BCABA Ethics and Compliance 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Confidentiality in ABA practice requires that client information:
- Is protected from unauthorized disclosure unless legally required or consented to (Correct answer)
- Can be shared with any treatment team member without restrictions
- Must be published for research and training purposes
- Is held only by the BCBA supervisor, not the BCaBA
Correct answer: Is protected from unauthorized disclosure unless legally required or consented to
Practitioners must protect client privacy and only disclose information with client consent, legal mandate, or to prevent serious harm.
Question 2: When a BCABA disagrees with a supervisor's treatment recommendation, the MOST ethical first step is to:
- Discuss the concern directly with the supervisor (Correct answer)
- Refuse to implement the plan until it is changed
- Immediately report the supervisor to the BACB
- Implement the plan without raising concerns
Correct answer: Discuss the concern directly with the supervisor
Ethical practice includes voicing professional disagreements through appropriate channels, starting with direct, respectful communication with the supervisor.
Question 3: Mandatory reporting laws require BCaBAs to report:
- Suspected abuse or neglect of clients regardless of who committed it (Correct answer)
- Only abuse committed by other behavior analysts
- Only abuse directly observed during a session
- Abuse only if the supervisor confirms the suspicion first
Correct answer: Suspected abuse or neglect of clients regardless of who committed it
Mandatory reporters must report any reasonable suspicion of child or vulnerable adult abuse or neglect to the appropriate authorities, regardless of the perpetrator.
Question 4: The BACB requires behavior analysts to base practice on:
- Scientific knowledge and empirically supported procedures (Correct answer)
- Clinical intuition and family preference alone
- Procedures most commonly used in their region
- Cost-effective approaches regardless of evidence
Correct answer: Scientific knowledge and empirically supported procedures
The Ethics Code mandates reliance on the science of behavior and evidence-based practices to serve client welfare.
Question 5: A BCABA is asked to implement a punishment procedure she believes is not medically necessary. She should FIRST:
- Discuss her concerns with her supervising BCBA (Correct answer)
- Implement the procedure to maintain professional relationships
- Immediately withdraw from the case
- Call the client's physician for approval
Correct answer: Discuss her concerns with her supervising BCBA
When a practitioner has ethical concerns about a procedure, the appropriate first step is raising those concerns with the supervisor before taking unilateral action.
Question 6: The BACB Ethics Code applies to behavior analysts in which contexts?
- All professional activities, including public statements and research (Correct answer)
- Only during direct client sessions
- Only when billing insurance or funding sources
- Only within BACB-accredited organizations
Correct answer: All professional activities, including public statements and research
The Ethics Code governs all professional activities, including supervision, training, research, public statements, and client services.
BCABA Ethics and Compliance 2
Confidentiality in ABA practice requires that client information: