Ethics Final Exam

Quinn is a future BCBA applicant being supervised by a BCBA in his work in organizational behavior management. His supervisor has asked him to prepare a draft of an employee point system to submit to the supervisor. The two review the plan and the supervisor helps Quinn revise some parts of the system. Could these activities provide a way for his supervisor to assess the results of supervision?

(review of written work products).

What are two of Cooper, Heron, & Heward's 3 questions to ask yourself when faced with a questionable ethical dilemma?

1- What's the right thing to do?, 2- What's worth doing?, 3- What does it mean to be a good BCBA?

Which of the following would most likely NOT be considered a "client" as discussed under Code 1.0?

A third-party payer

Name and explain at least 3 ways an individual can maintain and expand professional competence.

1. The individual can attend and participate in conferences. 2. The individual can continue earning education credits (workshops, modules, etc.) 3. the individual can engage in reading professional literature of that subject in order to maintain their knowledge.

Jazmin's daughter has a diagnosis of ADHD and her pediatrician prescribed stimulant medication to address her attention and activity level. Jazmin is not sure how she feels about giving her daughter medication every day and asks her daughter's behavior analyst, Jon, whether this medication is needed and if it is a good treatment for ADHD. What Code element might Jon consider first when responding to Jazmin?

1.02 Boundaries of Competence

Amy spends extra time with her client on Saturday, but has maxed out her billable hours for that day. She adds the extra hour to her hour log and bill for Sunday. What code element may she be violating here?

1.04 Integrity

Brooke is a BCBA who specializes in work with children with ASD. Recently, Brooke's nephew was diagnosed with autism. Brooke has a very close relationship with her sister (mother of her nephew). Given this situation, which Code element would Brooke need to watch carefully in her professional work moving forward?

1.05 Professional and Scientific Relationships

Susanne is a behavior analyst covering a large county school system. She is in the middle of a stressful and upsetting break up from her life partner and finds that she is behind on her work and hasn't met deadlines for behavior intervention plan review or data review for behavior plans. What code element may be in most danger of violation in this situation?

1.05 Professional and Scientific Relationships

A BCBA has recently separated from his partner and has become a single parent. An RBT working under his supervision volunteers to babysit on one weekend each month so the BCBA can take some time to go out. Which Code element of responsible conduct does the BCBA need to consider?

1.07 Exploitative Relationships

Mother Jones is a BCBA. She is also the mother of a child with an ASD diagnosis. Her son is 12 at this time and is doing very well. He received many hours of early intervention and is performing well and feeling well across setting, with the exception of some needs in the area of social skills. Mother Jones sought out ABA services from Company Greed to provide school observation and then services to work on social functioning. The BCBA from Company Greed told Mother Jones that her son's contract for services was one of the last ones she needed to be able to justify providing after school services 5 days per week. She told Mother Jones that she had gotten authorization from the Jones family insurance company to provide 25 hours per week of ABA services. What Code element might Company Greed be most likely to be violating?

1.09 (b) Appropriate amount and level of service provision

Darla is a 4 year old girl who has been separated from her mother in foster care for the past year after a series of complex events. Darla and her mother are seeing a BCBA for parent training and consultation. Darla's mother hopes that as a result, the mother-child pair can become more closely attached and that Darla's "talking back" behaviors will decrease. The BCBA teaches the mother to use a time out procedure after "talking back". She advises the mother that no matter what, Darla must calmly admit what she did wrong before she gets out of a time out, no matter how long that takes. What element from this choice list is most likely to be getting violated here?

4.03 Individualized Behavior Change Programs

You are a BCBA. One of your clients, a 40 year old man with intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder, has recently begun showing problem behavior at his employment setting. You decide to add an extinction component to the program (removing attention from the new negative behaviors) and to increase reinforcement for positive behaviors. You think these types of changes will be covered by the previously signed and approved behavior intervention plan. Which of the following code elements could apply to this situation?

