Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) has traversed a long and bumpy road from its inception to its current-day practices. It began in the early 1900s with Dr. John B. Watson, who popularized the theory of behaviorism, followed by Dr. B.F. Skinner's further developments applying these theories to learning processes. In the 1960s, Dr. Ivar Lovaas introduced these principles to applied therapy, teaching language to children with autism. Initially, ABA focused on animal studies and gradually transitioned to practical applications with children with autism through intensive and rigid programming. Today, ABA is part of an all-important movement toward trauma-informed care, assent-based services, cultural understanding, and ensuring the utmost respect and dignity for our clients.
Throughout this time, practitioners were guided by their internal sense of right and wrong, influenced by the cultural and societal norms of their era and the current scientific knowledge. However, the formation of the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) and the subsequent development of ethics codes marked a significant shift from individual moral guidance to organizational oversight, ensuring consistency across the field.
1999
The BACB introduced the first ethics document, the Professional (Disciplinary) Standards. This one-page document focused on upholding the use of BACB logos and other intellectual property, preventing misrepresentation of certification, exam misconduct, gross or repeated negligence, and criminal charges related to ABA practice. Although simple and lacking many areas covered in today’s ethics code, it provided a starting point for regulating the practice of behavior analysts and the field of ABA.
2001
The Guidelines for Responsible Conduct for Behavior Analysts was released, presenting an ethics code more akin to the one we recognize today. This initial code covered 10 areas with a total of 87 subsections, including sections on competence, dual relationships, and discharge recommendations. Notably, it also contained a large section on research with animals, which is absent in today’s ethics code.
2004
The BACB released an updated Guidelines for Responsible Conduct. This new document clarified and expanded the original guidelines and adopted a format similar to our current code, with clearly labeled sections and subsections. The supervision section was updated and expanded to more fully describe acceptable supervision practices.
2010
Two new documents were introduced: the Professional Disciplinary and Ethical Standards, and an updated Guidelines for Responsible Conduct. The Professional Disciplinary and Ethical Standards expanded on the initial 1999 document, focusing on violations, unauthorized use, negligence, and related topics. The updated Guidelines for Responsible Conduct aligned with the new 4th edition Task List for Behavior Analysts, covering more areas. Together, these documents provided a robust foundation for ethical guidance and professional behavior in the field.
2014
The Professional Disciplinary and Ethical Standards and the Guidelines for Responsible Conduct merged into one document: the Professional and Ethical Compliance Code for Behavior Analysts. This code contained 10 main areas, with the 10th section, Behavior Analysts’ Ethical Responsibility to the BACB, encompassing topics from the Professional Disciplinary and Ethical Standards. It addressed intellectual property, exam integrity, discouraging misrepresentation by non-certified individuals, and more. This code also applied many ethical responsibilities to RBTs, denoted by “RBT” next to relevant subsections. A minor update followed in 2015.
2018
We saw the RBT ethical requirements become its own document with the RBT Ethics Code. This document pulled the RBT requirements off of the Professional and Ethical Compliance Code for Behavior Analysts creating a new resource worded and directed to RBTs. This ethics code covered all the areas relevant to an RBT over 3 sections, Responsible Conduct, Responsibility to Clients, and Competence and Service Delivery.
2022
Our current Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts, released in 2022 with an update in 2024 alongside the RBT Ethics Code (2.0), added five new ethics standards: 2.02 Timeliness, 4.05 Maintaining Supervision Documentation, 4.07 Incorporating and Addressing Diversity, 5.01 Protecting Clients, Stakeholders, Supervisees, and Trainees, and 5.10 Social Media Channels and Websites. The overall rearrangement of the ethical standards and major sections, along with an in-depth introduction covering the scope, core principles, application, enforcement, and a glossary, mark a significant advancement in ethical guidance.
Conclusion
The evolution of ethics in ABA has profoundly shaped our practice, ensuring that interventions are effective and respectful. Initially, ethical guidance in our field was heavily focused on the science and research aspects, emphasizing rigorous methodologies and empirical validation. However, as the field has evolved, the emphasis has shifted towards ABA therapy, reflecting a broader movement from hard science to a therapeutic model.
From the initial one-page document to the comprehensive and detailed codes of today, each step has built a stronger framework for ethical practice. These evolving codes have guided practitioners in navigating complex ethical dilemmas, fostering trust, enhancing client well-being, and promoting professional integrity. The journey from early behaviorism to modern trauma-informed, culturally competent practices highlights our field’s dedication to ethical excellence and the ongoing pursuit of better outcomes for all clients. Through these evolving ethical standards, ABA continues to grow as a compassionate and scientifically grounded discipline, balancing the precision of science with the nuances of therapeutic practice.
References
Ethical Resources. BACB. https://www.bacb.com/ethics-information/ethics-resources/
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