In this assignment, your group will analyze an ethical case scenario in applied behavior analysis using both the BACB Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts (2022) and the Bailey & Burch (2022) Model for Ethical Decision Making. This project is designed to help you apply ethical principles to real-world challenges, collaborate effectively with peers, and present a professional, well-supported written analysis.
Your group will be provided with a case scenario below describing an ethical dilemma that a behavior analyst may encounter. As a team, you must review the scenario carefully, identify all relevant sections of the BACB Ethics Code that apply, and then work step-by-step through the Bailey & Burch model to arrive at an ethically sound decision. Your analysis should go beyond simply citing the code; you must clearly explain how each identified section applies to the facts of the case and justify your recommended course of action.
Your group submission must include the following components in a single APA-formatted paper:
- A brief summary of the case in your own words.
- Identification and explanation of all relevant BACB Ethics Code sections, describing their direct relevance to the scenario.
- A step-by-step application of the Bailey & Burch decision-making model, showing your groups reasoning process.
- A clearly stated final recommended course of action with justification grounded in ethical principles and practical considerations.
- A closing group reflection describing how your understanding of the case evolved through discussion, whether any disagreements occurred and how they were resolved, and how this decision-making process could be applied in future professional practice.
The paper should be 56 pages of content (excluding title and reference pages), formatted in APA 7th edition style, with proper in-text citations and a reference list. All group members are expected to contribute equally to the analysis, writing, and editing process.
Case Scenario Make It Work From Chapter 5
I am a BCaBA behavior therapist with one and a half years of experience, working at a small, private, for-profit school that provides educational services to children with developmental disabilities. This situation involves several children between the ages of five and seven years old. I am typically assigned to provide one-to-one therapy to children on the autism spectrum.
One day, an additional child was brought to me because one of the other therapists was out sick. I was not given a curriculum sheet or any instructions about the child. I was simply told, This is just for todaymake it work, which I did. However, as a result, my primary student and I accomplished nothing because it took all my attention to manage the second child.
The next day, I was told the same thing: Make it work, this is just temporary. Again, I got very little accomplished. This arrangement continued for the rest of the week. Essentially, I was just babysitting these two children rather than providing effective therapy.
At the end of the week, the parents of my primary student stopped me during pickup and reported that their child had seemed restless and less verbal all week. They asked if I knew of any problems. I lied and said, Sometimes it goes like thatups and downs, good weeks and bad weeks. They accepted my answer and left, but I felt horrible afterward.
I then went to the owner, who is a BCBA, and expressed that I was not comfortable with the situation. I asked, Are we still billing as though the children are getting one-to-one? The owner replied, Thats a business matter. Just stick to the therapyit will work out okay.
I followed up with, What about the parents? Do they know? The owner just stared at me and then walked away. I strongly suspect that the school is billing for one-on-one therapy for each child without informing the parents or the insurance company of the new arrangement.
Now I am unsure what to do. Should I go to the business manager? Should I tell the parents? Two very good BCBAs I liked and trusted left this school six months agoone was the clinical director and a very ethical person. When I asked the owner at the time why they left, I was told, Its just a professional difference of opinion. Now, I think I know why they left.
Rubric Group Case Scenario Ethics Analysis (100 points total)
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Criteria
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Outstanding
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Proficient
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Needs Improvement
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Unacceptable
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Points
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Completeness of the Assignment (50 pts)
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Fully addresses every section of the prompt, including accurate summary, correct BACB Ethics Code application, detailed use of each Bailey & Burch step, well-justified final decision, and thoughtful reflection.
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Covers all major sections but omits minor details or misses one or two relevant code sections; some areas lack depth.
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Several sections missing or insufficiently addressed; limited application of the Ethics Code or model; weak justification.
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Major omissions, inaccurate ethical application, or missing analysis components.
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050
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APA Formatting (20 pts)
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Meets all APA 7th edition standards with no formatting, citation, or reference errors.
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Minor APA errors that do not affect readability.
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Multiple APA errors or inconsistent formatting.
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Frequent APA errors that reduce professionalism and clarity.
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020
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Complexity and Depth of Content (30 pts)
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Strong critical thinking with nuanced, well-reasoned analysis, multiple perspectives, potential consequences, and recognition of complexities.
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Solid understanding with adequate reasoning and some exploration of alternatives.
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Basic reasoning with minimal complexity or critical thought.
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Overly simplistic content lacking reasoning or understanding of the ethical process.
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030
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