Ethics Code Exam Prep

You realize a progress report you submitted had inaccurate data. What must you do?

Correct the error immediately and provide truthful, accurate information to stakeholders (1.01 Being Truthful).

You are asked to ignore state licensure rules to speed up services. What is the ethical choice?

Follow all laws, licensure, and BACB requirements, even if pressured (1.02 Conforming with Legal and Professional Requirements).

You miss a scheduled session without notice. What is the issue?

Behavior analysts must be accountable, follow through on commitments, and repair errors promptly (1.03 Accountability).

Before starting services, what should be clarified with all parties?

The analyst’s professional role and scope must be documented in writing (1.04 Practicing within a Defined Role).

A family asks you to provide counseling for marital issues. What should you do?

Decline unless competent and credentialed. Refer or seek training if appropriate (1.05 Practicing within Scope of Competence).

How must behavior analysts maintain competence?

Engage in professional development like CEUs, mentorship, supervision, and updated training (1.06 Maintaining Competence).

You recognize your biases may affect a culturally diverse client. What’s required?

Seek training, evaluate biases, and ensure culturally responsive care (1.07 Cultural Responsiveness and Diversity).

A supervisee is excluded due to their gender identity. What’s the issue?

Discrimination is prohibited. Analysts must treat others equitably (1.08 Nondiscrimination).

A colleague frequently yells at staff during meetings. Why is this a violation?

Harassment or hostile behavior is unethical (1.09 Nonharassment).

You’re undergoing personal stress that impacts your work. What should you do?

Address personal challenges to ensure services remain effective (1.10 Awareness of Personal Biases and Challenges).

A client’s parent asks you to babysit on weekends. What is the risk?

This creates a multiple relationship that may impair judgment or harm (1.11 Multiple Relationships).

A child offers you a $20 gift card for helping them. How do you respond?

Decline since gifts over $10 risk conflicts of interest (1.12 Giving and Receiving Gifts).

A supervisor threatens to cut your hours if you don’t comply. What type of violation is this?

Coercion or exploitation of authority is unethical (1.13 Coercive and Exploitative Relationships).

Can a BCBA date a current supervisee after supervision ends?

Not until the professional relationship is over and an appropriate time has passed (1.14 Romantic and Sexual Relationships).

A parent emails asking about session progress. What should you do?

Respond appropriately and in a timely manner (1.15 Responding to Requests).

You are arrested and required to self-report. What does the Code require?

Behavior analysts must comply with all self-reporting requirements (1.16 Self-Reporting Critical Information).

What defines effective treatment in ABA?

Evidence-based, conceptually consistent interventions that maximize outcomes (2.01 Providing Effective Treatment).

Billing reports are delayed for months. What standard does this break?

Services and administrative tasks must be timely (2.02 Timeliness).

How should client data be stored and shared?

Confidentiality must be protected across all forms of communication (2.03 Protecting Confidential Information).

When is it acceptable to disclose confidential information?

With consent, to prevent harm, resolve legal/contractual issues, or when legally compelled (2.04 Disclosing Confidential Information).

How long should documentation be kept?

Follow all BACB, legal, and organizational rules for storage, retention, and destruction (2.05 Documentation Protection and Retention).

A BCBA inflates session hours on billing. Why is this unethical?

Billing must be accurate, honest, and corrected if errors occur (2.06 Accuracy in Billing and Reporting).

When discussing fees, what is required?

Fee practices must be transparent, documented, and not misrepresented (2.07 Fees).

How should services be explained to clients?

In understandable language, clarifying scope, timelines, and procedures (2.08 Communicating About Services).

Who should be involved in goal selection?

Clients and stakeholders must be actively involved (2.09 Involving Clients and Stakeholders).

You disagree with a teacher about intervention. How should you proceed?

Collaborate respectfully and prioritize client’s best interest (2.10 Collaborating with Colleagues).

When is informed consent required?

Before assessments, interventions, significant changes, or release of information (2.11 Obtaining Informed Consent).

A child’s aggression may be due to untreated epilepsy. What is your duty?

Consider medical factors, refer, and follow up (2.12 Considering Medical Needs).

What comes before designing interventions?

Conduct assessments based on scientific evidence and client needs (2.13 Selecting and Designing Assessments).

How must behavior-change interventions be chosen?

They must be evidence-based, least restrictive, and prioritized for reinforcement (2.14 Selecting Behavior-Change Interventions).

A teacher suggests punishment as the first step. Is this ethical?

No, restrictive procedures are only allowed after less intrusive methods fail (2.15 Minimizing Risk of Interventions).

What must be done before implementing a new plan?

Describe procedures, goals, and timelines in writing and review with stakeholders (2.16 Describing Interventions Before Implementation).

Why is accurate data collection required?

To make treatment decisions and evaluate progress (2.17 Collecting and Using Data).

Data show an intervention is ineffective. What must you do?

Modify or discontinue based on ongoing evaluation (2.18 Continual Evaluation).

A session is disrupted due to unsafe conditions. What is your role?

Address conditions that interfere with service delivery and document actions (2.19 Addressing Conditions Interfering).

Whose welfare must always come first in ABA services?

The client’s welfare is the top priority (3.01 Responsibility to Clients).

How should stakeholders be identified in a case?

