Ethics and Professional Conduct in Applied Behavior Analysis
This project evaluates your ability to prevent, identify, and address ethical dilemmas while maintaining effective professional relationships.
You will develop and present a comprehensive Professional Ethics Action Plan using the BACB Ethics Code and the Bailey & Burch decision-making model.
Assignment Overview
You will create a narrated PowerPoint presentation (10–15 slides, 10–12 minutes).
Your presentation must demonstrate:
- Ethical analysis
- Preventative planning
- Legal awareness
- Structured decision-making
- Professional communication strategy
- Reflective professional growth
Step 1: Review the Case Scenario
CASE 3.02 PERILS OF CONTRACTING WITH A SCHOOL DISTRICT
Pg 178 of your book
Presentation Requirements
Your narrated PowerPoint must include the following sections:
1. Case Overview
- Brief description of the situation
- Central ethical conflict
- Identification of all stakeholders
2. Ethical Complexity Analysis
- Why the dilemma is ethically challenging
- Competing obligations
- Potential risk of harm
- Cultural or contextual considerations
3. Application of the BACB Ethics Code
- Identify all relevant code elements (cite numbers)
- Explain how each applies to the case
- Discuss any tensions between standards
Listing code numbers without analysis will not receive full credit.
4. Legal Considerations
- Identify relevant legal frameworks (e.g., HIPAA, documentation requirements, mandated reporting)
- Explain how legal obligations intersect with ethical obligations
- Describe potential legal consequences of inaction
5. Bailey & Burch Decision-Making Model
You must clearly walk through:
- Defining the problem
- Identifying risk of harm
- Gathering documentation
- Generating at least three possible actions
- Evaluating each option ethically
- Selecting and defending your final action
- Describing implementation steps
- Explaining how outcomes will be evaluated
6. Professional Ethics Action Plan
This is the core of your project.
You must include:
Prevention Strategy
How could this dilemma have been prevented?
What systems, documentation practices, supervision structures, or boundaries should be in place?
Response Strategy
What steps are required now to ensure ethical compliance?
Who must be informed?
What documentation is required?
7. Communication Strategy
Consistent with Chapter 12 (Delivering the Ethical Message Effectively), explain:
- Who you would speak to first
- How you would structure the conversation
- How you would maintain rapport
- How you would address cultural variables
- How you would respond to resistance
- How you would protect client welfare
You must explain this in applied, professional terms.
8. Long-Term Professional Reflection
- How do your corrective actions support long-term ethical practice?
- What professional risks might arise?
- What did you learn about ethical leadership?
Technical Requirements
- 10–15 slides (excluding title and references)
- 10–12 minutes of narration
- Professional formatting
- Final slide with APA citations
- Direct citation of the BACB Ethics Code and Bailey & Burch
You may use brief bullet points. You may not read a full script verbatim.
Academic Integrity
This assignment assesses independent professional reasoning.
Presentations that are overly generic, inconsistent between slides and narration, or unable to be defended in follow-up questioning may receive reduced credit.
Criteria | Exemplary (A) | Proficient (B) | Developing (C) | Inadequate (D/F) | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Completeness of Required Sections | All required components thoroughly addressed with logical organization | Minor omissions | Several components underdeveloped | Major components missing | /15 |
Ethical Complexity & Stakeholder Analysis | Demonstrates nuanced understanding of competing obligations and risks | Adequate identification of issues | Limited depth | Superficial or inaccurate analysis | /15 |
Application of BACB Ethics Code | Multiple relevant standards accurately applied with case-specific reasoning | Standards applied but limited depth | Minimal explanation | Incorrect or unsupported application | /15 |
Legal Considerations | Clear integration of legal and ethical obligations | Legal factors mentioned but not fully integrated | Limited or vague legal discussion | Legal analysis absent | /10 |
Bailey & Burch Model Application | Thorough step-by-step reasoning with strong justification | Most steps addressed | Steps incomplete | Model largely absent | /15 |
Prevention & Response Strategy | Realistic, system-level prevention and corrective plan | Adequate plan but limited systems thinking | Basic or reactive plan | No meaningful action plan | /15 |
Communication Strategy | Clear, professional, culturally responsive plan with resistance management | Plan present but limited depth | Vague or unrealistic | Communication plan missing | /10 |
Professional Delivery & Narration | Organized, confident, authentic reasoning | Clear but minor issues | Hesitant or partially scripted | Disorganized or read verbatim | /5 |