Ethics Flashcards
As of January 1 ,2022, the document that will guide the professional activities of behavioral analysts over whom the BACB has jurisdiction is the…
o Ethics Code for BAs
The core principle that requires behavior analysts to fulfill responsibilities to their scientific and professional communities, to society in general, and to the communities they serve is to…
Behave with Integrity
The Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts
o Guides the professional activities
o Provides guidelines that BAs to evaluate own behavior
o Provides guidelines that others to assess BAs
What activities are covered by the Ethics Code?
o Editorial and peer reviewed
o Management activities
o Research and publication
The principle of benefiting others is exemplified in the of behavior analysts by…
Protecting the rights and welfare of clients above all others
The Ethics Code applies to a select group of people. The complete group includes…
BCBAs, BCaBAs and those with a completed application at the BACB
The foundational principles articulated in the Ethics Codes…
Serve as the framework for the specific standards
The principle of treating others with compassion, dignity, and respect is exemplified in behaviors such as…
Treating others equitably, honoring privacy and confidentiality, promoting self-determination, and valuing informed client choices.
Professional standards, such as those in the Ethics Code, are important for protecting…
The consumers of behavior analytic services
Remaining with one’s scope of practice and being knowledgeable and current about interventions that may pose risks to clients reflects which ethical principle?
Ensuring competence
The foundational principles in the Ethics Code include that BAs…
o Treat others with compassion, dignity, and respect
o Benefit others
o Ensure competence
o Behave with integrity
When reporting serious concerns regarding the professional conduct of another practitioner, BAs …
May need to report the concern to another authority before reporting it to the BACB
The BACB enforces the Ethics Code by processing complaints according to the …
Code Enforcement Procedures document
When concerned about the professional conduct of another BA, practitioners are obligated to…
Address the concern with the BA, if doing so would not create undue risk to others
A BA misunderstanding or lack of awareness of a Code element is…
Not a defense against an alleged ethics violation
The BACB has the authority to revoke eligibility to sit for the exam or invalidate a certification if they find that an individual submitted false, forced, or untrue information.
True
In which of the following circumstances would a BA likely want to speak directly with a behavioral colleague regarding concerns of professional misconduct?
o A colleague submitted an invoice indicating they provided services on a date they did not work.
o There are testimonials
o A colleague had recent death and missed several home visits
*A colleague tells you he is romantically interested in one of his supervisees. Your best course of action is to…
have a conversation
When resolving dilemmas, BA identify the relevant principles and standards in the code and consult other available resources, such as…
o Trusted colleagues
o Decision making models
o Research literature
When resolving an ethical dilemma, BA should…
o Use a structured decision-making process
o Document information
o Protect confidentiality
o Follow the spirit and letter of the Code’s core principles
If the BACB accepts a notice regarding an ethics violation, the individual who engaged in the reported professional misconduct is sanctioned.
False
A BCBA is a full time PH.D student in behavior analysis and works part time in the practice. The BCBA is at the maximum caseload capacity with clients and gets a referral from a pediatrician regarding a family whose child really needs help. The behavior analyst…
Declines the case to avoid over committing, which could impact service quality
An agency’s website advertises BCBA services. A former employee knows that there haven’t been any BCBAs working there since leaving because the agency refused to adopt an ABA model. Upon inquiring further, an agency employee says they are not required to give that information. The BCBA should…
Alert the BACB of the agency’s potential misrepresentation
“Brain or exam dump” websites share questions that are on the certification exam. Those preparing for the exam would…
Be in violation of the Ethics Code if they post or access BACB exam content
A payer only pays the behavior analyst for face-to-face time spent with a client, which is verified by a monthly log signed by the client. The BA asks the client to sign for hours that the BA spends entering and analyzing data as well as direct service. Asking the client to sign this is ….
a violation of the code
While negotiating a contract with a family, the family proposes paying a lower rate than the BCBA charges but to do so under the table. This way, the BCBA would avoid paying income tax and still take home his desired rate of pay. The BCBA should…
not agree to those terms
In a state where a license is not required to practice ABA, an uncertified person advertises themselves as a BCBA. The person has an excellent reputation in the community and practices according to the behavior analytic peer reviewed literature. As a BCBA, you should attempt to resolve the issue by…
telling this person that if they don’t stop, you will notify the BACB
A state law, written to protect insurance companies, requires behavioral health practitioners to submit a monthly report which includes a list of clients being served and a description of the behaviors being treated. BAs feel that this is an invasion of privacy. The BA should…
Complete and submit the form as required by law.
