Reference no: EM133877800
Assignment:
Respond to this discussion board posting based on the following questions:
- How can the Ethics Code guide a behavior analyst's use of social media to seek resources for a client's family?
- What advice would you offer to the BA using the Model for Ethical Decision Making?
- How would you ensure competence per the core principle of the Ethics Code when giving the BA advice?
Ask at least one thoughtful follow-up question.
In this scenario, the BCBA questions whether they should provide advice to the family, even if the questions they are seeking answers to fall outside the BCBA's competency. Several challenges may arise if this question is posted in a social media environment. O'Leary et al. (2017) described several ethical concerns related to using social media that can reveal confidential or identifying information about clients.
To begin, in this scenario, the BCBA is right to be concerned about competency given that Code 1.05 of the Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts states that BCBAs practice within their defined role of competence (Board Certified Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB), 2020). It would not be ethical for the BCBA to give advice even if another individual is asking a question online. The BCBA has a responsibility to maintain their competence by seeking coaching, consultation, or supervision from others (Code 1.07). Another point to consider is that behavior analysts take appropriate measures to protect the confidentiality of clients or stakeholders. Even if the BCBA does not reveal the client's or stakeholders' names, there is identifiable information such as their age, diagnosis, and the treatment they are currently receiving. If the BCBA is seeking advice from colleagues on an online platform, it must be done in the best interest of the client while remaining ethical (Code 2.10).
When reviewing section 5, Responsibility in Public Statements, in the Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts, several codes apply to this scenario (BACB, 2020). First, the BCBA has the responsibility of protecting the client's rights in all public statements (Code 5.01). As stated previously and in Code 5.02, confidentiality is also an issue, but specifically in public statements, the behavior analyst should try to prevent any involuntary sharing of confidential information. Based on Code 5.06, the BCBA should not advertise any nonbehavioral services in public statements even when being asked how to approach telling the individual their diagnosis. According to Code 5.10, when posting information on social media, the risks to privacy and confidentiality must be known, and that information must be published on the BCBA's professional account. They should obtain informed consent to post online, include that consent was given, reduce the potential for sharing clients' information, and prevent misuse of shared information.
In this situation, the advice that I would give to the BCBA is to first be cautious of giving out specific information about the client's identity when posting online. I would also advise that they seek advice from a supervisor or the ethics board to protect the individual's confidentiality. The BCBA should avoid giving specific advice without having a formal evaluation of the client (O'Leary et al., 2015). Regarding the client's question, I would suggest that they refer the family to speak to a professional who is in that scope of practice such as a counselor about addressing the diagnosis with their son.
When using the model for ethical decision-making, as stated before, there are several issues in this scenario such as confidentiality and maintaining competence that should be considered (Bailey & Burch, 2016). The BCBA should address the family with honesty and responsibility. Reviewing the ethics codes assists in taking the appropriate actions to this scenario. Sharing information publicly about the client may break confidentiality while advising out of their competence may cause more harm to the child. The BCBA should obtain informed consent from the family to post about their situation online. When forming solutions for this scenario, the BCBA must seek consultation with their supervisor and the BACB. Referring the family to a qualified professional prevents any conflicts that may arise. The BCBA should follow up with the family to make sure that they received the proper support that they were looking for. The BCBA can determine if further steps need to be taken from there. Hopefully, with this advice, the BCBA can prevent any ethical dilemmas in the future by giving general information when seeking assistance. The BCBA will then know what steps are appropriate to take when needing questions answered before considering posting on social media.