Ethics are fundamental to any profession. In this Discussion, you will explore one of the greatest ethical dilemmas faced in behavior analysis—the use of aversives in the treatment of children engaging in self-injurious behavior (SIB). Self-injurious behavior occurs most frequently among persons with severe intellectual disability (ID) or autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
While there is research to support the efficacy of aversive treatment with some children with SIBs, some states outlaw their use, and many people question whether it is ever an ethical approach.
To Prepare
- Review the Learning Resources for this week, including the required weekly media programs, to gain an understanding of ethical codes and aspects of those codes relevant to the use of aversive techniques. Note: It is important for you to review all media for this week prior to completing this Discussion.
- Search the Walden Library and/or the internet for research related to the efficacy of using aversives in the treatment of SIB as well as ethical concerns and arguments professionals and laypeople make regarding their use.
- Consider the following scenario, including the pluses and minuses of using aversives in the treatment of severe SIB in children with autism or developmental disabilities.
You are working as a behavior analyst and are referred a 7-year-old boy with ASD (Level 3 severity), who is engaging in repetitive head banging to the point where he has required medical treatment
TO DO
Post an explanation of whether you believe aversives should be used in the treatment of SIB. Justify your rationale by explaining ethical issues regarding the use of a behavior management approach that includes aversives. Cite specific aspects of ethical codes (e.g., ABAI, APA) to justify your conclusion as to the use of aversives in the treatment of SIB.
Resources
- Cooper, J. O., Heron, T. E., & Heward, W. L. (2020). Applied behavior analysis (3rd ed.). Pearson.
- Chapter 31, “Ethical and Professional Responsibilities of Applied Behavior Analysts” (pp. 758–784)
- American Psychological Association. (2017). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct: Including 2010 and 2016 amendments . https://www.apa.org/ethics/code/index
- Behavior Analyst Certification Board. (2017). Professional and ethical compliance code for behavior analysts. https://www.bacb.com/ethics/ethics-code
- Schreck, K. A., & Miller, V. A. (2010). How to behave ethically in a world of fadsLinks to an external site.. Behavioral Interventions, 25 (4), 307–324. https://doi.org/10.1002/bin.305