3.4-3.7
Provide a definition for "bias":
Bias is a tendency to have certain views in spite of external influences, resulting in a prejudice toward others" Bias refers to an individual having beliefs about or prejudices toward individuals or groups based on certain characteristics. Biased attitudes are learned through an individual's past experiences or rules.
Sarah is asked to sit in on several interviews as the head of the agency is looking for new therapists to work with some of Sarah's clients. The agency head, also a BCBA, makes several comments about potential new hires after the interviews that are discriminatory in nature. Sarah is very uncomfortable in the situation and recognizes it as an ethical violation. Which ethics standard is being violated? a. 4.02 supervision competence b. 4.07 incorporating and addressing diversity c. 4.05 maintaining supervision documentation d. 4.09 delegation of tasks
b. 4.07 incorporating and addressing diversity Behavior analysts have a responsibility to discuss, promote, and integrate diversity practices within supervision. Here, Sarah is involved in a situation where discriminatory practices are possibly occurring (e.g., hiring only one gender; hiring staff that are of a specific race). Ethics standard 4.09 is not relevant here as Sarah is not asking others to complete a task. Documentation, standard 4.05, may be a factor since Sarah should document her concerns and interactions; however, the primary area of concern is in relation to discriminatory hiring practices.
Lisa, a BCBA, is supervising Brian in the school setting. Lisa trains Brian on data collection during supervision, then lets him practice in the classroom while she collects data. She provides feedback and takes IOA data. He begins collecting data on his own. She meets with him in the classroom every other week to collect IOA and give him feedback. Is Lisa in compliance with ethics standard 4.06, Providing Supervision and Training? a. yes b. no
yes Ethics standard 4.06, Providing Supervision and Training, describes four components to providing effective supervision: Meets requirements, is evidence-based, focuses on positive reinforcement, and is individualized for each trainee and their circumstances. In this scenario, the BCBA is adhering to standard 4.06 by teaching evidence-based procedures for data collection, providing feedback, shaping behavior, and individualizing the intervention to the setting in which the trainee is working.
Kara is a supervising BCBA teaching an RBT to implement mand training with a client. Kara provides the RBT with verbal instructions and shows her a video of the procedure. A few weeks later, Kara observes the RBT with a client and realizes she is making mistakes. Is Kara in violation of ethics code 4.09 Delegation of Tasks? a. yes b. no
yes Ethics standard 4.09, Delegation of Tasks , states that supervisors will only delegate tasks that comply with requirements and that supervisees and trainees are able to perform competently. In this scenario , the BCBA only gives verbal instructions and shows a video to train the supervisee how to implement mand training. The BCBA is not adhering to standard 4.09 as she delegates a task without providing effective skills training.
Andrea, a BCBA, is supervising Claribel who is taking coursework and working on fieldwork hours. Claribel is from Colombia and English is her second language. Andrea realizes Claribel has difficulty with some of the terms and helps her study. Which ethics standard is Andrea considering? a. 4.04 accountability in supervision b. 4.06 providing supervision and training c. 4.07 incorporating and addressing diversity d. 4.08 performance monitoring and feedback
c. 4.07 incorporating and addressing diversity
Identify the four components of effective supervision:
"Effective supervision meets supervision requirements, is evidence-based, focuses on positive reinforcement, and is individualized for professional and specific circumstances" Ethics standard 4.06, Providing Supervision and Training, describes the four components of providing effective supervision. Supervision must include all four components to provide activities and experience for the trainee that meet professional standards. Supervision procedures must be evidence-based and verified by our science to be effective in changing behavior. Supervision must focus on shaping and reinforcing the behavior desired of the supervisee. And finally, supervision must be individualized to the trainee, clients on their caseload, and other circumstances surrounding the supervision setting.
Provide a definition for "feedback"
"Vocal, written, or graphic information describing a supervisee's work performance discussed with them to reinforce correct responding and change incorrect responding" Feedback is information provided to a supervisee or trainee after engaging in an activity on how they performed on a task. Feedback is given in vocal, written or graphic form to positively reinforce correct responding and to change incorrect responding so performance improves in the future.
