Ethics
BEHAVIORS, PRACTICES, and DECISIONS that address 3 fundamental questions that guide how you conduct yourself to help others improve their
... [Show More] physical, social, psychological, familial, or personal condition
Question: Why is Ethics Important?
To further the welfare of the client
3 Fundamental Questions of Ethical Practice
1. What is the right thing to do?
2. What is worth doing?
3. What does it mean to be a good behavior analyst?
1. What is the right thing to do?
-Considerations related to cultural practices: what may be acceptable in one culture is not in another
-Differences across time: what may have been acceptable 20 years ago is not today
Things to Help You Guide the Decision-Making Process
1. Professional Training and Experience
-Your training should influence the methods you use. The decision to opt for Method A (e.g., differential reinforcement) or Method B (e.g., overcorrection) should be based on your clinical training, not your personal history
-Your training as a behavior analyst should ALWAYS OVERRIDE your personal history.
2. Personal History
-A personal history is your individual cultural, religious, or social background. It should not influence your clinical decisions.
-Recognize that your personal history may lead to inappropriate solutions (e.g., if a person was raised in a family that believed in "spare the rod, spoil the child", that person may tend to be harsh with children)
-If you recognize that your personal history is impacting your clinical decision-making, get help from supervisors, colleagues, and research. If you cannot get the help or change your behavior, excuse yourself from the case.
3. The Context of Practice
-Refers to where you practice and the specific nature of job (e.g., at home, at school, etc.)
-Determines what is legal vs. illegal, ethical vs. unethical
Question: What is Legal, but Unethical?
1. Breaking a professional confidence.
2. Accepting valued heirlooms in lieu of payment.
3. Engaging in consensual sex with a client over the age of 18.
Question: What is Both Illegal and Unethical?
1. Misrepresenting promised services or skills.
2. Stealing a client's belongings.
3. Abusing a client physically, emotionally, financially, socially, or sexually.
4. Engaging in consensual sexual relations with persons under age 18.
Question: What are Ethical Codes of Behavior?
-Guidelines that specify what IS a violation.
-Guidelines for deciding a course of action or conducting professional duties.
-Guidelines to help to discriminate between legal and ethical distinctions making us more likely to:
-provide effective services
-maintain sensitivity towards clients
-not break the law or our professional
standards of conduct
2. What is Worth Doing?
-Addresses the goals and objectives of practice and forces us to ask the questions:
1. What are we trying to accomplish?
2. How are we trying to accomplish it?
3. Is the objective socially valid?
4. What is the risk-benefit ratio?
Social Validity
-When the results show meaningful, significant, and sustainable change.
-When the goals, procedures, and results of an intervention are socially acceptable to the client, the behavior analyst, and society.
-Not every skill has social validity (ex. teaching an adult with developmental disabilities to play with children's coloring books is not socially valid.
2 Ways to Assess Social Validity
1. Social Comparison:
-Comparison of the performance of clients
exposed to the intervention with an
equivalent or "typically developing" group.
-Limitation: normative data may not be really
relevant for the client's functioning.
2. Subjective Evaluation of Experts:
-Evaluation of the client's performance by
experts who are very familiar with the client.
-Limitation: subjective evaluation of experts
may not tell us about the success of an
intervention.
3. What Does it Mean to Be a Good Behavior Analyst?
- Following professional codes of conduct (BACB)
-Keeping client's welfare in your ideas
A Good Practitioner is Self-Regulating
Seeks ways to calibrate decisions over time to ensure that values, contingencies, and rights and responsibilities are integrated and an informed combination of these is considered.
3 Reasons Why We Abide By Ethics (MHS)
1. M: Meaningful Change
-To produce meaningful behavior change of
social significance to the client
- Increase the likelihood of appropriate
services being rendered to individuals
2. H: Harm
-To reduce/eliminate harm (e.g., poor
treatments, SIB, etc.)
3. S: Standards
-To conform to the ethical standards of
learned societies and professional
organizations
Question: What Are Professional Standards?
(Standards is an umbrella word for everything.)
