BCAT Ethical and Professional Practices 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A BCAT technician is offered a gift card by a client's parent as a token of appreciation. What is the most ethical response?
- Accept it graciously to maintain rapport
- Decline and explain the professional boundary around accepting gifts (Correct answer)
- Accept only if the value is under $25
- Report the offer to a supervisor before deciding
Correct answer: Decline and explain the professional boundary around accepting gifts
Accepting gifts from clients or their families violates professional boundaries and can compromise the therapeutic relationship.
Question 2: Which action best exemplifies the principle of beneficence in autism technician practice?
- Documenting session data accurately
- Prioritizing interventions that promote the client's well-being (Correct answer)
- Following supervisor instructions without question
- Maintaining confidentiality of records
Correct answer: Prioritizing interventions that promote the client's well-being
Beneficence means acting in the best interest of the client, which involves choosing interventions that genuinely promote their well-being.
Question 3: A BCAT technician witnesses a colleague using a restrictive procedure that has not been approved in the client's behavior intervention plan. What should the technician do first?
- Ignore it to avoid workplace conflict
- Immediately intervene by physically stopping the colleague
- Report the incident to a supervising BCBA as soon as possible (Correct answer)
- Document the incident and wait to see if it happens again
Correct answer: Report the incident to a supervising BCBA as soon as possible
Unapproved restrictive procedures are a safety and ethical concern that must be reported to a supervising BCBA immediately.
Question 4: What does 'scope of practice' mean for a Board Certified Autism Technician?
- The number of clients a technician can work with simultaneously
- The geographic area in which a technician is licensed to practice
- The range of activities and responsibilities a technician is trained and authorized to perform (Correct answer)
- The hours per week a technician is permitted to work with clients
Correct answer: The range of activities and responsibilities a technician is trained and authorized to perform
Scope of practice defines the boundaries of tasks and responsibilities that a credentialed professional is qualified to carry out.
Question 5: A BCAT technician disagrees with a behavior intervention plan created by the supervising BCBA. The most appropriate action is to:
- Modify the plan during sessions to reflect their own judgment
- Refuse to implement the plan until it is revised
- Discuss concerns professionally with the BCBA during supervision (Correct answer)
- Consult the client's parents for a second opinion
Correct answer: Discuss concerns professionally with the BCBA during supervision
Technicians should voice concerns through proper channels during supervision rather than unilaterally altering or refusing to follow the approved plan.
Question 6: Which of the following is an example of a dual relationship that a BCAT technician must avoid?
- Working with two clients from the same school
- Becoming close friends with a client's sibling outside of work (Correct answer)
- Attending a professional development seminar with a colleague
- Communicating via email with a supervising BCBA
Correct answer: Becoming close friends with a client's sibling outside of work
Forming personal relationships with family members of clients creates a dual relationship that can compromise professional objectivity and boundaries.
Question 7: When a client's behavior causes risk of harm to the technician, the first priority should be:
- Implementing a punishment procedure to stop the behavior immediately
- Ensuring safety for both the client and the technician using approved protocols (Correct answer)
- Ending the session and leaving the room without any plan
- Restraining the client to prevent further harm
Correct answer: Ensuring safety for both the client and the technician using approved protocols
Safety protocols must be followed to protect both parties, using only approved and trained procedures outlined in the crisis plan.
BCAT Ethical and Professional Practices 2
A BCAT technician is offered a gift card by a client's parent as a token of appreciation.
What is the most ethical response?