Overview
Apply your knowledge of ethics and ethical applications to respond to the following six scenarios.
For each scenario, you have to identify relevant ethical codes, identify key principles, and explain what should be done to follow the ethical guidelines.
Directions:
- Read each scenario carefully. Each scenario is based on a situation encountered by behavior analysts in the field. It is suggested that you first identify keywords or phrases in the scenario.
- Referring the ethical code, write in the code number for each identified key issue.
- In your own words, discuss what ethical principle is involved.
- Note that there may be three to four such principles for each scenario.
- Finally, after reviewing all the ethical principles involved, indicate what steps you should take to follow the guidelines. There may be several code numbers and principles for an individual scenario.
Guidelines to be followed:
- It is recommended that students begin working on the scenarios at the end of Week 14.
- It is recommended that answers to each scenario be submitted in an APA 7 formatted Microsoft Word document.
- Each scenario number must be used as a header in the submitted document.
- Each response should be detailed and organized.
Scenario 1
One of the schools for which I provide board-certified behavioral analyst (BCBA) services sent me a request to provide services for a 10-year-old girl who has been having multiple behavior problems in the classroom. She has been noncompliant (refusing to do what the teacher asks), frequently off-task and out of her seat, swearing at the other students on the playground, and not completing work in class. The parents are taking the child to a clinical psychologist. The psychologist has never seen the child in the classroom, but she created a “point sheet” for the teacher to use. I was told after I agreed to provide services that I should design a behavior plan around the point sheet designed by Dr. X because she spends a lot of time with the child, the parents trust her and want her to be at the center of the therapy, and she is very well known in the community. The fact is, the point sheet is not effective, and the child’s behavior is getting worse. I am a new BCBA and do not want to present myself as a know-it-all, but I think I should be able to develop my own behavioral plan. Any advice?
Hint: This is what we call a “no win” situation for you; consider all your options.
Scenario 2
A group of local behavior analysts gets together quarterly for a continuing education presentation followed by a group social and informal dinner. One of the members of our group is the owner of a large consulting firm. At a recent dinner, he mentioned that on Saturday morning, he had some parents of clients come to the office to have their photos taken for his new webpage. “We’ll have a statement from each one about the great things we did for their child,” he said. Someone at the table told him that behavior analysts were not supposed to solicit testimonials. His response was that doctors, dentists, and other professionals did this and that there was no problem as long as the parents could choose not to participate. Was he wrong about this? Is there any situation under which testimonials would be acceptable? He said what he was doing was not what the Ethics Code referred to in the section on testimonials.
Hint: Review Section 5 of the code and the aligning book chapter.
Scenario 3
A child in one of the schools where I am the new BCBA has multiple behavioral issues. I believe that he may need to be on medication for behavior control. I was called in to assess the child. I talked to the principal and told her we would be recommending a medical work-up to start with and a functional analysis. The principal said, “We just need to get him out of here. I need you to write a report that says this child cannot be managed in a school setting like ours and that he needs to move to a special program.” I am afraid that the principal’s mind is made up and that if I tell her what I really think of her approach, I won’t be working at this school much longer.
Hint: You are in a “no win” situation. Review the seven-step model for complex cases.
Scenario 4
I am a BCBA working for a state-funded program. The problem concerns a board-certified assistant behavior analyst (BCaBA) coworker and her relationship with a client who is a dependent caregiver. The relationship is not romantic; the two have become best friends. The BCaBA sees the client in her home on a weekly basis. My colleague asked if it would be appropriate to maintain a personal relationship with this client after she leaves her job with our program. I suggested that at the point that she ceases employment, she cut the relationship and not try to treat her former client as a friend. I want to make sure that the client does not feel pressured into a relationship with my coworker. Should I follow up with the client to see if this was done, or is it okay for these two women to be friends once there is no longer a professional connection?
Hint: Review Section 1 and the aligning book chapter.
Scenario 5
I am an assistant behavior analyst. I am in graduate school in psychology and work part time at a facility for people with developmental disabilities. I am lucky because several of us who are in school together also work for the same consulting firm and work at some of the same schools and facilities. One of our friends is more advanced than us in her graduate studies. She is working on a research project that has been all she has talked about for months. Our professor said if the study was done right and the data looked good, this was the kind of study that could be easily published. Our friend talked us into being observers for her. At the end of the study, when we were all out eating pizza and drinking beer, our friend proudly announced that our professor was going to help her submit her work for publication. She said the professor was impressed that the treatment she developed resulted in all of the clients in the study having dramatic improvements in their behavior. “What about Participant #3?” I asked. We all knew this participant’s behavior worsened throughout the study, as did another one. Our friend got a desperate look on her face and admitted that she had thrown away the data for two clients who did not perform well. “This is probably done all the time in research; I really want to have a publication—you guys have got to stand by me on this. I need to graduate.”
Hint: Review Section 6 and the aligning book chapter.
Scenario 6
A BCBA works with a mother who homeschools her child. The child is a 6-year-old boy with autism spectrum disorder. The BCBA has done a functional assessment and has identified the controlling variables for the child’s target behavior. In the opinion of the BCBA, the best data collection system for gathering baseline data would require daily entries by the mother. A data-collection system has been designed that is easy to understand and score; however, the mother does not take the data despite the BCBA’s best attempts to prompt and reinforce her. This child really needs help, but with no data it will be hard to provide treatment. Should the BCBA terminate services?
Hint: Did you start your service to this mother by reviewing your declaration of professional practice with her? Also, review Section 2 and the aligning book chapter.