Provide a definition for "performance monitoring":
Performance monitoring involves observing and collecting data on a supervisee's job performance to determine effectiveness and accuracy in implementing procedures with the client" Performance monitoring is when a supervisor observes and collects data on a trainee's performance of specified behavior-analytic tasks in order to determine if interventions are effective. Performance monitoring is an important component of providing effective supervision.
Zoe is a BCBA just beginning to supervise trainees. She is working with clients part time and needs extra income. She advertises that she can take trainees and accepts all requests that fit with her areas of expertise. However, Zoe tells all the supervisees that they must be flexible—she cannot always be meet with them monthly, but that she'll put everyone on a rotation. Which ethics standard is being violated in this scenario? a. 4.03 supervisory volume b. 4.04 accountability in supervision c. 4.08 performance monitoring and feedback d. 4.09 delegation of task
a. 4.03 supervisory volume In this scenario, Zoe is violating ethics standard 4.03, Supervisory Volume because she is continuing to accept new supervisees even though she is not able to provide effective supervision that aligns with BACB requirements for fieldwork. Ethics standard 4.04, Accountability in Supervision would apply in this scenario if she discovered that the supervisees were completing tasks without her oversight because she was seeing them so infrequently. Ethics standard 4.08, Performance Monitoring and Feedback would apply if Zoe does not provide adequate performance feedback for her supervisees when she does meet with them. Ethics standard 4.09, Delegation of Tasks would apply in this scenario if Zoe were delegating tasks to her supervisees that they had not been adequately trained to perform.
Identify the characteristics of good feedback: (check all that apply) a. immediate b. specific c. generalized d. paired with reinforcement e. presented daily f. focused on improvement g. self-monitoring when appropriate
a. immediate b. specific d. paired with reinforcement f. focused on improvement g. self-monitoring when appropriate Feedback is an important part of supervision to promote learning and improve performance. Effective feedback should be specific, immediate, individualized, focused on improvement, easily understood, and paired with reinforcement. In addition, feedback should be presented graphically, include performance the supervisee has control over, and include self-monitoring if appropriate. Feedback should not be generalized; rather, it should be individualized to the supervisee, their clients, and the setting. Feedback is not presented daily but should be presented as needed depending on activity and frequency of performance.
Jax, a BCBA, is excited he's been given the opportunity to provide supervision to others at the school where he works. He conducts his first meetings and feels they are a success. He documents the performance of each supervisee for his own personal records but fails to share this with the supervisees. Considering ethics standard 4.08, Performance Monitoring and Feedback, which is the best action for Jax to take? a. immediately share feedback with the supervisees and implement a system to ensure consistent feedback b. inform supervisees that feedback is not an essential component of supervision c. inform supervisees that they are not entitled to feedback more frequently than the supervisor deems appropriate d. send group email to all supervisees with general feedback that applies to all
a. immediately share feedback with the supervisees and implement a Supervisors have a responsibility to provide performance feedback to supervisees, as this is the means by which supervisees develop and shape new skills. While Jax is gathering data on performance, his supervisees are not receiving the feedback and, thus, do not know how or what to improve. Feedback should be specific to the individual; group feedback may be appropriate, especially if members of the group produce outcomes that are interrelated. Feedback is an essential component of supervision and should be provided on a regular basis. Note that feedback can be both positive and corrective, which gives the behavior analyst many opportunities to provide it.
Jay is a BCBA starting to provide supervision to behavior intervention staff at the school where he works. Initially, he can provide supervision to all 10 staff members he is asked to supervise. However, his student caseload expands rapidly, requiring an increasing amount of his time, and leaving fewer hours each week for supervision. Which ethics standard should Jay consider? a. 4.01 compliance with supervision b. 4.03 supervisory volume c. 4.05 maintaiing supervision documentation d. 4.09 delegation of tasks
b. 4.03 supervisory volume In this scenario, Jay should consider ethics standard 4.03, Supervisory Volume. If he has met the threshold for the number of staff he can supervise adequately, he should not continue to add supervisees to his caseload. Ethics standard 4.05, Maintaining Supervision Documentation would apply in this scenario if he is not storing the documentation related to supervision in a way that complies with BACB guidelines. Ethics standard 4.09, Delegation of Tasks would apply in this scenario if Jay tried to save time by delegating tasks to his supervisees that they had not been trained to complete competently. Ethics standard 4.01, Compliance with Supervision Requirements would apply in this scenario if Jay was not following BACB guidelines in overseeing his staff by doing all group supervision to save time.
