF, 34KB)opens in new window to APA’s Board of Directors about APA’s 2015 Council resolution regarding the role of military psychologists in national security settings.

May 1, 2018

APA CEO Arthur C. Evans Jr., PhD, sends a letter (PDF, 55KB)opens in new window to the Senate Intelligence Committee expressing serious concern about the nomination of Gina Haspel for director of the CIA.

October 22, 2017

APA CEO Arthur C. Evans Jr., PhD, sends a letter to the editor of The Washington Post in response to an opinion essay by Roy Eidelson, “Psychology is finally coming to grips with enabling tortureopens in new window.”

August 23, 2017

APA President Antonio E. Puente, PhD, and CEO Arthur C. Evans, PhD, send letters to President Donald J. Trump and other key federal officials to inform them about our APA policies regarding psychologists’ roles in national security and interrogation processes.

February 16, 2017

Five plaintiffs file a lawsuit against the Association arising out of the publication of the Independent Review.

February 13, 2017

APA President Antonio Puente, PhD, and Interim CEO Cynthia Belar, PhD, ABPP, send letters to President Donald J. Trump and other key federal officials to urge against use of torture or abusive treatment of detainees. Letters included a statement by the Society of Military Psychology (PDF, 94KB)opens in new window (APA Division 19) co-signed by 40 of APA’s 54 divisions.

January 27, 2017

November 22, 2016

APA President Susan H. McDaniel, PhD, ABPP, sends a letter to U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. (PDF, 51KB)opens in new window, expressing APA's strong support of his statement in which he pledged that the United States will not waterboard national security detainees and reiterated his opposition to torture.

June 11, 2016

APA Past Presidents Cantor, DeLeon, Fox, Graham, Matarazzo, Seligman, Sternberg and Zimbardo send an open letter (PDF, 114KB)opens in new window to the APA Board of Directors, Council of Representatives, divisions, and staff.

August 3, 2016

APA amends Standard 3.04 of the Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (Ethics Code) to include a direct prohibition regarding participating in torture, defined as “any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person, or in any other cruel, inhuman, or degrading behavior that violates 3.04(a).”

May 15, 2016

Former chairs of the APA Ethics Committee send an open letter (PDF, 172KB)opens in new window to the APA Board of Directors.

April 15, 2016

APA re-engages attorney David Hoffman and the law firm Sidley Austin on a limited basis to review and respond to questions regarding specific Department of Defense (DoD) policies that may be relevant to the findings of the Independent Review the association released in 2015.

February 26, 2016

APA names 17 psychologists and ethics experts to the Commission on Ethics Processes. They plan to review all of the association's ethics processes and procedures, present a progress report at the August 2016 Board and Council meetings, and present their final report at the February 2017 meetings of the APA Board of Directors, Council Leadership Team and Council of Representatives.

February 16, 2016

Former Ethics Committee Chairs Kinscherff, Sparta, Roberts, Di Francisca, Deutsch, Johnson, Barnett, McGarrah, Fouad and Bow send an open letter (PDF, 52KB)opens in new window to the APA Board of Directors.

February 12, 2016

APA President Susan H. McDaniel, PhD, ABPP, and APA Interim Chief Executive Officer Cynthia D. Belar, PhD, ABPP, send a letter to President Barack Obama (PDF, 101 KB)opens in new window calling for lifting U.S. restrictions to portions of the UN's Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

February 9, 2016

APA issues a call for comments on proposed language to revise Standard 3.04 of the Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (Ethics Code) regarding prohibitions surrounding psychologist participation in national security interrogations.

January 8, 2016

The Department of Defense responds (PDF, 290KB)opens in new window to the October 28, 2015, letter (PDF, 32KB)opens in new window from APA President Barry S. Anton, PhD, ABPP, and former APA CEO Norman B. Anderson, PhD, which detailed APA's new policy that includes a prohibition against the involvement of psychologists in national security interrogations.

November 9, 2015

APA Division 19 (Society for Military Psychology) releases Task Force Report in Response to Hoffman Reportopens in new window.

November 2015

APA Ethics Committee updates 2009 Statement: No Defense to Torture Under the APA Ethics Code.

October 28, 2015

APA President Barry S. Anton, PhD, ABPP, and APA CEO Norman B. Anderson, PhD, send letters to President Barack Obama and other key federal officials to notify them of APA’s new policy that includes a prohibition against psychologist participation in national security interrogations.