Sharing study materials, either privately or through sharing websites or social media, is…
Only ethical if you share your own work and not copyrighted materials.
A practitioner working in a state that does not license ABA providers, advertises as a Behavioral specialist.
Do nothing with because they are not claiming to be a BCBA
A BCBA candidate finds a FB group where users are posting exam question. What should you do?
Immediately report the group to the BACB
Which are appropriate ways for BA to obtain relevant skills and experience in a new area…
o Receive advanced training
o Read the literature
o Work closely with a behavioral consultant
You are asked by a parent to provide counseling services for a teen with low MO. What should you do?
Explain that you do not provide counseling, but you can work with them in other ways.
A BCBA, having never treated pica, expresses doubt about being able to treat life-threatening pica. What should they do?
Seek supervision and consultation by a BA experienced in this area
To maintain a BCBA certification you are required to complete…
32 hours of CEU events every 2 years; 4 hours must cover ethics and professional behavior.
To maintain their credential, BCBAs must earn…
32 CEU credits every 2 years. At least 3 of these credits must cover supervision.
To maintain their credential, BCaBAs must earn…
20 CEU credits every 2 years. At least 4 of these credits must cover supervision.
In terms of being culturally responsive and effectively working with clients who have diverse backgrounds, BAs are responsible for
o Evaluating the cultural biases and skills of their supervisees to address diverse client needs
o Assessing their own biases and abilities to meet client needs
o Actively engaging in professional development to acquire skills in cultural responsiveness and diversity
Completing a college course in behavior analysis can be used to earn CEUs in
Learning
The purpose of the BACB’s CEU requirements for certified practitioners is to
Expand their behavior-analytic skills beyond the requirements of initial certification
A BCBA who accepts a student who is hard of hearing has enough ASL to communicate with the child and the parents. In addition, an interpreter service is available when needed. What else does this BCBA need to do?
The BCBA should become familiar with the social beliefs, behaviors, traditions, and values of the Deaf community.
When selecting from a variety of approved CEU activities, give preference to those that
Meet you professional development goals
If providing services in a new geographic area requires special knowledge in a particular culture, race, or religion, a BA should
Actively engage in professional development to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills
The types of CEUs recognized by the BACB include
o Learning
o Teaching
o Scholarship
Which of these scenarios represents the best example of personal circumstances compromising the delivery of effective services?
A BCBA studying for exam cancels appointments for 3 weeks leading up to the exam.
Extinction for attention-maintained face-slapping can be ethically questionable because…
The risk of injury from an extinction burst may be greater than the risk of injury from continued face-slapping.
When using aversive procedures, BCBAs should…
o Employ a very high-performance standard for training, implementation, and supervision related to the procedure.
o Include a plan to stop use of the procedure when a specified criterion has been met.
When using aversive procedures, it is advised to…
Determine a criterion for terminating the program should the data indicate a lack of efficacy.
A teacher is considering an extinction-based intervention for attention-maintained darting into traffic. She wants to implement the procedure in the relative safety of a parking lot. It is not advised because…
The risk benefit ratio is too great
Select the MOST desirable risk/benefit ratio.
Low risk/ High benefit
What does NOT require behavior analysis services, but MAY be an effective intervention?
o Asking someone to change their behavior
o Activity schedules
o Reducing noise level
o Set and teach positive rules
o Provide choice
o Changing supervision arrangements.
o Prompts and redirecting
o Modeling appropriate behavior
o Allowing participation in goals
For five months a BCBA has been treating self-injury using NCR, DRL, and DRA. Data show no reduction in self injury…
o Is acting responsibly if the former plan worsened the behavior
A DRO procedure, a DRI procedure, and overcorrection procedure are….
