May the ethics be ever in your favor

As a Behavior Therapist a majority of my training has been on ethics. It is known the lack of ethics when working with people has caused horrible moments in history: abuse, neglect, and at times death of thousands of people. From the torture of concentration camp prisoners in the name of "science" to the imprisonment of people who were considered different. Today Behavior Analysis has developed the ethical standards to ensure that each client is provided effective and humane treatment. The nine core principles are:

1. Do No Harm: Makes sense right? It is the first thing I think of when I hear the word ethics. It is the least we can do as professionals, to not make the clients life worse. In regards to Behavior Analysis this means as a BCBA you are responsible to collect data and evaluate the seriousness of the behavior.

2. Respecting Autonomy: Respect that your client is a human being seeking independence. It is our job to promote alternative behaviors that will increase their self sufficiency. A trick to remember this: when you are done working with a client the one thing you want is them to be able to function on their own. 

3. Benefiting Others: regardless of the setting or situation (as long as you are working within your scope of expertise) you are working to benefit the client. Also it isn't just the client who will benefit from your services. Family, teachers, and general public will benefit from your work also. 

4. Being Just: It's the Golden Rule folks "treat others the way you want to be treated". In Behavior Analysis there is the use of punishment that will bring on uncomfortable stimuli and contingencies. Constant analysis of data from a behavior plan will allow you to determine when and what to change within the plan. 

5. Being Truthful: This may seem simple enough, being honest with your clients. It can be challenging when you have to speak with a family about being accountable. Or when you have to stop a BT in an observation because they are not implementing a program correctly. It is better to be 100% honest with a client then to lie and lose your credibility. 

6. According Dignity: The population we work with has a large number of individuals who cannot self advocate. It is our job to ensure that clients make as many choices as they can each day, train staff on any and all communication procedures, and to talk with clients like they were a friend. Give the client your full attention, make eye contact, and respond to their requests. 

7. Treat others with care and compassion: When working with families demonstrate you have sympathy and concern. This does not mean to go off the deep end and offer your services free of charge or talk about other aspects of the families personal life. This can lead to a dual relationship. Show that you are passionate about your work and are available to provide the necessary services to their child. 

8. Pursuit of Excellence: Just wanting to be the BCBA doesn't necessarily mean you will. You need to stay up to date on the latest research (subscribe to JABA or JEAB), attend conferences (you have to do it anyways to obtain continuing education credits). One supervisor told me she could encounter the same behavior over and over again but she would still do extensive research to ensure that a treatment was valid and current. 

9. Accepting Responsibility: The way we conduct ourselves as a person can be part of the ethics we use in our work. As a BCBA if the treatment fails it is your job to take ownership and make corrections to satisfy the client. The changes you make must still be proper, justified, and worthy of consideration.

Seems like a lot to remember, right? It is extremely important in this field that every BCBA conducts themselves with the highest standard to ensure that the clients get the services they need.