Unit 3 Element 1 Flashcards
A speech therapist on our team has a reputation as a Chatty Cathy. It is her personality and her way of connecting, but she chats up a storm about her personal life with her clients. She is very funny, and the clients love the wild stories about her zany life. You wonder, should you intervene?
No, refrain from intervening. The speech therapist’s behavior does not involve another behavior analyst or interfere with your services.
It is not the appropriate, professional way to interact with clients, but it is not your place to tell her how to engage in professional practice as a speech therapist.
If the same speech therapist were a BCBA, what section of the code would apply?
1.05 Professional and Scientific Relationships
Gabrielle is a BCBA who has been supervising an ABA educational program for a three-year-old boy with autism for six months. The child’s parents have recently gone through a long, bitter divorce. Now, Gabrielle has been subpoenaed to testify as to the child’s custody and continued treatment. She has been told that she will be asked which parent would provide the better home for the child.
Gabrielle has only worked with the mother during the home visits, and knows of the home situation only from the mother’s perspective. Despite ongoing parent training, the mother does not have good skills for managing the child. The father and his new girlfriend want custody of the child, and they have indicated they don’t want any ABA program or therapist in the home.
Gabrielle thinks the ABA program is crucial for the child, but does not feel comfortable commenting on or recommending which parent should get custody, because she has only met the father once. What should she do?
Testify, but only talk about what she knows. If she shows no bias and answers questions truthfully, that’s enough.
What section of the Code would apply in this situation?
1.04 Integrity
Kim is a BCaBA working in a home-based setting, providing ABA therapy to Chloe, a six-year-old girl with autism. Chloe’s mom, Janeen, is a single mom who does not have many friends or time to herself due to the constant care her daughter needs. One day, Janeen asks Kim if she can go to urgent care during Chloe’s therapy, as Janeen has had a sore throat and fever for a few days. What should Kim do?
Disagree. Kim should remind Janeen that she has to be present for all therapy sessions. This could lead to a dual relationship.
But Janeen breaks down crying and begs Kim to let her go this one time. She promises she will never ask again. Now what?
Kim respectfully refuses, and reminds Janeen that she has to follow the BACB Code of Ethics.
Jane, an SEIT teacher, is providing in-home behavioral services to a three-year-old girl, Mary P. Mary’s IEP goals include increasing her appropriate interactions with other children.
Mrs. P., knowing that Jane has a three-year-old child, has repeatedly asked Jane to bring her child to play with Mary. Jane has told Mrs. P. that this is not professional. However, Mrs. P. says that Mary does not really know any other children and that she needs to work on her social skills. When Jane suggests putting Mary into a preschool, Mrs. P. says that the family can’t afford it.
Jane has felt increasingly uncomfortable with Mrs. P’s requests for a play date. Today, Jane’s babysitter for her child cancels, and Jane calls Mrs. P. to cancel the session. Mrs. P. insists that Jane bring her child to the session with Mary, rather than cancel.
Jane cancels and reminds Mrs. P that she has to follow the BACB Code of Ethics.
Which part of Section 1.06, Multiple Relationships and Conflicts of Interest, applies here?
Due to the potentially harmful effects of multiple relationships, behavior analysts avoid multiple relationships.
Behavior analysts must always be sensitive to the potentially harmful effects of multiple relationships. If behavior analysts find that, due to unforeseen factors, a multiple relationship has arisen, they seek to resolve it.
Behavior analysts recognize and inform clients and supervisees about the potential harmful effects of multiple relationships.
Nancy is transitioning her child from Early Intervention to Committee on Preschool Special Education2 (CPSE) funding. She wants to get different services upon transition than she thinks the committee will approve. The child has a diagnosis of autism and is receiving extensive hours of applied behavior analysis as well as related services at home.
Nancy has exercised considerable control over the employment of providers in the home under early intervention. She and a lead member of the home-based team communicate to Lonna, the BCBA on the home team, that Lonna needs to write a progress report emphasizing the child’s weaknesses and downplaying the progress that the child is making. They want this report faxed to the committee chairperson right before the next meeting.
Lonna provides an accurate report to the committee and parent well before the meeting.
Nancy is not happy with Lonna’s decision. She’s very concerned that her child will not get the services she believes she needs. When she sees the report, she tells Lonna to take out the information about progress, and insists that she share the new version of the report right before the meeting. She threatens to have Lonna removed from the case if she doesn’t.
Lonna decides to remind Nancy of her ethical obligations.
