BCBA Ethical and Professional Conduct — Questions and Answers
Question 1: According to the BACB Code, what should a behavior analyst do if they realize they are not competent in a specific case?
- Continue with the case independently
- Refer the case or seek appropriate supervision (Correct answer)
- Ask another BCBA to take over without informing the client
- Delay treatment until more experience is gained
Correct answer: Refer the case or seek appropriate supervision
Behavior analysts must operate within their scope of competence. If they lack expertise, they should refer the client or seek supervision.
Question 2: What is the primary ethical concern in a dual relationship?
- Improved rapport
- Cost savings
- Impairment of professional judgment (Correct answer)
- Easier scheduling
Correct answer: Impairment of professional judgment
Dual relationships may impair objectivity and professional judgment, potentially harming the client.
Question 3: Which of the following actions demonstrates appropriate client confidentiality?
- Discussing client details at home
- Emailing client data without encryption
- Sharing client details only with authorized team members (Correct answer)
- Posting client progress anonymously on social media
Correct answer: Sharing client details only with authorized team members
Behavior analysts must safeguard client confidentiality by sharing information only with those who have a need to know and proper authorization.
Question 4: Which is a key responsibility of a behavior analyst in supervision?
- Assigning all duties to the supervisee
- Providing structured and competent supervision (Correct answer)
- Allowing supervisees to work independently without oversight
- Reviewing performance once per year
Correct answer: Providing structured and competent supervision
Providing ongoing, individualized supervision that improves the competence of the supervisee is a core ethical responsibility.
Question 5: How should behavior analysts approach cultural competence?
- Apply the same procedures to all clients
- Avoid cultural discussions
- Respect and incorporate client cultural context (Correct answer)
- Ignore language differences
Correct answer: Respect and incorporate client cultural context
They must make efforts to understand and respect the cultural backgrounds of clients to provide effective and ethical services.
Question 6: What must a behavior analyst do before terminating services?
- Stop services immediately
- Notify family after services end
- Ensure transition or referral for continuity (Correct answer)
- Delete all client records
Correct answer: Ensure transition or referral for continuity
Before termination, a behavior analyst should ensure that appropriate transition or referral is made to maintain client care.
BCBA Ethical and Professional Conduct
According to the BACB Code, what should a behavior analyst do if they realize they are not competent in a specific case?