-Standards are written guidelines that provide a direction for conducting the practices associated with an organization.
BACB
-Certifies individual practitioners
-In 1999, the BACB started credentialing behaviorists in the US and other countries. The BACB certification is based on Florida's certification program. It ensures consumers that an individual's specialization is ABA.
Association for Behavior Analysis (ABA)
Accredits university programs
5 Documents that Describe Standards of Professional Conduct and Ethical Practice for ABA
(TLCEPBT): TLC Eating Peanut Butter Together
1. TL: Task List
-The BCBA and BCaBA Task List Fourth
Edition, 2015
2. C: Code
-Professional and Ethical Compliance Code
for Behavior Analysts (BACB, 2016)
3. E: Education
-The Right to Effective Education
(Association for Behavior Analysis, 1990)
4. P: Psychologists
-Ethical Principles of Psychologists and
Code of Conduct (American Psychological
Association, 2010)
5. BT: Behavioral Treatment
-The Right to Effective Behavioral Treatment
(Association for Behavior Analysis, 1989)
BCBA and BCaBA Behavior Analyst Fourth Edition Task List
-Effective January 1, 2015
-Describes knowledge, skills, and attributes expected of a behaviorist
-Describes numerous tasks across three main sections
Professional and Ethical Compliance Code for Behavior Analysts
(AKA The "Code")
-Effective January 1, 2016 (most recent revised version August 11, 2015)
-All BACB applicants, certificants, and registrants are required to adhere to the Code
-The BACB has consolidated, updated, and replaced 2 of their old ethical documents:
1. The Professional Disciplinary and Ethical
Standards
2. The Guidelines for Responsible Conduct
for Behavior Analysts
-The Code has 2 parts:
1. 10 Sections: these are relevant to
professional and ethical behavior of
behavior analysts
2. Glossary
1.0 Responsible Conduct of Behavior Analysts
-You maintain the high standards of behavior of the profession.
-Code's Definition of Behavior Analyst: individual who holds the BCBA or BCaBA credential, an individual authorized by the BACB to provide supervision, or a coordinator of a BACB Approved Course Sequence
1.01 Reliance on Scientific Knowledge
You rely on professionally derived knowledge based on science and behavior analysis when making scientific or professional judgments in human service provision, when engaging in scholarly or professional endeavors
1.02 Boundaries of Competence
- You provide services, teach, and conduct research only within the boundaries of of your competence, defined as being commensurate with your education, training, and supervised experience.
-You provide services, teach, or conduct research in new areas (e.g., populations, techniques, behaviors, etc.)
-Only after FIRST undertaking appropriate
study, training, supervision, and/or
consultation from persons who are
competent in those areas
1.03 Maintaining Competence through Professional Development
You maintain knowledge of current scientific and professional information in your areas of practice and undertake ongoing efforts to maintain competence in the skills you use.
4 Methods of Maintaining Professional Development (CLAC)
1. C: CEUs
-Maintain your credential with continuing
education units (CEUs)
2. L: Literature
-Read appropriate literature (i.e., most
updated evidence-based, peer-reviewed
research)
3. A: Additional Coursework
-Obtain additional coursework
4. C: Conferences/Workshops
-Attend conferences/workshops
1.04 Integrity
1. You are truthful and honest and arrange the environment to promote truthful and honest behavior in others.
2. You do not implement contingencies that would cause others to engage in fraudulent, illegal, or unethical conduct.
3. You follow through on obligations and contractual and professional commitments with high quality work and refrain from making professional commitments you cannot keep.
4. Your behavior conforms to the legal and ethical codes of the social and professional community of which you are a member.
5. If your ethical responsibilities conflict with law or any policy on an organization with which you are affiliated, you make known your commitment to this Code and take steps to resolve the conflict in a responsible manner in accordance with law.
1.05 Professional and Scientific Relationships
1. You provide behavior-analytic services only in the context of a defined, professional, or scientific relationship or role.
2. When you provide behavior-analytic services, you use language that is fully understandable to the recipient of those services while remaining conceptually systematic with the profession of behavior analysis. Provide appropriate information PRIOR to service delivery about the nature of such services and appropriate information later about results and conclusions.
3. If differences of age, gender, race, culture, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, language, or socioeconomic status significantly affect your work concerning particular individuals or groups, you obtain the training, experience, consultation, and/or supervision necessary to ensure the competence of your services, or make appropriate referrals.
4. In your work-related activities, you do not engage in discrimination against individuals or groups based on age, gender, race, culture, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, language, or socioeconomic status, in accordance with law.
5. You do not knowingly engage in behavior that is harassing or demeaning to persons with whom you interact in your work based on factors, such as those persons' age, gender, race, culture, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, language, or socioeconomic status, in accordance with law.
6. You recognize that your personal problems and conflicts may interfere with your effectiveness. You refrain from providing services when your personal circumstances may compromise delivering services to the best of your abilities.
1.06 Multiple Relationships and Conflicts of Interest
1. Due to the potentially harmful effects of multiple relationships, you avoid multiple relationships.
-Code's definition of Multiple Relationships:
behavior analyst is in both a behavior-
analytic role and a non-behavior-analytic
role simultaneously with a client or someone
closely associated with or related to the
client
2. You must always be sensitive to the potentially harmful effects of multiple relationships. If you find that, due to unforeseen factors, a multiple relationship has arisen, you seek to resolve it.
3. You recognize and inform clients and supervisees about the potential harmful effects of multiple relationships.
4. You do not accept any gifts from or give any gifts to clients because this constitutes a multiple relationship.
Conflicts of Interest
-When a principal party, alone or in connection with family, friends, or associates, has a vested interest in the outcome of the interaction.
-The relationship is beneficial to the behavior analyst in some way.
-It involves a personal relationship with crossed boundaries, such as unsolicited gifts or invitations to parties.
-You must guard against crossing any personal or professional boundaries.
-General Rule: A practitioner in doubt about what is a crossed boundary should consult a supervisor or trusted and experienced confidante.
1.07 Exploitative Relationships
1. You do not exploit persons over whom you have supervisory, evaluative, or other authority such as STUDENTS, SUPERVISEES, employees, research participants, and CLIENTS.
-Code's Definition of Student: individual who
is matriculated at a college/university; code
applies to the student during formal
behavior-analytic instruction
-Code's Definition of Supervisee: any
individual whose behavior-analytic services
are overseen by a behavior analyst within
the context of a defined, agreed-upon
relationship
-Code's Definition of Client: any recipient or
beneficiary of the professional services
provided by a behavior analyst (for
purposes of this definition, the term client
does NOT include third-party insurers or
payers, unless you are hired directly under
contract by the third-party insurer or payer
2. You do not engage in sexual relationships with clients, students, or supervisees, because such relationships easily impair judgment or become exploitative.
3. You must refrain from any sexual relationships with client, students, or supervisees at least 2 years after the date that the professional relationship has formally ended.
4. You do not barter for services, unless a written agreement is in place for the barter that is:
1. Requested by the client or supervisee
2. Customary to the area where services are
provided, and
3. Fair and commensurate with the value of
behavior-analytic services provided
2.0 Behavior Analysts' Responsibility to Clients
You have a responsibility to operate in the best interest of your clients (e.g., individual person, parent or guardian, organizational representative, and/or public or private organization/firm/corporation.
2.01 Accepting Clients
1. You accept as clients only those individuals or entities whose requested services are commensurate with your education, training, experience, available resources, and organizational policies.
2. If you do not have the above-mentioned requirements, you MUST function under the supervision of or in consultation with a behavior analyst whose credentials permit performing such services.
2.02 Responsibility
1. Your responsibility is to all parties affected by behavior-analytic services.
2. When multiple parties are involved and could be defined as a client, you create a hierarchy of parties and communicate this from the outset of the defined relationship. Identify and communicate who the primary ultimate beneficiary of services is in any given situation and advocate for his or her best interest.
2.03 Consultation
1. You arrange for appropriate consultations and referrals based principally on the best interests of your clients, with appropriate consent, and subject to other relevant considerations, including applicable law and contractual obligations (Ex. you receive a referral for a new client with depression and suicidal ideations; you refer them to a psychologist or psychiatrist.
2. When indicated and professionally appropriate, you cooperate with other professionals, in a manner that is consistent with the philosophical assumptions and principles of behavior analysis, in order to effectively and appropriately serve your clients.
2.03 Consultation: How to Get Appropriate Consent to Make a Referral from Your Client
1. Inform your client of the referral process
2. Inform them about the other providers' qualifications
3. Provide your client 2-3 referrals so your client can choose
2.04 Third-Party Involvement in Services
1. When you agree to provide services to a person or entity at the request of a third party, you clarify to the extent feasible the nature of your relationship with each party at the outset of service. This clarification includes:
-Your role
-The probable uses of the services you
provide or the information you obtain
-Any limits to confidentiality
-Any potential conflicts
2. If there is a FORESEEABLE RISK of you being called upon to perform conflicting roles because of a third party, you:
-Clarify the nature and direction of your
responsibilities
-Keep all parties appropriately informed as
matters develop, and
-Resolve the situation in accordance with
this Code
3. When providing services to a MINOR or individual who is a member of a PROTECTED POPULATION (e.g., those having limited mental capacity or physical capacity, prisoners, etc.), AT THE REQUEST OF A THIRD PARTY, you ensure:
-The parent/guardian of the recipient of
services is informed of the nature and scope
of services to be provided and their right to
all service records and data
-Code's Definition of Service Record:
includes, but is not limited to, written
behavior-change plans, assessments, graphs,
raw data, electronic recordings, progress
summaries, and written reports
4. When a THIRD PARTY MAKES REQUESTS for SERVICES THAT GO AGAINST YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS:
-You are obligated to resolve such conflicts
in the best interests of your client
-If the conflict cannot be resolved, you may
DISCONTINUE services to your client
following an appropriate transition
2.05 Rights and Prerogatives of Clients
1. The rights of the client are paramount and you support clients' legal rights and prerogatives.
2. When clients and supervisees ask, you must provide an accurate and current set of credentials.
3. Permission for electronic recording of interviews and service delivery sessions:
-Secure from clients and all relevant staff in
all relevant settings
-Obtain consent for different uses
specifically and separately
4. You must inform clients of their rights about procedures to lodge complaints with your employer, authorities, and the BACB.
5. You comply with any requirements for criminal background checks.
2.06 Maintaining Confidentiality
1. You have a primary obligation and take reasonable precautions to protect the confidentiality of those with whom you work or consult, recognizing that confidentiality may be established by law, organizational rules, or professional or scientific relationships.
2. You discuss confidentiality at the OUTSET of your relationship and thereafter AS NEW CIRCUMSTANCES MAY WARRANT.
3. In order to minimize intrusions on privacy, you include only germane (relevant) information to the purpose for which communication is made.
4. You discuss confidential information obtained in clinical or consulting relationships or evaluate data concerning clients, students, research participants, supervisees, and employees, only for appropriate scientific or professional purposes and ONLY WITH PERSONS CLEARLY CONCERNED WITH SUCH MATTERS.
5. Social Media Contexts: You must NOT share any identifying information about current clients and supervisees in social media contexts.
Why Do Breaches of Confidentiality Occur?
1. Intentional: To protect someone from harm.
2. Unintentional: Result of carelessness, neglect, or a misunderstanding of the nature of confidentiality.
Actions to Protect Confidentiality
-Requiring passwords on computers
-Locking files
-Not transmitting information wirelessly if it is not encrypted
-Confirming the person's status as a surrogate or legal guardian before giving out information about the client.
2.07 Maintaining Records
1. Maintain confidentiality when creating, storing, accessing, transferring, and disposing of records under your control, whether these are written, automated, electronic, or in any other medium.
2. Maintain and dispose of records in accordance with laws, regulations, corporate policies, and organizational policies, and in a manner that permits compliance with the requirements of this Code.
