The Roles of Ethics Codes, Professional Guidelines, & Professional Associations
Credentialed behavior analysts adhere to the Behavior Analyst Certification Board®’s (BACB®) Code of Ethics for their related certification level—the Code of Ethics for Board Certified Behavior Analysts® (BCBA®; BACB, 2020) or Registered Behavior Technicians® (RBT®; BACB, 2021).
Behavior analysts can also seek guidance regarding ethics from local, national, and international behavior-analytic associations. Those holding multiple credentials or working in interdisciplinary organizations may be further subject to additional ethical guidelines, broadening their access to pathways for supporting equitable access to behavior-analytic services.
In the fifth installment of our Promoting Access to Behavior Analytic Services series, we asked how behavior analysts engage with various entities (e.g., professional associations and organizations). We then examine the role of ethical guidelines and advocacy support in promoting equitable access to services within those entities.
Ethic Codes & Guidance for Equitable Services
Almost all (97%) respondents reported adhering to the BACB’s Code of Ethics for BCBAs, RBTs, or both to guide their practice. The second most common ethical guidelines respondents indicated adhering to (about 19%) were those from the American Psychological Association. Other ethical guidelines influencing behavior analysts’ practice included those from the, for example:
- Qualified Applied Behavior Analysis Credentialing Board®
- Council for Autism Service Providers, Association for Behavioral Health Professionals
- American Medical Association
- National Association for School Psychologists
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
- American Counseling Association
Overall, 62% of respondents indicated that at least one code they followed guided their practice for equitable access to care, and 23% of respondents were unsure whether any code they followed included such guidelines.
The second of four core, foundational principles the BACB’s Code of Ethics for BCBAs requires all BCBAs to, “[t]reat others with compassion, dignity, and respect.” The BACB goes on to describe such behavior as “treating others equitably, regardless of factors such as age, disability, ethnicity…” (p. 4). Further, Code 1.08-Nondiscrimination repeats similar language regarding treating others similarly despite inherent differences (p. 9).
However, our question specifically asked whether the respondents followed ethical guidelines that included support for ensuring “equitable access to services.” The BACB’s Code of Ethics does not address equitability regarding accessing services. Yet, 70% of those who reported only using the BACB code believed that providing equitable services was outlined in it. Only 6 out of 60 respondents (10%) were aware that no such guidance was provided. The remaining 20% were unsure of what guidance is provided in the BACB Code of Ethics.
That said, this aligns with the BACB as a credentialing, rather than a practice-regulating, entity. Entities that focus on the application of behavior analysis (e.g., Association for Professional Behavior Analysts) might be better positioned to provide such guidance. We also could not discern which entity’s ethical code included details regarding equitable access to services when respondents indicated that at one’s did, when multiple codes were listed.
Memberships & Guidance for General Advocacy, Equitable Services
About half (52%) of respondents indicated belonging to at least one entity that provided guidance for general advocacy for their target population (e.g., how to reach out to state legislators).
- Of these respondents, about 20% identified the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI)
- 6% identified the Association for Professional Behavior Analysts (APBA) as that entity
- Several others highlighted local- to international-level behavior-analytic associations (e.g., Alaska, California, Florida, Kansas, New Jersey, Texas, and Virginia Associations for Applied Behavior Analysis; Women in Behavior Analysis; Ontario and Italy ABAI Chapters)
- Non-behavior-analytic entities appearing included the, for example, Council for Autism Service Providers, National Association for School Psychologists, Behavioral Health Centers of Excellence, Association for Contextual Behavioral Science
- Notably, 38% of respondents said their affiliated entities provided no advocacy guidance, and 11% indicated that they were unsure whether such support existed.
When asked if the entities they a part of provided guidelines were for working with diverse, stigmatized, historically marginalized, or underserved populations, only 36% said yes. How these guidelines informed clinical practice ranged. Most respondents suggested that their respective guidelines prompted diversity statements, generated cultural awareness positions, facilitated focuses on trauma-informed care, and refined supervision requirements.
Some noted they also helped inform services for those without autism spectrum disorder. Others were less optimistic of how guidelines for working with these populations functionally informed their practice. Several respondents cited that the guidelines they accessed appeared grounded in an ideology over objective, supporting data, and that applying the principle of behavior to all facets of one’s work (while adhering to ethical requirements) negated the need for these additional guidelines.
A Note on ABAI
ABAI has several resources regarding advocacy. Some include resources regarding insurance coverage (ABAI Insurance Approval, n.d.), best practices (ABAI Best Practices, n.d.), and informational webinars (ABAI Webinar Series, n.d.). Behavior analysts might propose ABAI publish more structure guidelines, trainings, or support for general advocacy.
Still, other behavior-analytic organizations might have missions better aligned with advocacy for certain patient populations and systems-level change for accessing services. APBA is a popular outlet for practicing behavior analysts. Other entities might be even more knowledgeable of, for example, laws pertaining to sensitive populations, legislators and other advocates able to support behavior-analytic initiatives, and current events likely to impact equitable access to services—these include the many local and population-specific organizations.
Conclusion
The principles of behavior are universal, and behavior analysts are not exempt from them. Supportive associations, ethical guidelines, and advocacy resources can serve as stimuli to increase efficient responding and shape evidence-based repertoires.
Behavior analysts should identify their needs, and that of those they serve, to determine how to access these stimuli, which will range in level (i.e., local, state, regional, national, and international) and governing entity (e.g., behavior-analytic associations or population-specific organizations).
References
Association for Behavior Analysis International (n.d.). ABAI webinar series. Association for Behavior Analysis International. https://www.abainternational.org/constituents/practitioners/webinars.aspx
Association for Behavior Analysis International (n.d.). Insurance approval for applied behavior analysis services/health insurance claim form. Association for Behavior Analysis International. https://www.abainternational.org/constituents/practitioners/insurance-approvalhicfa.aspx
Association for Behavior Analysis International (n.d.). Strategic plan. Association for Behavior Analysis International. https://www.abainternational.org/about-us/strategic-plan.aspx
Behavior Analyst Certification Board. (2020). Ethics code for behavior analysts. https://bacb.com/wp-content/ethics-code-for-behavior-analysts/
Behavior Analyst Certification Board. (2021). RBT ethics code (2.0). https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/RBT-Ethics-Code-240830-a.pdf