4.04 Approving Behavior-Change Programs

Drake is a 8 year old boy whose parents have been contracting with a BCBA to help them increase positive behaviors and decrease behaviors of concern. His parents report that he has been throwing bubbles from his bath all over the floor and making it very slippery. The BCBA directs the parents to grab both of Drake's hands after bubble throwing behavior and hold them down at his sides for 10 seconds while firmly saying "No." Which code element within 4.0 seems mostly likely to be getting violated in this example?

4.09 Least Restrictive Procedures

A child's behavior intervention program specifies that if the child displays aggressive behaviors (hitting, biting, spitting, or choking) against another person, the child will have to miss their next meal. This will motivate the child to cease aggression and to complete tasks for food reinforcers for the next several hours. What code element within 4.0 may be involved in this scenario?

4.10 Avoiding Harmful Reinforcers

By law and ethical code, record of ABA services for clients must be maintained for

7 years

Over the course of a week, I (a BCBA) have two meetings with two families wishing to move their child's services from another ABA service provider. Both families have provided information about behavior from the old service agency that clearly violates serious elements of the Professional and Ethical Compliance Code. Neither family had been made aware of the content of these codes or of the way they could make a complaint if needed [violation of Code 2.05(d)]. They don't know that they have any options in this situation. My supervisor has asked me to stay out of the situation since it could cause trouble with a fellow service provision agency. Briefly which of the 6.0 (Responsibility to the Profession) or 7.0 codes (Ethical Responsibility to Colleagues) may most closely apply in this situation and why?

7.01 make others aware of this Code (so the clients knows their rights and if they are being violated) and 7.02 violations by others and risk of harm (knowing how to report, who to report to, and when to report it.)

How can a BCBA promote an ethical culture in their work environment?

A BCBA can promote an ethical culture in their work environment by making sure others are aware of the ethical codes. While this is something that they should already be aware of, it is important to touch up on these ethical codes so everyone is up to date.

Provide a very brief scenario (like those posed in other questions on this quiz) that involves one of the code elements of Code 6.0 (Ethical Responsibility to the Profession) or 7.0 (Ethical Responsibility to Colleagues).

A BCBA witnesses a colleague violating a clients legal rights. However, the client does not know her legal rights. (7.02) It is important that the client is made known of her rights and codes.

On what sources should behavior analysts base their practices?

A and B

Provide a very brief scenario (like those posed in other questions on this quiz) that involves one of the code elements of code 5.0 Behavior Analysts as Supervisors.

A behavioral analyst has little to no experience in a certain field that they are supervising. This would be a violation against 5.01 Supervisory Competence stating that behavioral analyst can only supervise within their area of competenance.

An ABA supervisor should be providing feedback that is

A, B, & C

If a client is referred to a BCBA who doesn't have the expertise to treat the client's behavior, which of the following are the best options to address this situation if the BCBA wants to serve this client?

A,B, or C

Luisa is a graduate student and employee of an organization working toward gathering supervised experience hours for BCBA application. She has 10 cases on her caseload. She meets with her BCBA supervisor as directed by the BACB to review her clinical work. It is a challenge for both Luisa and her supervisor to find enough time for these meetings. Which cases are a priority in case they run out of time to discuss everything?

All of her cases

Code element 1.01 discusses reliance on scientific knowledge. Which of the following describes behavior adhering to this code element:

All of the above

Su is being supervised by 3 individuals who are staff at her organization. When she was hired, she assumed they were all BCBAs and credentialed to help create programs for her clients as well as to supervise her work. Two months into her new job, she discovers that only one of these individuals is officially credentialed as a BCBA and this is not the individual she has been meeting with weekly. Even with the staff meeting with her, she has been allowed to create and monitor her own behavior programs without any commentary from the "supervisors". She was given a fraudulent supervision hours form to sign and was encouraged to place these hours into her BCBA experience tracker. Which of the following may be under violation in this situation?

All of the above

The BACB code makes statements about:

All of the above

Which of the following might be examples of minimum conditions required for behavior change program implementation and success in a business setting?