2.08 Disclosures
CPPS: Consultation Protects Payment Services
4 Mandated or Permitted Legal Reasons to Disclose Confidential Information Without Consent:
1. C: Consultation with other professionals
2. P: Protect the client or others from harm
3. P: Payment for services (disclosure limited to the minimum necessary to achieve the purpose)
4. S: Services (to provide needed services to individual or organization)
The Parameters of Consent for Disclosure of Client Confidential Information
Acquire at the OUTSET of the relationship and is an ONGOING procedure throughout the professional relationship.
2.09 Treatment/Intervention Efficacy
1. Clients have a right to EFFECTIVE TREATMENT (i.e. based on the research literature and adapted to the individual client)
-You always have the obligation to advocate
for and educate the client about
scientifically supported, most-effective
treatment procedures
2. You ADVOCATE for the appropriate amount and level of service and oversight that is needed to meet the behavior-change program goals.
3. When MORE THAN ONE SCIENTIFICALLY SUPPORTED TREATMENT has been established, consider these factors to help you select interventions for your client:
-Efficiency and cost-effectiveness
-Risks and side-effects of the interventions
-Client preference
-Practitioner experience and training
4. You review and appraise the effects of any treatments about which you are aware that might impact the goals of the behavior-change program, to the extent possible.
The Code's Definition of Behavior-Change Program
The behavior-change program is a formal, written document that describes in technological detail every assessment and treatment task necessary to achieve stated goals.
2.10 Documenting Professional Work and Research
1. Document your professional work to facilitate provision of services later by you or by other professionals, ensure accountability, and meet other requirements and organizations or the law.
2. You create and maintain documentation in the kind of detail and quality that would be consistent with best practices and the law.
2.11 Records and Data
1. You create, maintain, disseminate, store, retain, and dispose of records and data relating to your research, practice, and other work in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and policies in a manner that permits compliance with this Code and in a manner that allows for appropriate transition of service oversight at any moment in time.
2. You must retain records and data for at least 7 YEARS.
2.12 Contracts, Fees, and Financial Arrangements
1. BEFORE SERVICE IMPLEMENTATION, you ensure the following is in place:
-A SIGNED CONTRACT outlining the
responsibilities of all parties
-A review of the SCOPE of behavior-analytic
services to be provided, and
-You OBLIGATIONS under this Code
2. You reach an agreement with your client specifying compensation and billing arrangements as early as is feasible in a professional or scientific relationship.
3. Your fee practices are consistent with law. You do not misrepresent your fees.
-If there may be any funding limitations that
could affect or limit your services to your
client, you discuss this with your client as
early as is feasible.
4. When FUNDING CIRCUMSTANCES CHANGE, you must revisit with your client the financial responsibilities and limits with your client.
2.13 Accuracy in Billing Reports
When billing for your services, you:
-Accurately state the nature of the services
provided
-The fees or charges
-The identity of the provider
-Relevant outcomes
-Other required information
2.14 Referrals and Fees
1. If you give or take any referral, you must not receive or provide money, gifts, or other enticements.
2. Referrals should include MULTIPLE OPTION, be based on objective determination of client need, and be based on subsequent alignment with the repertoire of the referee.
3. You should tell the client about your relationship to the other party if you make or accept a referral.
2.15 Interrupting or Discontinuing Services
1. You avoid interruption or disruption of service, as this is in the best interests of your client and/or supervisee.
2. In the event of UNPLANNED INTERRUPTIONS (e.g., due to illness, impairment, unavailability, relocation, disruption of funding, disaster, etc.), you try (in a timely manner) to facilitate the continuation of behavior-analytic services.
3. If you are in an employment or contractual relationship that ends (e.g., your job is ending soon), you make sure there is an orderly and appropriate resolution of your responsibility for services with paramount consideration given to the welfare of your client.
4. You discontinue services with your client AFTER you have made efforts to transition your client.
-You discontinue a professional relationship in a timely manner when the client no longer needs the service, is not benefiting from the service, is being harmed by continued service, OR when the client requests discontinuation.
