BCBA Ethical and Professional Issues practice questions

Question 1

Mateo, 6, receives clinic-based services from Grace, a BCBA. His parents have bought an online program that claims to end tantrums by "retraining primitive reflexes" through daily movement exercises; no controlled research supports it. They ask Grace to spend 30 minutes of each session running the exercises. Grace wants to respect the family's choices and also protect Mateo's progress. Which response best applies the core principles?

Accepted Answer

Share what the evidence shows, keep sessions evidence-based, and offer to graph tantrums so the family can judge the program

Answer

Run the exercises during sessions, since adopting the treatment the family has chosen honors their right to self-determination

Answer

Tell the parents services will end unless they stop the program, so her practice is not linked to pseudoscience

Answer

Stay neutral about the program, since judging treatments from outside behavior analysis is beyond her scope of competence

Question 2

Lucia, a BCBA, has provided home-based services to 9-year-old Jonah for two years, with steady progress. Jonah's father has just become principal of the school Lucia's son attends, and she notices she now hesitates to raise concerns with him about Jonah's home routines. To remove the conflict at once, she plans to end services at this week's session and give the family a list of other local providers. Which analysis of her plan's risks is most accurate?

Accepted Answer

It shifts the risk onto Jonah, who loses continuity of care without a planned transition

Answer

It is the safest choice, since the ethics principles require ending any multiple relationship at once

Answer

It risks only Lucia's own standing, since the family might complain that services ended suddenly

Answer

It adds little new risk, because the referral list lets the family arrange new services

Question 3

A clinic director asks Andre, a BCBA, to post a short video on the clinic's social media showing a 5-year-old client using a new communication device. Andre plans to blur the child's face and leave the child's name out of the caption. The family has not been asked about the video. What is the best course of action?

Accepted Answer

Get the family's informed consent for this specific use before posting it

Answer

Post the video, because blurring the face removes all identifying details

Answer

Post the video only to the clinic's private account that staff follow

Answer

Post the video, as long as the caption uses a made-up name for the child

Question 4

Rosa, a BCBA and clinic director, is updating the outcomes page of the clinic website. Of 40 children who began services last year, 15 left before 12 months for reasons the clinic did not track. Of the 25 who completed a year, 23 met most of their treatment goals. Marketing staff propose the large-type headline "92% of our clients meet their goals." What should Rosa publish?

Accepted Answer

That 23 of 25 children who completed a year met most goals, and 15 of 40 left earlier

Answer

The 92% headline, because it is accurate for every client whose outcomes were measured

Answer

The 92% headline, with a small-print note at the bottom of the page that only full-year clients were counted

Answer

No outcome data, because any success rate may be read as a promise of results

Question 5

The parents of Yara, age 6, tell Joaquín, a BCBA, that they want to stop services. They explain that goals such as eating with a fork at her own small table clash with how their family shares meals, and that they felt unheard when they mentioned it months ago. What should Joaquín do?

Accepted Answer

Ask what matters to them at meals, offer to rebuild the goals together, and give a written plan if they still choose to end

Answer

Explain the research behind the goals so the parents can see why staying in services is in Yara's best interest

Answer

Honor their right to stop by closing the case that day, without asking them to explain the decision any further

Answer

Refer Yara to a provider who shares the family's cultural background, then close the case at the end of the week

Question 6

Nadia, a BCBA at a large clinic, has served 10-year-old Malik for a year, and he is making steady progress. She learns that her brother has started dating Malik's mother and that the couple plan to move in together. Two other BCBAs at the clinic have room on their caseloads. What should Nadia do?

Accepted Answer

Tell the family and her supervisor about the tie, then plan a gradual handoff of the case to a colleague

Answer

Keep the case, since Malik's progress depends on the rapport she has built with him over the year

Answer

Keep the case but stay away from family gatherings where her brother and Malik's mother will be

Answer

End Malik's services this week so that the conflict of interest is removed as quickly as possible

Question 7

During a home visit, a parent tells Dana, a BCBA, "Nothing you're doing is working. He still hits me every night at bedtime." Which response from Dana is the best first step?

Accepted Answer

"Bedtime sounds exhausting right now. Can you walk me through last night?"

Answer

"Let me show you the graph; hitting has actually dropped during sessions."

Answer

"This might be an extinction burst, which can happen early in a new plan."

Answer

"Please don't worry too much; these changes usually take a while."

Question 8

Kenji, a BCBA, supervises Lena, a trainee whose cultural background differs from his. Lena rarely asks questions during group supervision, and Kenji is about to rate her as lacking initiative. Which action best reflects cultural humility in this supervisory relationship?

Accepted Answer

Ask Lena privately how she prefers to raise questions and check his own expectations

Answer

Tell Lena she must speak up in group meetings to earn a passing rating

Answer

Assume Lena is reserved because of her culture and stop calling on her

Answer

Keep the rating and add a performance plan focused on group participation

BCBA Ethical and Professional Issues practice questions

8 Ethical and Professional Issues questions

Ready for a 20-question BCBA practice test?

BCBA Ethical and Professional Issues practice questions

8 Ethical and Professional Issues questions

Ready for a 20-question BCBA practice test?