Ethics for Behavior Analysts Flashcards

A BCBA is providing services to a family in a small, rural community. The client's father is the only mechanic in town. The BCBA's car breaks down and requires immediate repair. Which of the following actions is the most appropriate for the BCBA to take to manage this potential multiple relationship?

Answer: Use the mechanic's services but insist on paying the full, standard rate and document the interaction.

The BACB Ethics Code advises avoiding multiple relationships but recognizes they can be unavoidable in some situations, such as small communities. The most ethical course of action is to proceed with the necessary service while maintaining clear professional boundaries. This involves paying the standard rate, documenting the circumstances, and ensuring the professional relationship with the client remains prioritized and objective.

According to the Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts, under which of the following conditions is it ethical to discontinue services?

Answer: The stakeholders are not complying with the intervention plan despite efforts to address barriers.

The BACB's 'Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts' (Code 3.15) explicitly states that services can be discontinued if 'relevant stakeholders are not complying with the behavior-change intervention despite appropriate efforts to address barriers.' The other options do not represent ethically permissible reasons for discontinuation. Slow progress may require a modification of the plan, not termination. Personal feelings or better job offers are not client-centered reasons for ending services.

A BCBA is supervising a trainee who is accruing fieldwork hours. The BCBA notices the trainee consistently struggles with data analysis and graphing. To comply with their ethical obligations as a supervisor, the BCBA must:

Answer: provide ongoing, constructive feedback and design systems to improve the trainee's performance.

According to the BACB Ethics Code (Section 4), supervisors are responsible for the professional development of their trainees. This includes designing effective supervision, providing timely and constructive feedback to improve performance, and ensuring supervisees develop the necessary skills for competent practice. Delegating the task without addressing the skill deficit, recommending a new supervisor without attempting to train, or ignoring the issue are all abdications of this responsibility.

Which of the following is one of the four core principles outlined in the BACB's 'Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts'?

Answer: Behaving with Integrity

The introductory section of the 'Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts' is built upon four core principles: (1) Benefit Others, (2) Treat Others with Compassion, Dignity, and Respect, (3) Behave with Integrity, and (4) Ensure Competence. While the other options are important ethical considerations covered within the standards, they are not one of the four foundational core principles.

A BCBA is asked by a local news station to comment on a new fad therapy for autism that lacks empirical support. In their public statement, the BCBA has an ethical responsibility to:

Answer: provide statements based on current scientific knowledge and behavior-analytic principles, while avoiding unsubstantiated claims.

Section 5 of the Ethics Code, 'Responsibility in Public Statements,' requires that behavior analysts' statements are based on their conceptually consistent, behavior-analytic knowledge and that they do not make false, deceptive, or exaggerated claims. They must differentiate between what is based on scientific evidence and what is personal opinion. Promoting one's own practice or making sweeping generalizations without evidence would be unethical.

When collecting, storing, and sharing confidential client information, a behavior analyst's primary ethical obligation is to:

Answer: protect confidentiality by limiting access to information and using secure methods for storage and transmission.

The BACB Ethics Code (Standard 2.11) places a high priority on protecting the confidentiality of clients. This involves taking reasonable precautions to secure records, whether electronic or physical, limiting access only to those with a professional need-to-know, and using secure means (like encryption) when transmitting information. While accessibility, cost, and funding are practical considerations, they are secondary to the primary ethical duty of protecting client confidentiality.