All of the above

A BCBA who becomes aware of an ethical violation might first try to determine which of the following? Is there...

All or any of the above

If asked a broad question about your client or client's situation by a third party (e.g., the courts), what might be a response, as suggested by Bailey and Burch?

An appropriate response to this would be to require documents if it is a legal obligation. Maintaining confidentially is most important to remember.

What might be an example of the kind of "protected population" that Code element 2.04 (Third Party Involvement in Services) refers to?

An example of protected population could be children, or even pregnant women

Effectively supervising one person could involve:

Any or all of the above

Behavior analysts promote behavior analysis by:

B and C

To whom does a formal complaint go if an ethical matter meets the reporting requirements of the BACB?

BACB

Kirsten was given a greeting card containing a $20 coffee gift card by the grateful mother of a child client, when the client achieved toilet training. How would Bailey and Burch have suggested that Kirsten might have prevented this situation from arising?

Bailey and Burch would suggest that you start out by letting parents know beforehand that they do not accept gifts, gift cards, etc. for their services as it goes against code 1.06 as this then constitutes a multiple relationship.

Myra has had a new BCBA assigned to her child's treatment case. This BCBA told Myra that she would need to do three hours of parent training with Myra every month, based on her company's policy. Although understanding the importance of parent training and buy in to behavior intervention, Myra asked her if this requirement could be reduced since Myra is a BCBA. The BCBA refused. Myra does not feel that it is right for this BCBA to bill for these 3 hours each month when Myra feels that she already knows how to support her child's intervention plan. Briefly explain what element(s) of code 4.0 may be getting violated in this situation.

Code 4.0 states that the BACB assigned is responsibly for all of the behavioral change program, regardless of the mother being a BACB as well. This would make the BACB only partially responsibly for the behavioral plan if she did not bill the 3 hours each month.

When an individual is deemed as incapacitated and cannot provide informed consent (mark all that apply):

Consent may be obtained from a surrogate or guardian. The courts may appoint someone who can provide consent.

Which of these is not one of the 10 sections of the BACB's Professional and Ethical Compliance Code for Behavior Analysts?

Ethical Responsibility to Supervisors

A BCaBA with years of experience and competence may provide supervision for a person getting supervised fieldwork in preparation for applying for BCBA certification.

False

Collecting and graphing data is an optional part of behavior analytic assessment.

False

Disseminating behavior analysis' tools, principles, and potential has no place in a code of ethics.

False

If you aren't graphing behavior, are you doing behavior analysis?

False

It is acceptable to state that you have a license that you do not possess if you feel it will make you more credible with a family or client with whom you are working.

False

It is unethical to listen to the ideas of non-ABA professionals who may endorse intervention ideas with weak empirical support.

False

Pete earned his BCBA certification in 2016 and is licensed in the state of Kentucky. His two year renewal for his Kentucky license occurs in 2018. During this time, Pete has earned the required number of continuing education credits through online course modules and workshops. Does this method of maintaining competence adequately address the directives laid out in Code element 1.03?

False

Choose one of Koocher & Keith-Spiegel's (1998) 9 Ethical Principles and tell in your own words what it means to you.

I chose treating others with caring and compassion. This goes for outside of the work environment as well. I have pretty much made it my life goal to just make others feel like they are cared for and seen. We don't know what people are going through, we just see the mask that they put on. So treating everyone with care and compassion is something that I think is very important. I always think about when someone blows up on me or is really mean to me, that something must be below that surface of anger.

Please describe something from this week's Collaborate Review session that you either a.) learned or b.) questioned or gave an example for.

I learned more about consent and what it all entails. i think before this, it was super confusing to me because I felt like there was so many hoops to jump through. but once I understood what was actually needed for consent, it made sense. it was broken down very nicely.

If the client's legal rights are being violated or if there is potential for harm, what are some of the actions a BCBA could take to try to protect the client?