Doug is a new trainee receiving supervision towards becoming a behavior analyst. He's only had a few supervision meetings but is really enjoying the process. For his client work, he travels between three group homes. To ensure he has access to supervision materials, Doug keeps his client data in a file box in his car. He mentions this to his supervisor, and she immediately informs him this is unethical, and he must change the way he maintains documentation. Which ethics standard did Doug violate? a. 4.03 supervisory volume b. 4.05 maintaining supervision documentation c. 4.06 providing supervision and training d. 4.08 performance monitoring and feedback
b. 4.05 maintaining supervision documentation Ethics standard 4.05 requires supervisors to maintain accurate, confidential documentation throughout the supervision process. in this example Since Doug keeps documentation in a file box in his car, there is an opportunity for confidentiality to be breached. For example, documents in a file box can be stolen and accessed without much effort. Doug is required to take actions that maintain confidentiality. This could include using a locked box that requires a key to be opened. Supervisory Volume (4.03), Provision of Supervision (4.06), and Performance Monitoring (4.08) are all ethical requirements behavior analysts must follow. However, these items do not directly relate to supervisory documentation.
Patinka is at the end of her supervision hours and is excited to sit for her BCBA exam. She's studying and notes that her supervisor has not spoken with her at all regarding diversity and how to take this into consideration in her practice. Considering ethics standard 4.07, Incorporating and Addressing Diversity, what course of action should Patinka take? a. accuse her supervisor of negligence and threaten to report him to the BACB unless he provides her with free additional supervision b. approach her supervisor and request additional supervision in this area c. nothing, its just a suggestion anyway and not a key component of supervision d. search for texts that can fill in this gap in her knowledge as it her responsibility to be aware and knowledgeable
b. approach her supervisor and request additional supervision in this area As behavior analysts, we have a responsibility to integrate diversity practices into our supervision. In addition, we have a responsibility to take actions and build our scope of competence if we are working in unfamiliar territory. In this case, Patinka recognizes that she has not learned about a specific topic, and she takes action to begin learning. Searching texts or accusing a supervisor are not appropriate courses of action, especially because the supervisory experience is a responsibility of both the supervisor and supervisee. Diversity is an integral part of supervision and should not be ignored as a part of that process.
Jessica is training Maureen, a supervisee, on the conditions of an FA. She explains the steps to completing an FA and then tells Maureen to "try it" with one of her clients while she observes her. She says this is the best way to learn. When Maureen makes a mistake, Jessica becomes impatient and reprimands her. Is Jessica in compliance with ethics standard 4.06, Providing Supervision and Training? a. yes b. no
b. no Ethics standard 4.06, Providing Supervision and Training describes four components to providing effective supervision: Meets requirements, is evidence-based, focuses on positive reinforcement, and is individualized for each trainee and their circumstances. In this scenario, the supervisor is in violation of standard 4.06 as she is not providing training for the procedure or any type of shaping or positive reinforcement. She only reprimands the trainee and tells her what to do rather than showing her how.
What must a supervisor do if a supervisee does not perform a specific task competently? a. provide didactic instruction b. provide behavioral skills training c. transfer him/her to a different setting in which the task is not required
b. provide behavioral skills training if a supervisee does not demonstrate competency in a specific task, the supervisor should provide training. This can be done using behavioral skills training or role playing and in-situ training. After training, the supervisor should evaluate performance again to determine is skills can now be demonstrated accurately. Didactic instruction would only provide information on the task and not effectively train the skill. Transferring the supervisee to a setting in which the task is not necessary is not sufficient in creating effective behavior analysts. Eventually the supervisee may be required to perform the task as a certified behavior analyst.
Henry is one of Arnold's supervisees. He is frustrated by constantly having to figure things out on his own, which results in a lot more criticism for what he did wrong than opportunities for praise for doing it right. He feels like he is floundering and is not sure that Arnold's supervision is in line with the ethical code. What is the most appropriate course of action for Henry? a. continue receiving supervision from arnold; it will be worth it in the long run b. continue receiving supervision from arnold since it is convenient, but also takes workshop to assist in learning new skills c. discuss his concerns with arnold using the code as a reference to cite specific example d. report arnold to the BACB
c. discuss his concerns with arnold using the code as a reference to cite specific example Ethics standard 4.06, Providing Supervision and Training, describes four components to providing effective supervision: Meets requirements, is evidence-based, focuses on positive reinforcement, and is individualized for each trainee and their circumstances. In this scenario, the supervisor is not adhering to standard 4.06 as he is not providing evidence-based training or shaping and positive reinforcement as feedback. The best course of action for the trainee is to discuss his concerns with his supervisor, referring to standard 4.06. He should not continue receiving supervision as it is currently because this will not prepare him to be an effective behavior analyst. Taking workshops to make up for poor supervision would not provide him the supervision he needs. Reporting his supervisor to the BACB will not be as effective as addressing him directly and discussing what he wants from his supervision time.
Martina is really enjoying receiving supervision from one of the senior behavior analysts in the company. She feels like she's learning a lot from the supervisor on a conceptual level. However, her supervisor rarely observes her work with the clients and has not provided her with any specific feedback on her work performance or progress in supervision. Which ethics standard is being violated in this scenario? a. 4.03 supervisory volume b. 4.05 maintaining supervision documentation c. 4.06 providing supervision and training d. 4.08 performance monitoring and feedback
d. 4.08 performance monitoring and feedback Ethics standard 4.08 requires behavior analysts to provide timely and meaningful feedback to impact supervisee performance. In this example, Martina's supervisor is violating 4.08 since she is not providing that feedback or any other guidance to support Martina's professional growth. Including Diversity in Supervision (4.07) and providing supervision that aligns with evidence, rules, and regulations are not a primary concern here. Standard 4.05 tells us that we need to maintain documentation of supervisory practices. While 4.05 is important, as Martina needs to document her concerns, it is not the primary concern here.
Rue is seeking her BCBA and is currently taking the required coursework. Since Rue completed a course on measurement, her supervisor decided she should now calculate IOA for research sessions. Rue has read about how to calculate IOA and is very excited to work on this task. Given that Rue has no direct experience calculating IOA, what should her supervisor have done differently? a. assigned the task to an employee who has the skills to accept this responsibility b. only assigned tasks to rue that he has seen her perform correctly on more than one occasion c. do the task himself d. all these are reasonable courses of action
d. all these are reasonable courses of action If the supervisee has not yet trained in a task, the supervisor should not delegate that task to the supervisee. In the previous example, the supervisor should have assigned the task to someone who has demonstrated competency in calculating IOA, or done the task themselves. The supervisor should only assign tasks to Rue that she has met criteria on by performing them correctly more than once.
Robyn is providing supervision to a trainee in another state. A few months into the supervision, Robyn learns that the state her supervisee works in requires licensure for the practice of behavior analysis. Robyn is not licensed. Considering 4.06, Providing Supervision and Training, what is the most appropriate course of action the behavior analyst should take? a. immediately terminate the supervisory relationship and do not sign off on any supervision forms b. let the trainee know they will need to pursue licensure upon certification c. report the trainee to the BACB for failure to ensure her supervisor met the necessary requirement d. review the requirement and determine if it is appropriate to pursue licensure while pausing supervision or to transiition the trainee to a licensed supervisor
d. review the requirement and determine if it is appropriate to pursue licensure while pausing supervision or to transition the trainee to a licensed supervisor Supervision and training should be provided in accordance with all rules and regulations, including using evidence-based practices and reinforcement-based approaches. In this case, Robyn has a responsibility to learn of the licensure requirements in the state where the supervisee lives and practices. Supervision should be paused while this review occurs, as continuing supervision could directly conflict with the state's licensure laws. Discontinuing supervision may not be necessary, as Robyn may be able to meet the requirements of state licensure. Additionally, since supervision responsibilities fall upon both the supervisor and supervisee, Robyn should not report the trainee to the BACB. Otherwise, Robyn is circumventing her own responsibilities.
