rlando Behavior Health Services, LLC

BACB EXAM PREP MATERIALS

ETHICS QUESTIONS

1. Ralph is the Behavior Analyst in a local public school special education program. He has
recently developed treatment plan for a child who engages in self-injurious behavior. Ralph
calls the child’s parents to review the plan prior to the plan’s implementation. During the call,
Ralph describes in detail the elements of the plan, answering all of their questions. Ralph also
explains that that their child’s IEP Team has determined that the child’s behavior represents a
significant risk to the child and, without this treatment, the child cannot remain as a student
in the program. In this example, Ralph has: (1-1)
a. Met all of the steps necessary for informed consent.
b. Violated the issue of “Information” by failing to provide a written copy of the Treatment
Plan.
c. Violated the element of “Voluntariness” by threatening that the child cannot remain in
the program if the parents do not consent to the plan.
d. The right to immediately institute the plan as an emergency procedure.

2. During a recent IEP Team meeting, there was a significant disagreement between Linda’s
parents and her Behavior Analyst regarding the most appropriate goals regarding her social
skills. To resolve this dispute, the Behavior Analyst should: (1-3)
a. Defer to the parents’ wishes.
b. Hire an outside consultant, without the parent’s knowledge, to provide a second
opinion.
c. Maintain his/her stand and suggest to the parents that they can file with BSEA.
d. Include only the Behavior Analysts’ recommendations.

3. A child in your program lives with their natural parents. Unfortunately, the parents are both
developmentally disabled and are not strong academic role models. As a Behavior Analyst
you should: (1-3)
a. Advocate on behalf of the child to be placed with a foster care family.
b. Recommend that the child be transferred to a residential school.
c. Refer the case to DSS.
d. Take action to support the parents that will allow the child to remain within his/her
natural family.
4. Fran works in a program as the Behavior Analyst that has a very conservative Human Rights
policy. This policy requires that all potential positive interventions be attempted prior to
implementing any “restrictive” treatment plans. In order to work within her agency’s
philosophy, Fran should: (1-5)
a. Follow the policy and try all procedures that she can find in the literature.
b. Suggest a psychopharmacological consult as a substitute intervention.
c. Refuse to implement programs that Fran does not believe will be effective.
d. Seek Human Rights Committee approval to probe a restrictive intervention to
demonstrate whether or not it will be effective.

OBHS, LLC ©2009; BACB Exam Prep: Ethics Questions; M. Weinberg, Ph.D., BCBA-D (06-09) p. 1
 rlando Behavior Health Services, LLC
5. Bill works as a Behavior Analyst in a private residential program serving adults with severe
Developmental Disabilities. The direct care staff in this program is generally unmotivated and
provides poor care. Bill is assigned to develop a behavior plan for Sally who is very aggressive.
One of the primary concerns for Bill should be: (1-4)
a. The risk that a consultant will review his treatment protocol.
b. The likelihood that any behavior plans will be correctly implemented.
c. The collection of precise baseline data.
d. That he conducts a Functional Analysis himself to avoid any problems with the staff.

6. As a Behavior Analyst, Jeff cannot identify any effective reinforcers to help reduce George’s (a
man with profound mental retardation) very dangerously aggressive behaviors. Jeff decides
to draft a plan that includes having George earn tokens to “buy” all of his daily food, clothing,
toiletries, mattress, pillow, and sheets. This program: (1-5)
a. Should be implemented only with the “assent” of George.
b. Should be based on a functional analysis.
c. Be monitored by a devastative data analysis.
d. Should not be implemented.

7. Edward begins to engage in severe head banging. The first step in the development of a
treatment plan should be: (1-6)
a. Contact his Primary Care Physician to rule-out any medical complications that may be
responsible for this new behavior
b. Conducting a formal Analogue Functional Analysis.
c. Attempt a DRO procedure.
d. Wait to see of the behavior continues for more than one week.

8. Anne is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), with only experience in the treatment of
young children with Autism. Her supervisor is having a very difficult time with a high school
student diagnosed with PTSD and reassigns the case to Anne. As a BCBA, it is Anne’s
responsibility to: (1-6)
a. Accept the referral and begin to read-up on PTSD.
b. Begin with a formal clinical interview to determine the appropriate DSM IV diagnosis.
c. Suggest to the supervisor that he refer the case to a colleague who has experience with
this age and disability.
d. Suggest to the child’s parents that they seek a psychotherapy provider since this is a
mental illness and not likely to be effectively treated with an ABA approach.

9. After collecting an appropriate baseline and completing an appropriate functional assessment,

Serena , a BCBA , selects the most appropriate and likely to be effective treatment approach.
After a few days of treatment, Serena should: (1-7)
a. Recognize that his staff may not be motivated to continue the treatment if he continues
to require daily data is collected and reduce the data collection to weekly.
b. Continue to evaluate the treatment on a daily basis and take steps to ensure
appropriate intervention.

OBHS, LLC ©2009; BACB Exam Prep: Ethics Questions; M. Weinberg, Ph.D., BCBA-D (06-09) p. 2
 rlando Behavior Health Services, LLC
c. Be willing to accept a descriptive evaluation of the treatment to ensure an effective
intervention.
d. Change the treatment to one that is less effortful and more likely to be implemented.

10. Elaine is a student in a BACB-approved graduate program taking courses for her certification
as a BCBA, and is beginning her program’s approved practicum for her supervised experience
requirements. During the initial meeting with her supervisor she is asked by her supervisor
for full access to all records about the children she has in the class she works in at a local
public school. Elaine should: (1-8)
a. Indicate to the supervisor that it would not be appropriate to provide the all the records
of the students
b. Obtain all the records and provide them to her supervisor
c. Ask the supervisor to contact the school records office for a copy of the records
d. Ask the principal of the school about seeking a release from the parents so her
supervisor can obtain the records.

OBHS, LLC ©2009; BACB Exam Prep: Ethics Questions; M. Weinberg, Ph.D., BCBA-D (06-09) p. 3