Gina Delli Bovi Caldwell College WHAT MAKES US UNIQUE? Gina Delli Bovi Caldwell College

Meet the clients… Behavior analysis encompasses a wide range of clients (“consumers”) ranging from very low functioning, multiply physically handicapped, developmentally disabled individuals to high functioning children with autism and adults to corporate supervisors, managers, and chief executive officers.

a commitment to science Only human services approach that requires the treatment itself and not just the practice, use scientific methods. Methodology is founded in single-subject design research where individuals serve as their own control “Evidence-based Treatment” Recent catch phrase in fields of psychology/medicine Standard procedure for BA’s for over 40 years Must keep up with recent research literature Studies MUST meet rigorous peer-reviewed standards including a clear demonstration of exp. Control BA’s must keep up with developments in their specialty to meet expectation of excellence in BACB guidelines

Personal Input Some adjustments may need to be made to a treatment so that it better fits the client Type of Reinforcer/Punisher Schedule of Reinforcement Strong experimental studies provide confidence that a given procedure will produce a specific outcome

Handing over the reins Unlike other helping professions, the treatments designed by behavior analysts are often carried out by others Paraprofessionals Caregivers Parents Teachers Determines seriousness of behavior, establishes baseline data collection, completes necessary background work and an FA Once controlling variables are determined, a treatment plan is designed, approved and put in place BCBA may need to demonstrate the plan and is ethically obligated to train staff on how to efficiently carry out the plan to ensure it is effective

Behavior analyst vs. clinical psychologist Work in clinical Setting Patients seek out treatment Patient leaves on their own accord at the end BCBA Setting is where behavior occurs Clients are referred by someone else “real world settings” provide special set of ethical problems

A different code of ethics… 1. BCBA’s must be careful to respect client rights Make sure 3rd party hasn’t wrongfully referred them (convenience rather than necessity) 2. Data Collection Data must be accurate and reliable, yet unobtrusive to client to avoid stigmatizing them– very fine line! 3. Vulnerable populations Individuals unable to protect themselves Must ensure their rights are not violated

“…behavior is not only quite severe but also amazingly complex in nature.” FA’s help yield a valid treatment, however, myriad variables sometimes get in the way Medical condition that occurred years earlier Occurrence of conditioned reinforcers EO’s that provide motivation from time to time Discriminative stimuli and setting events which set the occasion for the behavior The ethical behavior analyst must examine all possibilities to determine which are most salient!

Aversive Consequences Without ethical guidelines, gave us a bad reputation Since then… Recommended only after reinforcement procedures have been tried The client or their surrogate gives approval If used, reinforcement for alternative behavior is included in the plan Staying on the side of positive reinforcement must be balanced with the client’s right to effective treatment

employment Employer is a third party Likely to be working for a state agency or private consulting firm Sufficient countercontrol to prevent abuses when service is paid directly by the patient Ensures service meets needs of consumer Prevents harm seen in Miami case Agencies must… Be diligent in hiring qualified BA’s Assume responsibility for their actions on a day-to-day basis Some entity or organization must keep tab on their professionals’ performance to assume monitoring function and exert quality assurance. Employer must be fully aware of the Guidelines for Responsible Conduct

Between a rock and a hard place… Responsibility is on the behavior analyst Must uphold highest standards to avoid harming clients or tarnishing the reputation of the employer (not to mention the field in general!) Employers are not always ethical May want to cut corners or increase profits BA’s pledge to support the Guidelines supersedes the desire of the employer

ABA vs. Other autism treatments http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6CWf9H7F8k Behavior analysts are responsible for spreading the word and promoting ABA as the treatment of choice for autism Do it professionally! Be respectful of what other clients may have tried Handle criticism or questions proficiently and in a way that you are proud to stand by your response Don’t want to make our field stand out in a bad way

In summary Behavior analysts have the potential to do great good for clients and society It is the goal of the BACB Guidelines to ensure that this outcome is consistently achieved while protecting client’s rights at all times. By analyzing complex problematic behaviors Finding humane and effective solutions Implementing programs that work Ensuring the lest-restrictive, most effective evidence-based treatments possible

Questions or comments?

References Bailey, J.S., &Burch, M.R. (2001). Ethics for behavior analysts (2nd Expanded Edition). Routledge.