Mary just had a baby and is taking some time off from direct client care but is continuing to provide supervision to her BCaBAs. In a meeting a BCaBA informs Mary that he implemented a punishment procedure for a client's maladaptive behavior. Considering ethics standard 4.09, Delegation of Tasks, what should Mary do? a. fire the BCaBA for misconduct b. let the BCaBA know that next time they are considering a punishment procedure they need to run it by her before they implement it c. review the data to ensure that the plan is reducing behavior d. review what BCaBA can do without direct oversight and set up a plan to ensure that the procedure is the most appropriate least restrictive intervention before allowing it to continue
d. review what BCaBA can do without direct oversight and set up a plan to ensure that the procedure is the most Item 4.09 requires delegation to comply with regulations and rules, and that the supervisee only be given tasks with which they are fluent. Since Mary is still providing supervision, she is responsible for those staff she supervises, as well as their performance. The best course of action is to ensure her team is clear on roles and expectations, as well as the implementation of certain practices. Simply reviewing the data or reminding the BCaBA of expectations for the next time is not enough. Firing the BCaBA for misconduct is an extreme response, and according to the BACB, requires first addressing the issue directly with the person.
Nancy is an RBT working in a client's home. Her supervising BCBA meets with her once per month in the family home. Nancy typically receives a feedback email from the BCBA the next day telling her how to improve her performance. Is the BCBA in compliance with ethics standard 4.08, Performance Monitoring and Feedback? a. yes b. no
no Ethics standard 4.08, Performance Monitoring and Feedback, states that supervisors maintain ongoing documentation, evidence-based data collection, and performance monitoring of those they supervise and train. In this scenario the BCBA supervisor is not adhering to standard 4.08 as she is only meeting with her supervisee monthly and delivering feedback via email the following day. There is no mention of performance monitoring, and the feedback is not immediate or focused on reinforcement.
Miranda, a BCaBA, is training RBTs to use PECS to teach communication skills to a new client. Several RBTs in the residential setting need the training. Miranda schedules a group meeting and uses BST to train them. She then works with each RBT during the week with a client to ensure accuracy with the skill and gives them feedback on performance. Is the BCBA in violation of ethics code 4.09 Delegation of Tasks? a. yes b. no
no Ethics standard 4.09, Delegation of Tasks, states that supervisors will only delegate tasks that comply with requirements and that supervisees and trainees are able to perform competently. In this scenario, the BCaBA is adhering to standard 4.09 by training the use of a skill using evidenced-based trainings. First, she uses behavior skills training and then trains in the situation with clients. She monitors their performance and provides feedback to ensure competency.
Edwin, a BCaBA, supervises RBTs in a classroom setting. Each week, he observes them teaching life skills to students and takes data on use of techniques during the procedures. He then shares the data with them later that day to let them know how well they did. Is the BCaBA in compliance with ethics standard 4.08, Performance Monitoring and Feedback? a. yes b. no
yes Ethics standard 4.08, Performance Monitoring and Feedback states that supervisors maintain ongoing documentation, evidence-based data collection, and performance monitoring of those they supervise and train. In this scenario, the BCaBA supervisor is conducting frequent observations and data collection on his supervisees and providing feedback to them on their performance. He is following standard 4.08 by completing performance monitoring and providing effective feedback.
Rue is seeking her BCBA and is currently taking the required coursework. Since Rue completed a course on measurement, her supervisor decided she should now calculate IOA for research sessions. Rue has read about how to calculate IOA and is very excited to work on this task. Does assigning this task to Rue violate a code standard? a. yes b. no
yes Ethics standard 4.09, Delegation of Tasks, states that supervisors will only delegate tasks that comply with requirements and that supervisees and trainees are able to perform competently. In this example, the supervisee has only taken a course on measurement and read about calculating IOA. She has not demonstrated competency in measuring or calculating IOA so assigning her this task would violate standard 4.09.
Marvin works in a residential setting and is assigned a client who is transgender. He has no experience is this area, so he asks his supervisor to help him learn more about working with transgender clients. His supervisor meets with him to discuss and provides him with the company training and additional resources on how best to support the client. Is this in compliance with ethics standard 4.07, Incorporating and Addressing Diversity? a. yes b. no
yes Ethics standard 4.07, Incorporating and Addressing Diversity, states that during supervision, the supervisors include and discuss issues related to diversity in the potential areas of bias. In this scenario, the supervisee approaches his supervisee to learn more about a client's diversity. He and the supervisor are adhering to standard 4.07 by addressing the situation and learning more about the client's gender expression/identity.