If a clients legal rights are being violated or if there is potential for harm, the BCBA should do his/her best job to protect the client. This could include contacting the authorities relevant for this situation, go over company policies, and even confront the person violating the clients right and make to document that the violation has been addressed.

A BCBA is aware of a colleague who is a psychologist who has been working with a behavioral theoretical oriented for years. The BCBA notices that the psychologist has added the term "BCBA" on their business card. Which of the following is not a good step for the BCBA in this situation?

Ignore the situation for now. Someone else will likely eventually take action.

You are a BCBA creating your first behavior intervention plan. Code element 4.05 Describing Behavior Change Program Objectives spells out that you should provide information about the program objectives and intervention procedures:

In writing

If a behavior doesn't happen frequently enough for the behavior analyst to see it live, an option is:

Indirect Assessment

Dave received a referral for behavioral treatment of an individual's self-injurious behavior. The individual has profound mental disabilities and is nonverbal. The staff who works with the client stated that the behavior emerged rather suddenly about a month ago, and has been getting increasingly worse. The staff haven't attempted any systematic intervention for the behavior yet because they've been taken by such surprise by it. What should Dave do?

Investigate whether the problem might have a medical cause by seeking a medical consultation

Professional and ethical behavior should be maintained within a supervisor-supervisee relationship. This relationship should:

Involve working together collaboratively, cooperatively, and professionally when working directly with consumers of behavioral services.

After completing an indirect assessment involving teacher report forms, Tal determines that "Child definitely engages in aggressive behavior to seek attention." This statement:

Is inappropriate since the function of the child's behavior cannot be definitively determined based on the assessment that was conducted

A BCBA has opened a treatment center with over 30 staff working inside the center and at least that many providing therapies in the home and communities of young children with autism spectrum disorder. There are approximately 100 children attending the center and this BCBA supervises all of the BCaBAs and RBTs providing services as well as writing and monitoring all teaching programs and data. Which code element may be under violation and why (briefly)?

It would be violating 5.02 Supervisor Volume. This code states that BCBA should only take on an amount of supervision that does not affect their effectivness to their client.

Provide a very brief scenario (like those posed in other questions on this quiz) that involves one of the code elements of code 3.0 Behavior Analytic Assessment.

Jordan has disclosed a clients records to another behavioral analyst who just so happens to be his friend. He trusts his friend will not say anything because he knows him. This would be violating 3.05 Consent-Client Records. Must have written consent.

Provide a very brief scenario (like those posed in other questions on this quiz) that involves one of the code elements of code 4.0 Behavior Analysts and the Behavior Change Program that has not been asked about extensively on this quiz.

Jordan is a BACB who has put together a plan for his client and immediately put to start his plan on his client with the clients consent or knowledge of what the plan entails. This is violating code 4.02

Which language or approach is best for explaining assessment results to the client and/or client's family?

Language and concepts aimed at being understandable

Drake is an 8 year old boy referred by his parents and pediatrician for behavior consultation after two rounds of IV antibiotics to treat MRSA-infected self-injurious bites on the top of his hand. Four reinforcement plans including various procedures have been tried, with almost no decrease in biting. His BCBA adds the following to his program: the use of a thick rubber glove to be worn by Drake to reduce the sensation of biting as well as possibly reduce saliva-wound contact. Does this seem to be violating code element 4.09 Least Restrictive Procedures? Briefly, why or why not?

No because he has been deemed harmful to himself and before then, four reinforcement plans including various procedures has been tried out. None of these have decreased the self injurious behavior. Therefore a more restrictive procedure is to be taken place.

Beulah is a BCBA writing a behavior intervention plan to decrease a client's pica (eating inedible objects). She includes a section with information about automatic reinforcement in her behavior plan. Is this violating an element of Code 4.0? Briefly, why or why not?

No, it is merely information about automatic reinforcement. Nor is it a punishment. It does not violate any codes.

Knowing that they are not fully evidence-based, should BCBAs implement treatments such as Zones of Regulation, Social Behavior Mapping, or other new and trending approaches as treatments for children on the autism spectrum if a search of the JABA index shows that there are no published behavioral studies supporting the efficacy of this approach?