Clarify roles and document obligations at the outset (3.02 Identifying Stakeholders).

Can you accept a client if you lack resources to supervise properly?

No, services must match competence and available resources (3.03 Accepting Clients).

Before starting services, what must be signed?

A written service agreement outlining responsibilities (3.04 Service Agreement).

When must financial agreements be clarified?

Before services begin and whenever funding changes (3.05 Financial Agreements).

When is consultation with other providers appropriate?

When in the best interest of clients and with consent (3.06 Consulting with Other Providers).

How should conflicts in third-party contracts be handled?

Clarify relationships and prioritize client welfare (3.07–3.08 Third-Party Contracts).

When services are requested by a school, who must still be informed?

The parent/guardian must be informed of services and their rights (3.09 Communicating About Third-Party Services).

When must limits of confidentiality be explained?

At the start of the professional relationship (3.10 Limitations of Confidentiality).

Why is thorough documentation important?

To ensure accountability and facilitate continuity of care (3.11 Documenting Professional Activity).

When must analysts advocate for services?

When clients need evidence-based, appropriate service levels (3.12 Advocating for Services).

How should referrals be managed?

Based on client needs, disclose relationships, and follow up (3.13 Referrals).

What should be planned for in case of service interruptions?

Have a continuity plan and communicate steps taken (3.14 Facilitating Continuity of Services).

When can services be discontinued?

When goals are met, progress isn’t occurring, harm exists, services aren’t funded, or stakeholders refuse participation (3.15 Discontinuing Services).

How should service transitions be handled?

Plan transitions with timelines, responsible parties, and minimize disruption (3.16 Transitioning Services).

What must supervisors know before overseeing others?

All applicable supervision rules and requirements (4.01 Compliance with Supervision Requirements).

When is supervision ethical?

When supervisors are competent in supervisory practices (4.02 Supervisory Competence).

Why must supervision caseloads be monitored?

Too many supervisees reduces supervision quality (4.03 Supervisory Volume).

Who is responsible for supervisees’ work?

Supervisors are accountable for supervisees’ professional activities (4.04 Accountability in Supervision).

How long must supervision records be kept?

At least 7 years and per legal/funder rules (4.05 Supervision Documentation).

How should supervision and training be delivered?

Using evidence-based, individualized, reinforcement-based methods (4.06 Providing Supervision and Training).

How should diversity be addressed in supervision?

Actively incorporate and address cultural and diversity issues (4.07 Addressing Diversity).

What is the role of performance feedback?

Provide timely praise and corrective feedback, and document it (4.08 Performance Monitoring and Feedback).

When is delegation appropriate?

Only when supervisees are competent to complete the task (4.09 Delegation of Tasks).

How should supervisors evaluate their supervision?

Through ongoing self-evaluation and adjustments (4.10 Evaluating Supervision).

What should be done if supervision is interrupted?

Minimize disruption and communicate continuity plans (4.11 Continuity of Supervision).

What is the process for ending supervision?

Develop a plan to minimize harm and document steps (4.12 Terminating Supervision).

Whose rights must be protected in public statements?

Clients, stakeholders, supervisees, and trainees (5.01).

What must be avoided in public statements?

Accidental disclosure of confidential information (5.02 Confidentiality).

What defines an ethical public statement?

Truthful, evidence-based, not misleading, and avoids giving case-specific advice (5.03).

Who is responsible if an employer posts misleading ads about your work?

The behavior analyst must correct or remediate it (5.04 Public Statements by Others).

When using copyrighted materials in presentations, what’s required?

Proper attribution, permission, or citation (5.05 Intellectual Property).

How must nonbehavioral services be advertised?

Clearly distinguished with a disclaimer about BACB certification limits (5.06).

Can testimonials from current clients be used?

No, solicitation from current clients is prohibited (5.07).

What’s required when using testimonials from former clients?

Must be identified, truthful, and include disclosure of risks and rights (5.08).

Can testimonials be used for purposes like fundraising?

Yes, if compliant with confidentiality and laws (5.09 Nonadvertising Use).

What’s the Code’s stance on social media?

Protect privacy, get consent, and avoid publishing client info on personal accounts (5.10).

What must accompany digital client content shared publicly?

Consent, confidentiality protections, and disclaimers (5.11 Digital Content).

What rules apply when planning research?

Must conform to all laws, regulations, and ethical guidelines (6.01).

When can research begin?

Only after research review committee approval (6.02).

What is the primary concern when conducting research in service delivery?

Client welfare takes priority (6.03).

What must be obtained from all research participants?

Informed consent (and assent when appropriate) (6.04).

How is confidentiality handled in research?

Protect participant identities during data collection and dissemination (6.05).

When can an analyst conduct independent research?

After proper supervised training and demonstrated competence (6.06).

What must be disclosed in research and publications?

Conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise (6.07).

What is required when assigning authorship?

Credit must reflect actual contributions (6.08 Appropriate Credit).

Copying text from another article without credit is what?

Plagiarism, which is prohibited (6.09 Plagiarism).

How should research data be stored?

Per laws, BACB, and IRB rules for retention, storage, and destruction (6.10).

If an error in published data is discovered, what must be done?

Correct it following publisher policies and ensure accurate dissemination (6.11 Accuracy and Use of Data).