Ethical and Professional Practices Flashcards
7 cards from real BCAT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Ethical and Professional Practices flashcards as text
A parent asks a BCAT technician to share information about another client they know. How should the technician respond?
Answer: Decline and explain that all client information is strictly confidential
Confidentiality protects all clients, and technicians must not confirm or deny details about any other client to unauthorized parties.
Which of the following best describes the principle of non-maleficence as it applies to BCAT practice?
Answer: Avoiding actions or interventions that cause unnecessary harm to the client
Non-maleficence means 'do no harm,' requiring technicians to refrain from interventions that could hurt or traumatize the client.
A BCAT technician is approached by a researcher requesting access to a client's behavioral data for a study. The technician should:
Answer: Refer the researcher to the supervising BCBA and the appropriate authorization process
Data sharing for research must go through proper institutional channels and requires BCBA and organizational oversight, not individual technician discretion.
A BCAT technician realizes they made an error in session data collection. The correct course of action is to:
Answer: Inform the supervising BCBA, document the correction transparently, and note the reason
Transparency and accurate record-keeping are ethical obligations; errors must be disclosed and corrected using proper documentation procedures.
Which situation would most likely require a BCAT technician to make a mandatory report to authorities?
Answer: A technician suspects the client is being physically abused at home
Suspected child abuse or neglect is a mandatory reporting obligation under law that supersedes normal confidentiality rules.
A BCAT technician is asked by their employer to work with a client in a skill area they have not been trained in. The technician should:
Answer: Inform the employer of the training gap and request appropriate supervision or training before proceeding
Practicing outside one's competence is unethical; technicians must disclose skill gaps and seek training or supervision before proceeding.
Professional development for a BCAT technician is best described as:
Answer: An ongoing obligation to stay current with best practices in applied behavior analysis
Continued professional development is an ethical requirement to ensure technicians remain competent and apply evidence-based practices.