BCBA® Ethical Code 2024

E-1 Introduction

We have an obligation to act in a way that reflects positively on the field of behavior analysis

• We must continue to educate ourselves
• We must carry ourselves in a professional manner
• We have an obligation to do what is right, and do no harm

Core principles:

1. Benefit others
2. Behave with integrity
3. Treat others with compassion, dignity, and respect
4. Ensure competence

E-2 Responsibility as a Professional

Behavior analysts have an obligation to develop themselves professionally

• Promote truthful behavior and avoid creating fraudulent or illegal situations
• Accountable for their actions while practicing within scope and competence
• Remain aware of current issues, trends, and developments in the field
• Continuing education through conferences, journals, research
• Avoid multiple relationships, exploitative relationships, and discrimination
• Gifts to clients, stakeholders, supervisees, or trainees must be less than $10 in value
• No sexual relationships with clients or stakeholders for a minimum of two years after service ends
• Must document that professional relationship has ended before engaging in a relationship with supervisees or trainees
• Do not accept supervisees or trainees with whom they’ve had a relationship with until six months have passed

E-3 Responsibility in Practice

Provide effective treatment, protect confidential information, ensure accuracy in billing and reporting

• Share information only when consent is obtained, to protect the client, to resolve a contract, or when compelled by law or court order
• Behavior analysts use non-technical language and ensure the client understands when explaining assessments, interventions, and plans
• Behavior analysts collaborate with colleagues
• Always consider medical needs first
• Select interventions that are conceptually systematic, based on data, and minimize risk of harm
• Continually evaluate behavior-change interventions
• Remove or minimize environmental variables that may interfere with service delivery

E-4 Responsibility to Clients and Stakeholders

The client includes the individual receiving services, and those with a stake in the outcome

• Act in the best interests of clients. Identify stakeholders from the onset.
• Only accept clients within your scope of practice
• A signed service agreement must be in place before service (includes financial agreement)
• Place client welfare above all else when consulting for third-parties
• Document professional activities throughout service delivery
• Make referrals based on needs of clients. Facilitate services to avoid interruption or disruption
• When to consider discontinuing services:

The client has met all goals

The client is not benefiting from the services

The team is exposed to harmful conditions

The client/stakeholder requests discontinuation

Stakeholders are not complying with interventions

Services are no longer funded

E-5 Responsibility to Supervisees and Trainees

Behavior analysts do not exploit their supervisees and trainees

• Comply with supervision requirements including competence, volume, documentation, and accountability
• Supervision and training should be behavior-analytic in nature including the use of reinforcement and feedback
• Address diversity (age, disability, ethnicity, gender, etc.)
• Monitor performance using data collection. Communicate and evaluate and problems that arise during training or supervision
• Evaluate effectiveness of supervision
• Facilitate continuity of supervision and appropriately terminate supervision

E-6 Responsibility in Public Statements

Behavior analysts represent themselves and the field when making public statements

• Protect the rights of clients, stakeholders, supervisees, and trainees in public statements
• Ensure confidentiality in public statements
• Public statements should be truthful and avoid exaggeration
• Behavior analysts are responsible for public statements made about them even if they aren’t the ones making the statement
• Do not advertise nonbehavioral services as behavioral services. A disclaimer must be used when providing non-behavioral services
• Do not solicit testimonials from current clients or stakeholders (unsolicited reviews where analysts cannot control content are allowed, but content should not be used or shared by the analyst)
• You can solicit from former clients, but you must identify the statements as solicited or unsolicited, and disclose the relationship
• Testimonials may be used from former or current clients for non-advertising purposes
• Do not post clients on personal social media accounts. Consent must be obtained for professional accounts including a disclaimer

E-7 Responsibility in Research

Conduct research within the scope of all policy and law

• Must be approved by a formal research committee
• Client welfare must be prioritized during research
• Prioritize confidentiality in research
• Disclose any conflicts of interest in research and publication

Give credit where credit is due. Do not plagiarize. Do not falsify data

Reference: https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Ethics-Code-for-Behavior-Analysts-210902.pdf

Behavior Analyst Certification Board. (2020). Ethics code for behavior analysts.
Littleton, CO: Author.
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