5. You do NOT abandon your client and supervisee. Prior to discontinuation, you discuss service needs, provide appropriate pre-termination services, suggest alternative service providers as appropriate, and take other reasonable steps to facilitate timely transfer of responsibility to another provider, upon consent.
3.0 Assessing Behavior
If you use behavior-analytic assessment techniques, do so for appropriate purposes given current research.
Assessing Behavior: LIMITING CONDITIONS
Conditions that LIMIT our being able to apply the interventions or determine what is reinforcing for a client. In applied settings, these are conditions that get in the way of/limit the behavior plan.
Example: You're conducting an assessment but cannot determine the reinforcer for the client. You not being able to determine a reinforcer that can be used is a LIMITING CONDITION.
3.01 Behavior-Analytic Assessment
1. You conduct assessments PRIOR to making recommendations or developing behavior-change programs.
2. When you are developing a BEHAVIOR REDUCTION program, FIRST CONDUCT A FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENT.
3. Determine the TYPE OF ASSESSMENT you will use based on:
-Client's needs and consent
-Environmental parameters
-Other contextual variables
4. In order to make decisions and recommendations for programs, you are obligated to collect and graphically display data using behavior-analytic tools.
Functional Behavior Assessment
Refers to category of procedures used to formally assess the possible causes of problem behavior. These procedures include:
-Informant assessments (e.g., interviews,
rating scales, etc.)
-Direct observation in the natural
environment (e.g., ABC assessments, etc.)
-Experimental functional analysis
3.02 Medical Consultation
You recommend seeking a medical consultation if there is any reasonable possibility that a referred behavior is influenced by medical or biological variables.
3.03 Behavior-Analytic Assessment Consent
1. Prior to conducting an assessment, you must explain to the client: the procedure(s) to be used, who will participate, and how the resulting information will be used.
2. You get the client's WRITTEN approval of the assessment procedures BEFORE implementing them.
3.04 Explaining Assessment Results
Explain assessment results to the client using language and graphic displays of data that are reasonably understandable to the person.
3.05 Consent-Client Records
How you obtain or disclose client records from or to other sources for assessment purposes:
-BEFORE disclosures, you must obtain the
WRITTEN consent of the client.
4.0 Behavior Analysts and the Behavior-Change Program
1. You are responsible for all aspects of the behavior-change program from conceptualization to implementation and ultimately to discontinuation.
2. Termination Criteria: Generate termination criteria for your client when starting a behavior-change program, so it is SUPER CLEAR WHEN TO DISCONTINUE SERVICES.
4.01 Conceptual Consistency
1. You design behavior-change programs that are conceptually consistent with behavior-analytic principles.
-Conceptually consistent= consistent with the concepts of our field of operant learning and ABA
4.02 Involving Clients in Planning and Consent
You involve the client in the planning of and consent for behavior-change programs.
4.03 Individualized Behavior-Change Programs
1. You must TAILOR behavior-change programs to the unique behaviors, environmental variables, assessment results, and goals of each client.
2. You DO NOT PLAGIARIZE other professionals' behavior-change programs.
4.04 Approving Behavior-Change Programs
Before you IMPLEMENT or MAKE SIGNIFICANT MODIFICATIONS (e.g., change in goals, use of new procedures, etc.) in the client's program, you must obtain the client's WRITTEN approval.
4.05 Describing Behavior-Change Program Objectives
1. If possible, you conduct a RISK-BENEFIT ANALYSIS on the procedures to be implemented to reach the objective.
2. Before you choose procedures to use with your client, research their risks vs. benefits
8 General Risk Factor Questions to Ask Yourself (Risk-Benefit Analysis)
1. What is the nature of the behavior?
2. Are there enough staff to implement the procedures?
3. Is the mediator trained appropriately?
4. Is the setting appropriate for the procedures?
5. Do you (as the BCBA) have experience with this procedure?
6. Is there any potential risk to others from these procedures?
7. Is everyone on board to implement the procedures?
8. Is there any liability to you as the BCBA?
4.06 Describing Conditions for Behavior-Change Program Success
1. You tell the client about the environmental conditions that are necessary for the behavior-change program to be effective.
