Probably you’re already aware of this, but the APA’s Goldwater rule seems relevant. It states:
On occasion psychiatrists are asked for an opinion about an individual who is in the light of public attention or who has disclosed information about himself/herself through public media. In such circumstances, a psychiatrist may share with the public his or her expertise about psychiatric issues in general. However, it is unethical for a psychiatrist to offer a professional opinion unless he or she has conducted an examination and has been granted proper authorization for such a statement.
From the perspective of this article, this rule is problematic when applied to politicians and harmful traits. (This is similar to how the right to confidentiality has the Duty to Warn exception.) A quick Google Scholar search gives a couple of articles since 2016 that basically make this point. For example, see Lilienfeld et al. (2018): The Goldwater Rule: Perspectives From, and Implications for, Psychological Science.
Of course, the other important (more empirical than ethical) question regarding the Goldwater rule is whether “conducting an examination” is a necessary prerequisite for gaining insight into a person’s alleged pathology. Lilienfeld et al. also address this issue at length.
Probably you’re already aware of this, but the APA’s Goldwater rule seems relevant. It states:
From the perspective of this article, this rule is problematic when applied to politicians and harmful traits. (This is similar to how the right to confidentiality has the Duty to Warn exception.) A quick Google Scholar search gives a couple of articles since 2016 that basically make this point. For example, see Lilienfeld et al. (2018): The Goldwater Rule: Perspectives From, and Implications for, Psychological Science.
Of course, the other important (more empirical than ethical) question regarding the Goldwater rule is whether “conducting an examination” is a necessary prerequisite for gaining insight into a person’s alleged pathology. Lilienfeld et al. also address this issue at length.