BCAT Ethical and Professional Practices 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A parent asks a BCAT technician to share information about another client they know. How should the technician respond?
- Share only general information without names
- Decline and explain that all client information is strictly confidential (Correct answer)
- Confirm whether the technician works with that client but share no details
- Ask the BCBA if it is permissible to share the information
Correct answer: Decline and explain that all client information is strictly confidential
Confidentiality protects all clients, and technicians must not confirm or deny details about any other client to unauthorized parties.
Question 2: Which of the following best describes the principle of non-maleficence as it applies to BCAT practice?
- Treating all clients with equal respect regardless of diagnosis
- Avoiding actions or interventions that cause unnecessary harm to the client (Correct answer)
- Promoting client independence in all areas of daily living
- Obtaining informed consent before implementing any new procedure
Correct answer: Avoiding actions or interventions that cause unnecessary harm to the client
Non-maleficence means 'do no harm,' requiring technicians to refrain from interventions that could hurt or traumatize the client.
Question 3: A BCAT technician is approached by a researcher requesting access to a client's behavioral data for a study. The technician should:
- Provide anonymized data since it contains no identifying information
- Refer the researcher to the supervising BCBA and the appropriate authorization process (Correct answer)
- Decline the request entirely as research is outside the technician's scope
- Ask the client's parent for permission before sharing any data
Correct answer: Refer the researcher to the supervising BCBA and the appropriate authorization process
Data sharing for research must go through proper institutional channels and requires BCBA and organizational oversight, not individual technician discretion.
Question 4: A BCAT technician realizes they made an error in session data collection. The correct course of action is to:
- Correct the error discreetly and say nothing to avoid scrutiny
- Erase the incorrect data and re-enter the correct values
- Inform the supervising BCBA, document the correction transparently, and note the reason (Correct answer)
- Leave the error to avoid altering official records
Correct answer: Inform the supervising BCBA, document the correction transparently, and note the reason
Transparency and accurate record-keeping are ethical obligations; errors must be disclosed and corrected using proper documentation procedures.
Question 5: Which situation would most likely require a BCAT technician to make a mandatory report to authorities?
- A client refuses to participate in a session activity
- A parent discloses that they have stopped administering prescribed medication
- A technician suspects the client is being physically abused at home (Correct answer)
- A client displays aggression toward a sibling during a home visit
Correct answer: A technician suspects the client is being physically abused at home
Suspected child abuse or neglect is a mandatory reporting obligation under law that supersedes normal confidentiality rules.
Question 6: A BCAT technician is asked by their employer to work with a client in a skill area they have not been trained in. The technician should:
- Attempt the work and learn on the job
- Refuse to work with the client until fully certified in every skill
- Inform the employer of the training gap and request appropriate supervision or training before proceeding (Correct answer)
- Implement the intervention following written instructions from the internet
Correct answer: Inform the employer of the training gap and request appropriate supervision or training before proceeding
Practicing outside one's competence is unethical; technicians must disclose skill gaps and seek training or supervision before proceeding.
Question 7: Professional development for a BCAT technician is best described as:
- Optional enrichment that improves job satisfaction
- A one-time requirement fulfilled at initial certification
- An ongoing obligation to stay current with best practices in applied behavior analysis (Correct answer)
- Something exclusively managed by the supervising BCBA on the technician's behalf
Correct answer: An ongoing obligation to stay current with best practices in applied behavior analysis
Continued professional development is an ethical requirement to ensure technicians remain competent and apply evidence-based practices.
BCAT Ethical and Professional Practices 3
A parent asks a BCAT technician to share information about another client they know.
How should the technician respond?