2. CONDITIONS to help you attain behavior-change program success:
1. Is your client on board with this process?
2. Are there any safety issues?
3. Are needed resources available to
implement the program (e.g., time, people,
etc.)?
4. Are there reinforcers you can control to
help you implement your program?
4.07 Environmental Conditions that Interfere with Implementation
1. If the environmental conditions PREVENT your program from being implemented, you recommend that OTHER PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE be sought.
-Other professional assistance means
assessment, consultation, or therapeutic
intervention by other professionals.
-If other people are not on board, try Plan A
followed by Plan B
-Plan A: Have a meeting with all parties
involved in the plan, retrain them as needed.
-Plan B: Recommend family therapy to unite
them to collectively work on implementing
the plan.
2. If the environmental conditions HINDER your program from being implemented, you seek to eliminate the environmental constraints OR identify in writing the obstacles to fixing the environment.
4.08 Considerations Regarding Punishment Procedures
1. You recommend reinforcement rather than punishment whenever possible.
2. If punishment procedures are necessary, you ALWAYS include reinforcement procedures for alternative behavior in the behavior-change program.
3. Before implementing punishment-based procedures, you ensure that appropriate steps have been taken to implement reinforcement-based procedures unless the severity or dangerousness of the behavior (e.g., SIB, aggression towards others, destruction of property, etc.) necessitates immediate use of aversive procedures.
4. When you use aversive procedures, you must:
-Give an increased level of training,
supervision, and oversight
-Evaluate the effectiveness of aversive
procedures in a timely manner
-Modify the behavior-change program if it is
ineffective
-ALWAYS include a plan to discontinue the
use of aversive procedures when no longer
needed
4.09 Least Restrictive Procedures
You review and appraise the restrictiveness of procedures and ALWAYS recommend the LEAST RESTRICTIVE PROCEDURES like to be EFFECTIVE!
Definition of a Restrictive Procedure
A procedure that restricts someone's:
1. Movement and/or activity;
2. Ability to acquire positive reinforcement;
3. Access to valued objects and/or activities
-Example: In order of restrictiveness from most to least restrictive procedures:
a. Student is expelled from school.
b. Student is removed in a time-out outside the classroom.
c. Student is placed in a time-out inside the classroom.
4.10 Avoiding Harmful Reinforcers
You minimize the use of items as potential reinforcers that may be harmful to the health and development of the client.
4.11 Discontinuing Behavior-Change Programs and Behavior-Analytic Services
How you discontinue programming with your client:
-You establish understandable and objective
(i.e., measurable) criteria for discontinuation
-You describe discontinuation criteria to your
client
-When established criteria for discontinuation
are attained, then you can discontinue services
5.0 Behavior Analysts as Supervisors
When you are functioning as a supervisor, you must take full responsibility for all facets of this understanding
-3 hours of CEUs in supervision each
certification cycle
5.01 Supervisory Competence
You supervise only within your areas of defined competence
-Competence is defined by the types of
specific training and supervision that
professionals have had
5.02 Supervisory Volume
Supervisors take on an amount of supervisory activity that allows you to be EFFECTIVE; there is no set number
-Effective = your supervisees demonstrate
improvements in your performance
5.03 Supervisory Delegation
-You ONLY delegate responsibilities that supervisees can reasonable be expected to perform competently, ethically, and safely
-If your supervisees do NOT have the necessary skills, you provide conditions for the acquisition of those skills (i.e. ensure they get necessary training), and you observe your supervisee
5.04 Designing Effective Supervision and Training
You ensure that supervision and trainings are behavior-analytic in content, effectively and ethically designed, and meet the requirements for licensure, certification, or other defined goals
5.05 Communication of Supervision Conditions
You provide a clear WRITTEN description of the purpose, requirements, evaluation criteria, conditions, and terms of supervision PRIOR to the onset of supervision
5.06 Providing Feedback to Supervisees
-You design feedback and reinforcement systems in a way that improves supervisee performance
