Activists use civil disobedience as a means of putting social justice into practice. Psychologists can engage in civil disobedience to enact psychology’s ethical principles, support marginalized communities, promote social welfare, and contest injustice. Drawing from the work of minoritized scholars within and outside of psychology, the American Psychological Association (APA) Ethics Code, social constructionism, intersectionality, and social justice movements, our article aims to empower psychologists to understand and use civil disobedience and advocates for expanding civil disobedience in the profession. Because psychologists’ identities and contexts will inform their own civil disobedience, we utilize a social justice issue germane to our own work supporting transgender people as an exemplar where our ethical principles would conflict with law; thus, warranting civil disobedience. This example concerns Ohio House Bill 658, which, if enacted, would have mandated that psychologists “immediately notify, in writing, each of [a] child’s parents if the child shows symptoms of gender dysphoria or otherwise demonstrates a desire to be treated in a manner opposite of the child’s biological sex.” We return to Ohio HB 658 and explore other contemporary social justice issues throughout to reveal how psychologists can conceptualize and enact civil disobedience in pursuit of transformative change.

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In 1999, the Stroke Association set up a project to promote home-based occupational therapy for patients who had had a stroke and been discharged home from hospital. As part of the service evaluation, focus groups for service users and carers were set up in two of the sites to consult users about the changes in their quality of life during the period of the home therapy. A total of 11 service users and 9 carers attended the groups, representing 30% of the service users and 27% of the carers involved in the project. The group discussion was taped and transcribed and then analysed using a framework approach. The group members described their personal experiences of recovery from and limitations after the stroke and reported improvements in life issues during the period of their home therapy. The content and organisation of the service and the relationships with project staff were felt to influence the effectiveness of the occupational therapy. Other issues that affected the perceived outcome for the service users included individual choice, age, stroke consequences, other rehabilitation and community services and social limitations. This consultation process allowed the service users to describe the strengths and weaknesses of the service and provided valuable feedback that could be used to design the content and application of future home therapy services.

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