E.6-Responsibility in Public Statements

E.6-Responsibility in Public Statements

Learning Objectives

(Contreras et al., 2021)

(Morris, 1985)

According to the Ethics Code for Behvaior Analysts by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (2020), these are the 11 public statement responsibilities for behavior analysts:

According to the Ethics Code for Behvaior Analysts by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (2020), these are the 11 public statement responsibilities for behavior analysts:

5.01

5.02

5.03

5.04

5.05

5.06

5.07

References

According to the Ethics Code for Behvaior Analysts by the Behavior AnalystCertification Board (2020), these are the 11 public statement responsibilities for behavior analysts:

5.08

5.09

5.10

5.11

5.08 Using Testimonials from Former Clients for Advertising

Behavior analysts must take into account the possibility that a former client may re-enter services when gaining testimonials from past clients or stakeholders to use in advertisements in effort to gain new clients. Said testimonials must be identified as soclicited or unsolicited, have an accurate statement of relationship between testimonial writer and behavior analyst, and comply with all applicable confidentiality and privacy laws. When asking former clients or stakeholders for testimonials, behavior analysts must provide thorough and clear descriptions on how and where the testimonials will be used, ensure they are aware of any risks concerning the disclosure of private information, and inform them they may take back the testimonial at any time. If the behavior analyst's organization of employmnet violates the Code standard, the behavior analyst must take steps to fix the situation, documenting all actions taken and their outcomes.

Behavior analysts must obtain informed consent previous to posting, ensure confidentiality, and use content only for the intended audience and purposes before using digital content to publically share information of clients. They make sure all social media posts come with a disclaimer that they gained informed consent. If the behavior analysts organization of employment violates the Code, the behavior analyst is responsible for making an effort and taking steps to fix the situation, documenting all actions and outcomes.

5.11 Using Digital Content in Public Statements

5.09 Using Testimonials for Nonadvertising Purposes

Behavior analysts can use former client and stakeholder testimonials for nonadvertising purposes (e.g., grant applications, fundraising, etc.) in accordance to applicable laws. If the behavior analyst's organization of employmnet violates the Code standard, the behavior analyst must take appropriate steps to fix the situation, documenting all actions and outcomes.

Behavior analysts know the risks to confidentiality and privacy relating to the use of social media channels and websites and use both their professional and personal accounts appropriaytely. They never publish informaton or digital content of clients on their personal accounts and websites. When publishing client information on their professional accounts and websites, they must (1) obtain informed consent before posting, (2) include a disclaimer that informed consent was recieved and the information should not be reused without permission, (3) publish on social media in a manner that decreases the sharing potential, and (4) make efforts to prevent and fix the misuse of shared information, documenting all actions and outcomes. Behavior analysts frequently watch their websites and social media accounts to make sure only accurate and appropriate information is shared.

5.10 Social Media Channels and Websites

Genially

5.01 Protecting the Rights of Clients, Stakeholders, Supervisees, and Trainees

In all public statements, behavior analysts prioritize and protect rights of clients, stakeholders, supervisors, and trainees.

5.02 Confidentiality in Public Statements

Behavior analysts must keep all information of clients, trainees, and supervisees confidential unless otherwise allowed, and must take appropriate steps to avoid accidental sharing of identifying and confidential information.

5.03 Public Statements by Behavior Analysts

Behavior analysts must take reasonable precautions when providing public statements to ensure the statement is honest and does not mislead or exaggerate based on what they suggest, convey, state, or omit, and are rooted in research and a behavior conceptualization. They also do not publically give advice specifically related to the needs of the client.

5.06 Advertising Nonbehavioral Services

Behavior analysts never promote nonbehavioral services as behavioral services. All nonbehavioral services performed by behavior analysts must be clearly distinguished from behavioral services and BACB certification with this disclaimer: “These interventions are not behavioral in nature and are not covered by my BACB certification.” This disclaimer should be put beside the names and descriptions of nonbehavioral interventions. If a behavior analyst's organization of employment violates the Code standard, the behavior analyst must make efforts to fix the situation and document all actions and outcomes.

There is a responsibility all behavior analysts hold when making public statements promoting their activities or products as a professional regardless of creators or publishers. Behavior analysts make efforts to stop employers, marketers, clients, stakeholders, etc. from making dishonest statements about their professional products or activities. Behavior analysts make efforts to correct any false statements, and document all actions taken to do so and the eventual outcomes.

5.04 Public Statements by Others

Behavior analysts never solicit testimonials from current clients or stakeholders in order to gain new clients due to the possibility of undue influence and implicit coercion. This does not include unasked for reviews on websites where behavior analysts have no control over the content, but the content may not be used or shared by the behavior analyst. If the behavior analyst's organization of employmnet violates the Code standards, behavior analysts must take steps to fix this situation and document all actions and their outcomes.

5.07 Soliciting Testimonials from Current Clients for Advertising

5.05 Use of Intellectual Property

Behavior analysts understand and adhere with intelectual property laws, including gaining permission to use trademarked or copyrighted materials. They must use all materials appropriately by citing, or including trademark/copyright symbols. They also never obtain or disclose information owned by someone else, regardless of how they came to know that information.

Learning Objectives:

Identify responsibilities behavior analysts have in public statements, identify steps to take when making professional stetements, identify response strategies in the case of a violation of the Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts by an employment organization

The importance of desicion making and ethical practice increases as the amount of applied behavior analysts grows (Contreras et al., 2021).

The future of the field of applied behavior analysis may depend in part on behavior anal ysts spreading only accurate and unbiased information (Morris, 1985).

References:

Behavior Analyst Certification Board. (2020). Ethics code for behavior analysts. https://bacb.com/wp-content/ethics-code-for-behavior-analysts/Contreras, B. P., Hoffmann, A. N., & Slocum, T. A. (2021). Ethical behavior analysis: Evidence-based practice as a framework for ethical decision making. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 15(2), 619–634. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-021-00658-5 Morris, E. K. (1985). Public information, dissemination, and behavioranalysis. The Behavior Analyst, 8(1), 95–110. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf03391916