-You provide documented, timely feedback regarding performance on an ONGOING basis
-Steps to providing feedback to supervisees:
1. Define or model the desired skill
2. Have the supervisee demonstrate the skill
3. Provide feedback (corrective or reinforcing)
5.07 Evaluating the Effects of Supervision
You design systems for obtaining ongoing evaluation of your own supervision activities
-You can generate behavioral goals and criteria
for your supervisees
6.0 Behavior Analysts' Ethical Responsibility to the Profession of Behavior Analysis
You have an obligation to the science of behavior and the profession of behavior analysis
6.01 Affirming Principles
-Above all other professional training, you uphold and advance the values, ethics, and principles of the profession of behavior analysis
-You have an obligation to participate in behavior-analytic professional and scientific organizations or activities
6.02 Disseminating Behavior Analysis
You promote behavior analysis by making information about it available to the PUBLIC through presentations, discussions, and other media
-Stop talking in technical language
-Give speeches in everyday English to attract
public interest
7.0 Behavior Analysts' Ethical Responsibility to Colleagues
-You work with colleagues within the profession of behavior analysis and from other professions and must be aware of these ethical obligations in all situations
-When to report abuses: you have FIRSTHAND evidence (not secondhand)
7.01 Promoting an Ethical Culture
-You promote an ethical culture in your work environments and make others aware of this Code
-This involves making sure you 1) act ethically and 2) manage other professionals and your staff to act ethically too
7.02 Ethical Violations by Others and Risk of Harm
a. If you believe there may be a LEGAL or ETHICAL VIOLATION, you
-FIRST determine whether there is potential for
harm, a possible legal violation, a mandatory-
reporting condition, or an agency, organization,
or regulatory requirement addressing this
violation
b. If a client's LEGAL RIGHTS ARE BEING VIOLATED, or if there is a potential for harm, you must take the necessary action to protect the client, including, but not limited to:
-Contacting relevant authorities
-Following organizational policies
-Consulting with appropriate professionals, and
-Documenting your efforts to address the
matter
c. If an INFORMAL resolution appears appropriate and would NOT violate any confidentiality rights, you:
-Attempt to resolve the issue by bringing it to
the attention of that individual and
-Document your efforts to address the matter
d. If the matter is NOT resolved, you report the matter to the appropriate authority (e.g., employer, supervisor, regulatory authority, etc.)
e. If the matter meets the REPORTING REQUIREMENTS of the BACB, you submit a formal complaint to the BACB
8.0 Public Statements
(no extra info, just section 8)
8.01 Avoiding False or Deceptive Statements
-You do not make PUBLIC STATEMENTS that are FALSE, DECEPTIVE, MISLEADING, EXAGGERATED, or FRAUDULENT, either because of what you state, convey, or suggest or because of what you omit, concerning your research, practice, or other work activities or those of personals or organizations with which you are affiliated
-You claim ONLY degrees that are primarily or exclusively behavior-analytic in content as credentials for behavior-analytic work
-You do NOT implement NON-behavior-analytic interventions:
-Non-behavior analytic services may ONLY be
provided within the context of non-behavior-
analytic education, formal training, and
credentialing
-You must clearly distinguish these services
from your behavior-analytic practices and the
BACB certification by using a disclaimer
-You do not advertise non-behavior-analytic
services as being behavior-analytic
-For BILLING, invoices, or requests for reimbursement, and providing services under certain authorizations, you do NOT identify behavior-analytic services as behavior-analytic
8.02 Intellectual Property
-You obtain permission to use trademarked or copyrighted materials as required by law. This includes providing citations
-When delivering lectures, workshops, or other presentations, you give appropriate credit to authors
8.03 Statements by Others
a. If you engage others to promote your professional practice, products, or activities publicly, you are responsible for those statements
b. You try to PREVENT others whom you do not oversee (e.g., employers, publishers, sponsors, etc.) from making deceptive statements concerning your practices or professional or scientific activities
c. If you learn of deceptive statements about your work made by others, you CORRECT SUCH STATEMENTS
d. If you put out a PAID ADVERTISEMENT [Show Less]