Ethics and Professional Conduct
Core ethical commitments
Behavior analysts owe clients beneficence and nonmaleficence - do good and avoid harm. Autonomy respects client choice and assent. Justice demands fair access and nondiscrimination. Fidelity means honesty and integrity in practice. Dignity requires respectful, humane treatment. These principles guide decisions when rules conflict.
Informed consent and assent
Informed consent requires capacity, disclosure of procedures, risks, benefits, alternatives, and voluntariness. For minors or individuals with limited capacity, obtain consent from guardians and assent from the client when possible. Consent is ongoing, not a one-time signature. Traps: assuming a signed form covers new procedures, or treating guardian consent as sufficient without client assent.
Least restrictive and data-based decisions
Interventions should be the least restrictive effective option, with restrictive procedures (e.g., punishment, restraint) reserved for serious situations after less intrusive options fail and with appropriate safeguards. Decisions must be data-based, not opinion-based. Confidentiality limits disclosure to need-to-know; exceptions include risk of harm and legal mandates. Multiple relationships that could impair objectivity are avoided. Competence requires practicing within training and seeking supervision when outside it.
Worked example
A parent asks you to use a punishment procedure for minor noncompliance. Rule of thumb: start with reinforcement-based, function-matched options, document the rationale, and only escalate with data, consent, and safeguards.