The DRO or DRI because reinforcement should be used when possible
A decrease in a risk/benefit ratio means…
A reduced risk or an increased benefit
An effective intervention to improve student behavior in schools…
Have teachers greet each child by name and provide a positive statement
You have reason to believe that praise, tokens, and potato chips will all be equally effective as reinforcers. Use…
praise
Whenever non-preferred tasks are presented, a child aggresses against their teacher…
The child should be given a reasonable means of escape from tasks
Breaks are used to reward student performance. The BCBA determines that tokens are equally effective and less disruptive than breaks…
Change the reinforcer
Problem behaviors…
Can sometimes be remedied without formal behavior analysis.
A high general level of positive reinforcement…
Has been shown to reduce a wide array of PB
Parents admit that their implementation of the BIPO deteriorates a few days after the BCBAs visit. The BCBA should first…
Simplify the program, visit frequently
A BCBA working within a special ED program notices that some techniques lack empirical support.
Yes, the BCBA is obligated to address concerns about variables.
After the BCBA and client agree on objectives and the behavior program they should be reviewed.
As needed throughout the course of the professional relationship.
Procedural integrity data on a BIP is below 50% average and sometimes below 20%. The BCBA should…
document concerns
BCBAs graphically display data so that…
data based decisions can be made
A BCBA offers clients a contract. It should contain…
o Expectations of involvement and communication
o Fees and policies
o Specific information on data
A BCBA refers out when…
o They lack the specialized skill set necessary to treat the target behavior.
o BCBA cannot start services in a timely manner
BAs accept clients…
o They have the time and capacity to serve.
o Whose requested services are within the scope of competence.
In a therapeutic relationship, inform the client…
o Limits of confidentiality
o Involvement of 3rd party
o The anticipated course of therapy
Which would not be included in an example of 3rd party?
Neighbors
A teen reports difficulty managing PB in a residential school. The BA should…
o Comply with requirements to obtain consent from parents
o Inform teens parents of their right to receive documentation and data.
o Inform teens parents of the rationale
When referring a client to other professionals…
o Remain objective and offer multiple referrals
o Consider: professionals skill set
In your practice, maintain documentation in a manner that would…
enable another BCBA to pick up the case
BCBAs maintain high quality and detailed records…
o To maintain accountability and to have available for later review
o Consistent with requirements of employers, law…
o So that another provider could oversee case
When transferring a case to another provider, BAs…
o Make referrals based on needs
o Refer to multiple providers when available
o Disclose relationship with other providers
o Disclose fees
o Make efforts to follow-up with referrals
o Document details
Your client should be transferred to another BA when unavailable for work …
Long enough for the client’s behavior to deteriorate
A BA should consider terminating services when the client hasn’t had TB…
For 8 months and no changes
A family has cancelled every weekly session with the BA for 3 months. Should BCBA terminate?
Yes, with notification
A BA should consider terminating services when…
The clients parent consistently refuses to implement interventions
The Ethics Code calls for BCBAs to establish criteria of termination at…
at the onset of the relationship.
Behavior analysts retain their supervisory documentation for each supervisee for a minimum of…
7 years
BCBAs are responsible for activities of their supervisees that occur as part of the supervisory relationship, including…
o Research related activities
o Professional emails
o Client services
o Public statements
A BCBA is asked to provide supervision for BCBA and BCaBA candidates, but never have before. They should…
Complete the training based on the supervisor training curriculum
After completing the supervision training required by the BACB, BCBAs can provide supervision…
Within their defined areas of competence
BCBAs, BCaBAs, and RBTs ensure that coursework, supervised experience, and CE courses meet the standards defined by the
BACB
BAs instruct their supervisees to retain their supervisory documentation for a minimum of…
7 years.
A BCBA needs to quickly transfer several supervisees to another supervisor to complete their supervision.
Failed to maintain documentation that allowed for effective transition
Before providing supervision to BCBA candidates, supervising BCBAs must…
Complete an 8-hour supervision training based on the BACB supervisor training curriculum
Supervisors must complete 3 hours of CE events in the supervision per 2-year cycle.
True
When BCBAs determine they have reached their threshold volume of supervisees for providing effective supervision, they…
They communicate to their employer and other relevant parties
