Behavior Analyst Certification Board | Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts | 2
Updated 02/2024, Copyright © 2020, BACB® | All rights reserved.
Table of Contents
Introduction ........................................................................ 3
Scope of the Code ................................................................................................... 3
Core Principles ......................................................................................................... 4
Application of the Code ..........................................................................................5
Enforcement of the Code .......................................................................................6
Glossary ............................................................................. 7
Ethics Standards ................................................................ 9
Section 1—Responsibility as a Professional ......................................................9
1.01 Being Truthful ........................................................................................... 9
1.02 Conforming with Legal and Professional Requirements...........9
1.03 Accountability..........................................................................................9
1.04 Practicing within a Defined Role .......................................................9
1.05 Practicing within Scope of Competence .......................................9
1.06 Maintaining Competence ....................................................................9
1.07 Cultural Responsiveness and Diversity ..........................................9
1.08 Nondiscrimination ..................................................................................9
1.09 Nonharassment ...................................................................................... 9
1.10 Awareness of Personal Biases and Challenges ...........................9
1.11 Multiple Relationships ........................................................................... 10
1.12 Giving and Receiving Gifts ................................................................. 10
1.13 Coercive and Exploitative Relationships ....................................... 10
1.14 Romantic and Sexual Relationships................................................. 10
1.15 Responding to Requests ..................................................................... 10
1.16 Self-Reporting Critical Information ................................................... 10
Section 2—Responsibility in Practice ............................................................... 10
2.01 Providing Eective Treatment.......................................................... 10
2.02 Timeliness ............................................................................................. 10
2.03 Protecting Confidential Information .............................................. 10
2.04 Disclosing Confidential Information ................................................ 11
2.05 Documentation Protection and Retention .................................... 11
2.06 Accuracy in Service Billing and Reporting ...................................11
2.07 Fees ..........................................................................................................11
2.08 Communicating About Services ...................................................... 11
2.09 Involving Clients and Stakeholders ................................................ 11
2.10 Collaborating with Colleagues ..........................................................11
2.11 Obtaining Informed Consent ...............................................................11
2.12 Considering Medical Needs ..............................................................12
2.13 Selecting, Designing, and Implementing Assessments ...........12
2.14 Selecting, Designing, and Implementing Behavior-
Change Interventions ..............................................................................12
2.15 Minimizing Risk of Behavior-Change Interventions ...................12
2.16 Describing Behavior-Change Interventions
BeforeImplementation ...........................................................................12
2.17 Collecting and Using Data ..................................................................12
2.18 Continual Evaluation of the Behavior-Change Intervention ....12
2.19 Addressing Conditions Interfering with Service Delivery ........12
Section 3—Responsibility to Clients and Stakeholders ...............................13
3.01 Responsibility to Clients......................................................................13
3.02 Identifying Stakeholders ....................................................................13
3.03 Accepting Clients.................................................................................13
3.04 Service Agreement .............................................................................13
3.05 Financial Agreements ........................................................................13
3.06 Consulting with Other Providers .....................................................13
3.07 Third-Party Contracts for Services ..................................................13
3.08 Responsibility to the Client with Third-Party Contracts
forServices .................................................................................................13
3.09 Communicating with Stakeholders About Third-Party
Contracted Services ................................................................................14
3.10 Limitations of Confidentiality .............................................................14
3.11 Documenting Professional Activity ...................................................14
3.12 Advocating for Appropriate Services .............................................14
3.13 Referrals ...................................................................................................14
3.14 Facilitating Continuity of Services ....................................................14
3.15 Appropriately Discontinuing Services ............................................14
3.16 Appropriately Transitioning Services ..............................................14
Section 4—Responsibility to Supervisees and Trainees .............................15
4.01 Compliance with Supervision Requirements ...............................15
4.02 Supervisory Competence .................................................................15
4.03 Supervisory Volume ...........................................................................15
4.04 Accountability in Supervision ...........................................................15
4.05 Maintaining Supervision Documentation .....................................15
4.06 Providing Supervision and Training ...............................................15
4.07 Incorporating and Addressing Diversity .......................................15
4.08 Performance Monitoring and Feedback ......................................15
4.09 Delegation of Tasks ............................................................................15
4.10 Evaluating Eects of Supervision and Training ...........................16
4.11 Facilitating Continuity of Supervision ...............................................16
4.12 Appropriately Terminating Supervision ..........................................16
Section 5—Responsibility in Public Statements .............................................16
5.01 Protecting the Rights of Clients, Stakeholders,
Supervisees, and Trainees ....................................................................16
5.02 Confidentiality in Public Statements ..............................................16
5.03 Public Statements by Behavior Analysts......................................16
5.04 Public Statements by Others ...........................................................16
5.05 Use of Intellectual Property ..............................................................16
5.06 Advertising Nonbehavioral Services ............................................16
5.07 Soliciting Testimonials from Current Clients
for Advertising ...........................................................................................17
5.08 Using Testimonials from Former Clients for Advertising ........17
5.09 Using Testimonials for Nonadvertising Purposes ..................... 17
5.10 Social Media Channels and Websites ............................................17
5.11 Using Digital Content in Public Statements ................................... 17
Section 6—Responsibility in Research ..............................................................17
6.01 Conforming with Laws and Regulations in Research ................17
6.02 Research Review ................................................................................. 17
6.03 Research in Service Delivery ...........................................................17
6.04 Informed Consent in Research .......................................................18
6.05 Confidentiality in Research...............................................................18
6.06 Competence in Conducting Research .........................................18
6.07 Conflict of Interest in Research and Publication ........................18
6.08 Appropriate Credit ..............................................................................18
6.09 Plagiarism ...............................................................................................18
6.10 Documentation and Data Retention in Research .......................18
6.11 Accuracy and Use of Data ..................................................................18