No, this could be a violation of Code 6.0 and 6.01(a) (Ethical Responsibility to the Profession)

All work behaviors/tasks that you engage in under the direction of your BCBA supervisor are eligible to go into your experience tracker and be counted as supervised experience hours.

No. The behaviors/tasks only qualify as supervised experience hours if they are behavior analytic in nature. For example, sitting in a planning meeting with no behavior analytic content does not count, even though it is necessary.

Punishment should be used in behavior change programs

Only after reinforcement based programs have been tried and have failed

The most important reason to regulate professions such as behavior analysis is to:

Protect Consumers

Which of these ethical code sections might most closely relate to your social media use as a BCBA/professional?

Public Statements

Which of the following might be a "third party" participant in services?

Public defense attorney of a client who requests expert witness services

Which of the following people is practicing within his/her area of competence?

Rahul earned his doctorate in special education and is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. His doctoral studies focused on the assessment and treatment of severe problem behavior. He has worked with children and adults, ages 3 to 35 years. He was recently hired to serve as a behavior specialist in his local school district.

If there is a conflict between the client's care and a third party (e.g., insurance), what is the responsibility of the behavior analyst?

Resolve such conflicts in the best interest of the client.

A BCBA has completed an assessment for a student and now is sitting in on an ARC meeting (could be called an IEP meeting or something else if outside the state of KY). The special education director tells the BCBA that this is a tense family-school relationship so the feedback for all assessments will be given by the special ed director. As the feedback begins, the special education director misinterprets numerous aspects of the assessment results in her discussion. The best course of action for this BCBA is:

Should take reasonable steps to correct these mistakes and help explain the results of the assessment to the family and school team

Bob, a psychologist, makes regular referrals to Sandy, a BCBA. Sandy may:

Thank Bob for the referrals.

A BCBA has an adult client who is his own guardian who enjoys drinking a beer each night just before bed. The behavior intervention approval committee asks the BCBA to decrease this behavior based on code element 4.10, Avoiding Harmful Reinforcers. When asked about this behavior, the client does not see it as a problem and denies interest in changing the behavior. The BCBA refuses. Briefly, why do you think the BCBA refused? What justification could there be for this refusal?

The BACB refused because she is taking her clients best interest into mind. There is justification in this refusal because this could potentially become a harmful habit and requires intervention. Your justification for this question is good. You might also consider that the BCBA could reach out the the client's physician to get a medical consultation on if one beer per day is harmful. The client does have a right to drinking a beer if they wish to do so.

You are a BCBA and while attending a convention planning meeting, you hear from another BCBA that they saw a mutual colleague committing an ethical infraction. Who could report this infraction?

The BCBA (or other person) who directly witnessed the infraction

I work in a community that includes many families from the Middle East and many people in our community love giving gifts/food. So when professionals such as behavior analysts (under my supervision) go to a home session, the parents will often bring out elaborate food to serve as well as snacks to send home with the professional. I know that this could be a problem according to Code element 1.06(d) "Behavior analysts do not accept any gifts from or give any gifts to clients because this constitutes a multiple relationship..." How could I apply code 7.01 to this situation?

The BCBA could let the family know that they would love to have the food, yet make them aware of the codes that the BCBAs are to go by. Response Feedback:

A BCBA meets a person at a local behavioral conference and the person informs the BCBA: "I am a BCBAC." What could the BCBA do in this situation? What potential problems are involved here?

The BCBA should ask the person who informed them that they are a BCBAC where they are certified and what his/her credentials are.

When informing an individual about a proposed treatment or assessment plan, what are the salient aspects of treatment or assessment that should be shared with that person? Try to name 4.

The aspects that should be shared should be 1. what the procedure consists of, 2. how the results will be used, 3. what procedure is being used and who will be participating in the procedure. 4. Getting their consent

Explain the factors that go into making a determination as to whether an individual has the capacity to make an informed decision. This is important--look beyond our readings for this week if you need to, to explore some ideas about this.

The first assessment that will be conducted will be a functional assessment. This assessment includes the individuals needs, environmental parameters and contextual variables. Competency, understanding, and ability to make an informed choice.

The most important challenge involved in being supervised by more than one BCBA is that:

The supervisee may be told to perform behaviors/tasks differently by one vs. the other supervisor

A BCaBA is providing clinic based services to a young child with autism. Another employee in the company notices the parent of this child slapping the child in the face in the hallway on the way out of the building. The child sometimes screams during the sessions "No hit!". The BCaBA discusses this with the parent, who denies it. The BCaBA then reports this behavior to the supervisor and asks what action should be taken. The supervisor sighs, checks her phone and says that she knows the BCaBA will be able handle this in whatever way the BCaBA thinks is best. What code element may be involved here and why (briefly)?

This needs to be written and documented because this could be affecting the childs services. It also goes against 5.03 in Supervisor delegation in that if the supervisee does not have the skills necessary to deal with these situations then the behavioral analyst would provide those skills.

Jal is a line worker at a packaging plant who receives job coaching and behavior services as needed related to her intellectual disability. For the past month she has shown an increase in fighting (hitting and yelling at) with her co-workers. Her behavior support team has asked for an assessment and eventually a behavior intervention plan if needed. The BCBA begins indirect assessment and then moves to direct observation without mentioning anything to Jal about it. Which element of Code 4.0 might this situation be violating?

This would be in violation to code 4.02 (which I wrote my scenario about above). This would be violating code 4.02 because there is no written consent or knowledge of the behavioral plan.

Facilitated Communication has not only not been scientifically validated, but is also considered an ineffective treatment that could cause harm in ABA practice.

True

Over the course of a week, I (a BCBA) have two meetings with two families wishing to move their child's services from another ABA service provider. Both families have provided information about behavior from the old service agency that clearly violates serious elements of the Professional and Ethical Compliance Code. Neither family had been made aware of the content of these codes or of the way they could make a complaint if needed [violation of Code 2.05(d)]. They don't know that they have any options in this situation. My supervisor has asked me to stay out of the situation since it could cause trouble with a fellow service provision agency. This BCBA probably should not initiate a complaint since this is hearsay. May she/he assist the families in filling out the information/form to make a complaint if they are interested in doing so?

True

When considering what is worth doing, as far as an intervention is concerned, what is/are some important point(s) to consider?

Whether the costs of implementing the intervention are balanced by the potential benefits to the client.

Susan is a BCBA working with children in a university based clinic. She receives a phone call from a developmental behavioral pediatrician whom she knows, asking for information about a client/patient that they share. What does Susan need in order to share this information?

Written consent from the client's guardian

Myra is working with an attorney who wants to send her the client's medical records to help her create an assessment plan. What does Myra need to ethically accept/receive these records?

Written consent from the client/client's guardian

Should a supervisor be proficient with scheduling and/or experience tracking software as well as checklists and graphing spreadsheets or programs?

Yes, they will need to organize their system of evaluating their supervision with these kinds of tools.

Jessika is a BCBA. She is working on adding a new area of practice expertise and is currently receiving mentorship from a fellow faculty member at her university, a BCBA who is an expert in teaching methods to restore legal competency to stand trial for individuals with developmental disabilities and severe mental illness. She is seeing these clients in her private practice. Without her clients' knowledge, she shares legal records, assessment results, and skill acquisition graphs with her mentor. Has she violated an ethics code element?

Yes. She cannot share information with a party outside the treatment agreement without obtaining specific consent to do so.

Sharing of confidential information is NOT mandated in the following situations?

between divorced parents

Electronic Records related to ABA assessment or treatment should be

encrypted

According to Code element 2.03 Consultation, what do you need before you arrange a consultation or referral?

the best interests of your client in mind and consent as appropriate

Which of the following should be placed at the top of a hierarchy of parties affected by a BCBA's services?

the client