October 16, 2015

September 25, 2015

September 12, 2015

  • Follow Up Letter to the International Community
    APA Past President Nadine J. Kaslow, PhD, ABPP, and President-elect Susan H. McDaniel, PhD, ABPP, send an email message to the international psychological community on behalf of APA regarding APA actions in response to the findings of the Hoffman Report.

September 4, 2015

Attorney David H. Hoffman delivers a revised version of the original July 2, 2015, Independent Review Report relating to APA ethics guidelines, national security interrogations and torture, with an errata sheet detailing revisions to the report.

August 19, 2015

August 14, 2015

  • Open Letter (PDF, 297KB)opens in new window
    Members of the American Middle Eastern/North African (MENA) Psychological Network send an open letter to APA and the psychological community regarding “events spanning the past decade” that were documented in the Hoffman Report.
  • Member Letter
    APA President-elect Susan H. McDaniel, PhD, ABPP, and Past President Nadine J. Kaslow, PhD, ABPP, send an email to all APA members announcing results of APA's Council of Representatives' deliberations at the APA 2015 Annual Convention in Toronto.

August 7, 2015

APA Council of Representatives votes 157-1 to prohibit psychologists from participating in national security interrogations.

July 31, 2015

July 30, 2015

APA informs leaders of key congressional committees about the findings of the Independent Review Report.

July 29, 2015

July 24, 2015

July 21, 2015

July 11, 2015

July 10, 2015

July 2, 2015

Attorney David H. Hoffman delivers the Independent Review Report relating to APA ethics guidelines, national security interrogations and torture, pursuant to the November 12, 2014, resolution of the APA Board of Directors.

June 10, 2015

May 2, 2015

December 23, 2014

December 18, 2014

December 14, 2014

December 10, 2014

December 9, 2014

November 12, 2014

October 16, 2014

March 15, 2014

March 7, 2014

February 27, 2014

APA informs key federal and congressional officials of updates regarding APA policy related to detainee welfare and the role of psychologists in national security settings.

February 20, 2014

January 23, 2014

December 20, 2013

  • APA writes to inform President Barack Obama of new unified APA policy related to detainee welfare and the work of psychologists in national security settings.

July 31, 2013

December 5, 2011

December 1, 2011

July 25, 2011

  • Comments and Feedback Requested on the Responses of the APA Ethics Committee to Questions, Comments, and Vignettes Regarding APA Policy on the Role of Psychologists in National Security-Related Activities

June 30, 2010

June 21, 2010

June 1, 2010

February 20, 2010

December 14, 2009

August 5, 2009

July 31, 2009

June 18, 2009

June 4, 2009

May 28, 2009

May 15, 2009

April 22, 2009

March 2009

  • APA Central Office, at the Direction of the Council of Representatives, Forwards the Report of the APA Presidential Advisory Group on the Implementation of the Petition Resolution to Relevant Boards and Committees for Their Review and Appropriate Action

February 21, 2009

February 20, 2009

January 22, 2009

December 2008

November 14–15, 2008

November 2008

October 6, 2008

October 2, 2008

October 2008

September 17, 2008

August 16, 2008

June 2008

April 2008

February 15, 2008

February 4, 2008

November 6, 2007

November 1, 2007

September 21, 2007

August 20, 2007

August 17–20, 2007

August 19, 2007

July 18, 2007

January 9, 2007

September 21, 2006

September 2006

August 10, 2006

August 9, 2006

July 2006

April 2006

October 28, 2005

APA supports U.S. Sen. John McCain’s amendment to the FY 2006 Department of Defense (DoD) appropriations bill calling for the prohibition of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment of U.S. detainees and for uniform standards for interrogation.

August 29, 2005

August 4, 2005

July 5, 2005

July 2005

  • APA's Board of Directors Adopts the Task Force Report as APA Policy

June 24–26, 2005

  • PENS Task Force Meets
  • APA's Board of Directors Adopts the Task Force Report as APA Policy

February 2005

  • APA's Board of Directors Approves Funds for the Establishment the Task Force on Psychological Ethics and National Security (the PENS Task Force)

June 10, 2004

2002

1986

1985

Last updated: May 2024Date created: 2009

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