Transcript Contingency Contracting, Token Economy, and Group Contingencies

Chapter 29:
Ethical Considerations for
Applied Behavior Analysts
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Ethics
• Behaviors, practices, and decisions that
address three fundamental questions:
– What is the right thing to do?
– What is worth doing?
– What does it mean to be a good behavior
analyst?
• End goal: Further the welfare of the
client
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
What is the right thing to do?
• Personal history influences our decision
making
– Personal experiences
– Cultural/religious beliefs
– Professional training and experiences
– To ensure that personal experiences and
cultural/religious beliefs don’t take over:
– Consult research literature, case studies,
supervisors, colleagues
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
What is worth doing?
• Social validity
– Are the goals acceptable for the planned
behavior change intervention?
– Are the procedures acceptable and aligned
with best treatment practices?
– Do the results show meaningful,
significant, and sustainable change?
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
What is worth doing?
• Cost-Benefit Ratio
– Does the potential benefit to the individual
justify the short- and long-term cost for
providing the service?
• Decisions should be made by committee
• Person with highest stake in outcome should
be given greatest consideration
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
What is worth doing?
• Existing Exigencies
– Behaviors that are more serious warrant
intervention consideration before behaviors
that are less problematic
– Must still consider long-term ramifications
for treatments that result in quick change
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
The good behavior analyst…
• Follows the Golden Rule
• Is self-regulating
• Calibrates decisions over time to
meeting changing cultural values and
contingencies
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Professional Standards
• Written guidelines or rules of practice
that provide direction for the practices
associated with an organization
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Professional Standards
• See…
– APA: Ethical Principles of Psychologists
and Code of Conduct
– ABA: The Right to Effective Behavioral
Treatment and The Right to Effective
Education
– BACB: Guidelines for Responsible
Conduct for Behavior Analysts and The
BCBA and BCABA Behavior Analyst Task
List
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Ensuring Professional
Competence
• Academic training that includes:
– Formal coursework
– Supervised practica
– Mentored professional experience
• Certification and licensure
– Behavior Analyst Certification Board
• Keep practice within your area of
competence
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Maintaining and Expanding
Professional Competence
• Continuing Educational Unit credits
(CEUs)
• Attending and presenting at
conferences
• Professional reading
• Oversight and peer review opportunities
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Making and Substantiating
Professional Claims
• Avoid making unsubstantiated claims
(e.g., “I am certain I can help your son”)
– Maintain a healthy dose of humility
• Only present yourself with valid
credentials (never claim to have
certifications, licenses that you don’t
have)
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Informed Consent
• The potential recipient of services or a
participant in a research study gives his
or her explicit permission before any
assessment or treatment is provided
• Permission must follow full disclosure
and information has been provided
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Three Tests for Informed
Consent
• Person must demonstrate capacity to
decide
• Person’s decision must be voluntary
• Person must have adequate knowledge
of all salient aspects of treatment
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Capacity to Decide
• The person must have
– Adequate mental process or faculty by
which he/she acquires knowledge
– Ability to select and express his or her
choices
– Ability to engage in a rational process of
decision making
• These are often fluid concepts
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Surrogate/Guardian Consent
• When a person is deemed
incapacitated, consent may be obtained
through a surrogate or guardian
– Surrogate: a legal process by which
another individual is authorized to make a
decision for the person deemed
incompetent
– Guardian: legal custodian of the individual
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Voluntary
• Consent is given in the absence of
coercion, distress, or undue influence
• Consent can be revoked at any time
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Knowledge of Treatment
• Treatment must be presented in clear,
nontechnical language
– All important aspects of treatment
– All potential risks/benefits
– All potential alternative treatments
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Treatment Without Consent
• Life-threatening emergency
• Imminent risk of serious harm
• Cannot be done when parents simply
refuse; have recourse through legal
system
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Confidentiality
• Information regarding an individual
receiving services may not be
discussed with or made available to
third parties (unless explicit permission
has been given)
• Limits
– Abusive situations
– Imminent, severe harm to the individual
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Protecting Dignity, Health, and
Safety
• Do I honor choices?
– Do I help the client select outcomes and
behavior change targets?
• Do I provide adequate space for
privacy?
• Do I look beyond the disability and treat
the person with respect?
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Advocating for the Client
• Is the problem amenable to behavior
treatment?
– Ensure the problem is not medical
– Ensure the problem is the client’s and that
there is, indeed, a problem
– Ensure other interventions have been
attempted and that the problem can’t be
solved informally or by another discipline
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Advocating for the Client
• Is the proposed intervention likely to be
successful?
– Client, caregivers willing to participate
– Research support for treatment
– Public support for treatment
– Behavior analyst skilled in treatment
– Contingencies of reinforcement can be
controlled
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Embracing the Scientific
Method
• “In science keeping an open mind is a
virtue, but not so open that your brains
fall out” (James Oberg)
• When selecting interventions, behavior
analysts should rely on
– Peer-reviewed scientific reports published
in reputable outlets
– Direct and frequent measures of behavior
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Conflict of Interest
• Occurs when a principal party, alone or in
connection with family, friends or associates,
has a vested interest in the outcome of the
interaction
• Direct and frequent observations puts
behavior analysts in close contact with the
client and family members in natural settings
• Must be cautious not to develop personal
relationships that cross professional
boundaries
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved