FREE BCAT Ethical and Legal Considerations Questions and Answers

Question 1

A BCAT is working with a client in their home.
After a successful session, the client's mother asks the BCAT if they would be available to babysit the client over the weekend.
What is the BCAT's most ethical response?

Accepted Answer

"Thank you for the offer, but my professional code of conduct does not allow me to have relationships with clients outside of my work."

Answer

"I can only do it if you pay me my normal hourly rate."

Answer

"Yes, I would love to. It would be a great way to build more rapport."

Answer

"I will have to ask my supervisor, but I think it should be okay."

Question 2

While grocery shopping on a day off, a BCAT sees a client and their family. The client excitedly runs up to the BCAT and says hello. Which of the following actions best protects the client's confidentiality?

Accepted Answer

Acknowledge the client with a simple, friendly greeting, but do not mention their therapy, your role, or any other private information.

Answer

Pretend not to see the client and walk away to avoid an awkward interaction.

Answer

Greet the client and family warmly and ask, "How has his behavior been since our session on Tuesday?"

Answer

State loudly, "It's so good to see you! I'm your ABA therapist!" to show pride in your work.

Question 3

A client's parent is frustrated with the slow progress on a communication goal and asks the BCAT to design a new teaching program. Which of the following is the BCAT's responsibility?

Accepted Answer

Politely explain that designing or modifying treatment plans is outside their scope of practice and refer the parent to the supervising BCBA.

Answer

Implement a new program immediately based on the parent's suggestions to show initiative.

Answer

Tell the parent that the current plan is evidence-based and must be followed without changes.

Answer

Agree to try a few new strategies during the next session and document which ones seem to work best.

Question 4

Which of the following actions is the BEST example of a BCAT maintaining a client's dignity during a session?

Accepted Answer

Ensuring a client is appropriately clothed and providing privacy during toilet training procedures.

Answer

Discussing the client's challenging behavior with another technician in the waiting room while the family is present.

Answer

Using 'baby talk' with a teenage client because they are non-verbal.

Answer

Choosing all the activities for the session without asking the client for their preference.

Question 5

A BCAT realizes at the end of a session that they forgot to collect frequency data on a target behavior for the last hour. What is the most honest and ethical course of action?

Accepted Answer

Leave the data for that hour blank and inform the supervisor about the oversight immediately.

Answer

Estimate the data for the last hour based on how the rest of the session went to make the graph look complete.

Answer

Ask the client's parent what they remember and use that to fill in the data sheet.

Answer

Fill in zero occurrences for the last hour, assuming no instances were observed.

Question 6

After a difficult session, a BCAT posts on their personal, private social media account: "My toughest client was out of control today, so draining! #autismlife #abatherapy". Why is this an ethical violation?

Accepted Answer

Even without using a name, the post is a breach of confidentiality and is disrespectful to the client.

Answer

The post is unprofessional because it uses hashtags related to the field.

Answer

The post is a violation only if another employee from the company sees it.

Answer

This is not an ethical violation because the client's name was not used and the account is private.

A BCAT is working with a client in their home.After a successful session, the client's mother asks the BCAT if they would be available to babysit the client over the weekend.What is the BCAT's most ethical response?

A BCAT is working with a client in their home.
After a successful session, the client's mother asks the BCAT if they would be available to babysit the client over the weekend.
What is the BCAT's most ethical response?