BACB Guideline 3.02 Explaining Assessment Results
Recently, a client planned to attend an upcoming IEP meeting for their child who received school services in a private school and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Therapy from a private provider. The client did not want the ABA provider to attend the IEP meeting. Instead, they asked the ABA provider to submit a report that would be reviewed in the meeting.
The ABA provider informed the client that he was unable to submit a report for a meeting that he could not intend. He cited the BACB Guidelines for Responsible Conduct. The client became very upset and even said “Other BCBAs have done this, why can’t you?”
As a BCBA, we must follow the Guidelines established by the Behavior Analysis Certification Board (BACB). As Augustine of Hippo states, “Right is right, even if no one is doing it.”
The BACB Guideline 3.02 specifies what is expected of BCBAs with regards to their assessments. Specifically:
3.03 Explaining Assessment Results.
“Unless the nature of the relationship is clearly explained to the person being assessed in advance and precludes provision of an explanation of results (such as in some organizational consultation, some screenings, and forensic evaluations), behavior analysts ensure that an explanation of the results is provided using language that is reasonably understandable to the person assessed or to another legally authorized person on behalf of the client. Regardless of whether the interpretation is done by the behavior analyst, by assistants, or others, behavior analysts take reasonable steps to ensure that appropriate explanations of results are given.”
If a BCBA cannot attend a meeting where his report is reviewed, how can he ensure that the report is interpreted appropriately as the Guidelines state? The BCBA has several options:
- Have another appropriately trained BCBA go in his place
- Have an appropriately trained BCaBA attend his place
- Offer to call in to explain the results
- Meet separately from the meeting to review the results
Practicing BCBAs have many job responsibilities and obligations. We are often faced with difficult decisions as a result of those responsibilities. It is imperative that we know our Guidelines for Responsible Conduct and that we follow them to the best of our ability.
Related articles
- After the IEP (lagloria.typepad.com)
- Take the BACB Exam according to Behavior Guy (behaviorjedi.wordpress.com)
- Now the BCBA Waiting Game… (behaviorjedi.wordpress.com)
Applied Behavioral Strategies 
Thanks for linking my posts. I just recently took the BACB exam and the ethics are a big part of it. In fact, many sources (reviews, instructors, etc.) had told me that ethics had got people in trouble.
Thanks for the great information and I will follow closely!!!
Hi! Thanks for stopping by. I wish you the best on your exam! When I blog, WordPress will highlight related blogs for me to add as additional resources. I thought you were new to blogging. Welcome to the world! We don’t have enough behavior analysts doing this!
I spent like all day looking for ways to link related articles yesterday LOL while I am searching for the answer, I will link your post and like your FB page. Thanks again!
It seems to me that this section of The Guidelines relates to the duty of the BCBA to explain the results to the client (or guardians), and not to third parties (i.e. the school in this case).
Sounds to me that by providing an explanation and report in writing the BCBA would fulfill his legal duty in this case.
Moreover, doesn’t withholding of information damage the client?
I’m new to this…
Amy, this is a great question, especially if you are new to it. We have a duty to explain it to the clients for sure. However, if other people are going to be using our report to build a program (e.g., school personnel), then we must also make certain that they understand it. The last thing we want as behavior analysts is to have someone take our recommendation and use it incorrectly because they didn’t understand it.
You are also correct that we could never withhold information from the parent. They have a right to everything we have written on/about their child.
I hope that helps!
Ethical issues are tricky and many situations can be interpreted in different ways. I have a different thought about this scenario that I would like to offer for discussion if that is ok. I think the parent is making a reasonable request. S/he, or someone, has paid for the services the behavior analyst is providing and a report on those services would be an appropriate expectation. It is unreasonable of the behavior analyst to expect to be present whenever the report is read, whether to ensure an accurate interpretation of it or any other reason. The concern for accurate interpretation should be addressed in the writing of the report. The way this situation is described, it looks like the behavior analyst is claiming to be bound by an ethical issue as a ploy to get invited to the meeting. Unfortunately, when people pay for our services, they can decide to use them however they please. It seems disingenuous to claim that an ethical restriction is to blame for preventing the behavior analyst from honoring the parent’s request.
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