BAS Ethical Standards and Practice 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A supervisee reports feeling burned out and struggling to maintain objectivity with a difficult client. What is the supervisor's best response?
- Tell the supervisee to push through because clients depend on them
- Acknowledge the concern, assess the supervisee's wellbeing, and adjust caseload or support as needed (Correct answer)
- Immediately reassign all of the supervisee's clients
- Document the complaint and take no further action
Correct answer: Acknowledge the concern, assess the supervisee's wellbeing, and adjust caseload or support as needed
Supervisors have an ethical duty to support supervisee wellbeing, which directly protects client welfare, through active listening and workload adjustments.
Question 2: When is it ethically permissible to use restraint as part of a behavior intervention plan?
- Whenever a client is non-compliant with instructions
- Only after less restrictive alternatives have been tried, with proper consent, training, and oversight (Correct answer)
- Any time the behavior analyst judges it necessary
- Only for clients diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder
Correct answer: Only after less restrictive alternatives have been tried, with proper consent, training, and oversight
Restraint is a last-resort intervention requiring documented failure of less restrictive options, informed consent, trained staff, and ongoing oversight.
Question 3: A behavior analyst discovers that a colleague is practicing outside their area of competence. According to the BACB ethics code, what should the analyst do?
- Do nothing, as it is not their responsibility
- Approach the colleague informally first, then escalate to the BACB if the behavior continues (Correct answer)
- Immediately file a formal complaint with the BACB without speaking to the colleague
- Warn the colleague's clients directly
Correct answer: Approach the colleague informally first, then escalate to the BACB if the behavior continues
The BACB code encourages resolving ethical concerns through informal resolution first, with formal reporting reserved for situations where that fails or harm is ongoing.
Question 4: Which of the following represents an appropriate boundary in a supervisory relationship?
- Accepting expensive gifts from a supervisee to maintain a positive relationship
- Maintaining professional distance while providing constructive feedback and mentorship (Correct answer)
- Socializing regularly with supervisees outside of work
- Sharing personal client anecdotes to illustrate teaching points
Correct answer: Maintaining professional distance while providing constructive feedback and mentorship
Appropriate supervisory boundaries involve maintaining professionalism while still being supportive and educationally engaged.
Question 5: A client's funding source requests detailed session notes for auditing purposes. What must the analyst do before releasing the records?
- Release them immediately since the funder pays for services
- Verify that a valid release of information or applicable legal authority exists before disclosing records (Correct answer)
- Redact all data before sending
- Consult with the supervisor before making any decision
Correct answer: Verify that a valid release of information or applicable legal authority exists before disclosing records
Even payers require a valid authorization or legal basis to receive protected client records beyond what is necessary for billing.
Question 6: Which statement best describes the concept of 'responsible dissemination' in behavior analysis?
- Publishing any ABA research as quickly as possible regardless of peer review
- Sharing accurate, evidence-based information while avoiding misrepresentation of findings or the field (Correct answer)
- Limiting all ABA information to peer-reviewed publications only
- Disseminating research only within professional conferences
Correct answer: Sharing accurate, evidence-based information while avoiding misrepresentation of findings or the field
Responsible dissemination means sharing accurate, unexaggerated information about behavior analysis findings and capabilities with all audiences.
Question 7: A supervisor is asked to sign off on a supervisee's fieldwork hours but has concerns about the quality of services provided. What should the supervisor do?
- Sign off anyway to avoid conflict
- Withhold signature, document concerns, provide corrective feedback, and only certify hours that meet professional standards (Correct answer)
- Report the supervisee to the BACB before giving feedback
- Transfer the supervisee to another supervisor immediately
Correct answer: Withhold signature, document concerns, provide corrective feedback, and only certify hours that meet professional standards
Supervisors may only attest to hours that reflect adequate professional conduct, and must provide corrective feedback before certifying deficient work.
BAS Ethical Standards and Practice 3
A supervisee reports feeling burned out and struggling to maintain objectivity with a difficult client.
What is the supervisor's best response?