ABAT - Applied Behavior Analysis Ethics and Professional Conduct Questions and Answers 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A BCBA is working with a client whose insurance plan is about to expire. The client still needs services. What is the most ethical course of action?
- Immediately discontinue services when insurance lapses
- Continue services and bill the client directly without discussion
- Plan for transition, explore alternative funding, and avoid abandonment (Correct answer)
- Refer the client to another provider without any transition support
Correct answer: Plan for transition, explore alternative funding, and avoid abandonment
The BACB Ethics Code prohibits abandonment and requires practitioners to plan for service transitions to protect client welfare.
Question 2: A behavior analyst discovers a supervisee has been falsifying data. What is the FIRST action the behavior analyst should take?
- Report the supervisee to the BACB immediately
- Address the issue directly with the supervisee and document the conversation (Correct answer)
- Ignore it if the data manipulation seems minor
- Alert the client's family before speaking with the supervisee
Correct answer: Address the issue directly with the supervisee and document the conversation
The behavior analyst should first address the ethical violation directly with the supervisee and document the interaction before escalating.
Question 3: Which of the following best describes 'scope of competence' as defined in the BACB Ethics Code?
- Only providing services within areas supported by one's education, training, and experience (Correct answer)
- Practicing in any ABA-related area if one holds a BCBA credential
- Limiting services to the geographic region where one was trained
- Providing services in any area as long as supervision is obtained
Correct answer: Only providing services within areas supported by one's education, training, and experience
Scope of competence requires that practitioners only deliver services in areas where they have adequate education, training, and supervised experience.
Question 4: A BCBA receives a gift worth $75 from a grateful client's family at the end of treatment. What should the BCBA do?
- Accept the gift to avoid offending the family
- Accept only gifts under $25 as stated in the Ethics Code
- Decline the gift and explain the professional boundary (Correct answer)
- Accept the gift but document it in the client file
Correct answer: Decline the gift and explain the professional boundary
The BACB Ethics Code advises against accepting gifts from clients and families to maintain professional boundaries and avoid conflicts of interest.
Question 5: When must a behavior analyst obtain a new informed consent from a client?
- Only at the initial intake appointment
- Annually regardless of any changes to services
- When there are significant changes to the treatment plan or goals (Correct answer)
- Every 90 days as required by the BACB
Correct answer: When there are significant changes to the treatment plan or goals
Informed consent must be obtained or updated whenever there are significant changes to services, goals, or procedures that were not covered in the original consent.
Question 6: A BCBA is asked by an employer to implement a behavior reduction procedure that does not align with the client's treatment plan. What should the BCBA do?
- Implement the procedure since employers have authority over practitioners
- Refuse and explain that the client's welfare and the treatment plan take precedence (Correct answer)
- Implement the procedure and document any concerns afterward
- Ask the client's parent for permission and then implement if they agree
Correct answer: Refuse and explain that the client's welfare and the treatment plan take precedence
The BACB Ethics Code requires behavior analysts to prioritize client welfare over employer directives when they conflict.
Question 7: Which action best exemplifies the ethical principle of least restrictive intervention?
- Always using extinction before any other procedure
- Selecting punishment procedures first to achieve faster results
- Considering positive reinforcement-based approaches before more restrictive options (Correct answer)
- Using the most effective procedure regardless of its restrictiveness
Correct answer: Considering positive reinforcement-based approaches before more restrictive options
The least restrictive intervention principle requires considering positive approaches before more intrusive or restrictive procedures.
ABAT - Applied Behavior Analysis Ethics and Professional Conduct Questions and Answers 3
A BCBA is working with a client whose insurance plan is about to expire.
The client still needs services.
What is the most ethical course of action?