BCAT Ethical and Legal Considerations 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A BCaT receives a gift from a grateful parent worth $75. According to professional ethics, the BCaT should:
- Accept it graciously to maintain a positive relationship
- Decline the gift and explain the professional boundary regarding gifts (Correct answer)
- Accept it but inform the BCBA afterward
- Donate the gift to charity on the family's behalf
Correct answer: Decline the gift and explain the professional boundary regarding gifts
Accepting gifts can create conflicts of interest and compromise professional boundaries; BCaTs should decline and explain this boundary kindly.
Question 2: Informed consent for a client's ABA treatment program is primarily the responsibility of:
- The BCaT providing direct services
- The BCBA supervising the case (Correct answer)
- The client's insurance company
- The school district if services are school-based
Correct answer: The BCBA supervising the case
The supervising BCBA is responsible for obtaining informed consent from the client or their legal guardian before initiating or modifying treatment.
Question 3: A BCaT is asked by a journalist to describe a client's treatment as a 'success story.' The BCaT should:
- Share general information about ABA without identifying the client
- Decline and direct the journalist to the agency's appropriate spokesperson (Correct answer)
- Describe the case using only the client's first name
- Share the story if it will benefit public awareness of autism
Correct answer: Decline and direct the journalist to the agency's appropriate spokesperson
BCaTs must protect client confidentiality and direct all media inquiries to the appropriate agency representative rather than disclosing any information.
Question 4: Under the IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act), parents of a child receiving special education services have the right to:
- Veto any behavioral intervention the school proposes
- Participate in and consent to IEP development and services (Correct answer)
- Determine which specific ABA techniques are used
- Override BCBA clinical decisions about treatment goals
Correct answer: Participate in and consent to IEP development and services
IDEA guarantees parents the right to participate in IEP meetings and provide informed consent for special education services.
Question 5: Which of the following represents a violation of the ethical principle of non-maleficence?
- Using evidence-based interventions that have mild temporary side effects
- Applying a punishment procedure without BCBA approval or a behavior plan (Correct answer)
- Discontinuing a reinforcement schedule when behavior improves
- Collecting data on challenging behaviors to inform treatment
Correct answer: Applying a punishment procedure without BCBA approval or a behavior plan
Non-maleficence means avoiding harm; implementing unauthorized punishment violates this principle by potentially causing harm without clinical oversight.
Question 6: A BCaT who is fluent in Spanish is assigned to a client whose parents speak only Spanish. The BCaT should:
- Conduct all sessions in English to maintain consistency with the behavior plan
- Use Spanish to communicate with parents and ensure understanding of the treatment plan (Correct answer)
- Refer the family to a different agency that specializes in Spanish-speaking clients
- Use an online translator app for all parent communications
Correct answer: Use Spanish to communicate with parents and ensure understanding of the treatment plan
Effective communication in the family's primary language supports informed consent and cultural competence, which are ethical obligations.
Question 7: A BCaT's personal social media post criticizes a type of therapy used with autistic clients. This is ethically problematic primarily because:
- Social media posts cannot be made private
- It may damage public trust in the profession and violate professional standards (Correct answer)
- Technicians are not permitted to have personal opinions
- Social media use is prohibited for all behavioral health professionals
Correct answer: It may damage public trust in the profession and violate professional standards
Public statements that damage the profession's reputation or spread misinformation can violate professional ethical standards even when made on personal accounts.
BCAT Ethical and Legal Considerations 3
A BCaT receives a gift from a grateful parent worth $75.
According to professional ethics, the BCaT should: