Every behavior analyst wants to work in an organization that values ethical practice, yet the characteristics that define an ethical workplace in ABA are rarely discussed with the specificity they deserve. While individual practitioners bear personal responsibility for ethical conduct, the organizational environment in which they practice either supports or undermines their ability to meet those obligations.
Provider: BehaviorLive — via Florida Association of Behavior Analysis
Take This Course →Including ethics, supervision, and topics like this one. New live CEU every Wednesday.
Join Free →This presentation will be delivered in Spanish. All of us desire to work at an all-star organization; we want to be respected as professionals, have credibility and opportunities to thrive professionally, which should include ethical growth. Ethical responsibility not only pertains to the individual practitioner, organizations that provide Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services also play a role in this endeavor. Ethical behavior is learned and can be maintained by the work environment. Knowledge of the Code of Ethics of the BACB® is not enough. It requires special effort establishing and integrating policies and procedures to everyday practices that reflect the Code and lead to ethical conduct in the workplace. According to popular and business publications ethical organizations experience benefits. They tend to attract talented workers, have less turnover, enjoy a good name, will deliver quality services and increase consumer satisfaction. The aforesaid can lead to financial gains and social impact. Furthermore, when services are delivered ethically risks are reduced, as well as the likelihood for negative public exposure, sanctions, penalties and litigation. Some of these same benefits can easily apply to organizations that provide behavior analysis services. This session is based on information gathered after a review of a group of behavior analytic publications (Britton et al., 2021; Broadhead et al., 2012, 2018; Cicero, 2021; Contreras et al., 2022; Gardner, 2020; Lattal & Clark 2007; LeBlanc, et al.,2020). It will include considerations to uphold in a behavioral services organization while citing pertinent sections of the Code of Ethics of the BACB®.
| Certification Body | Credits | Type |
|---|---|---|
| BACB® | 1 | Ethics |
| COA | 1 | — |
| FL MH/PSY | 1 | — |
Haydee Toro had a lengthy career working for 27 years as a behavior analyst for government social services in South Florida. She occupied one of the first clinical oversight positions within developmental disabilities services. Dr. Toro received her Ph.D. in psychology from University of Vermont and obtained post-doctoral training in behavior analysis at the Kennedy-Krieger Institute. She is a licensed psychologist in Florida and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Dr. Toro has taught courses in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) in the Psychology Department of Florida International University. Also, she has taught ethics at the Masters ABA program of Universidad del Istmo in Guatemala and at the ABAscool of Universidad Complutense of Madrid. She is a past president of the Florida Association of Behavior Analysis (FABA) and served as a member of the Behavior Analyst Certification Board for two consecutive terms. Dr. Toro was the recipient of FABA’s Charles Kimber Public Service Award for her years of community work in the field of ABA. She frequently presents topics related to ethics and behavior analysis at continuing education events. Haydee Toro has a professional commitment towards the dissemination of the science of behavior analysis to the Spanish speaking world. She is a native of Puerto Rico, for which she holds deep devotion.La Dra. Haydee Toro trabajó 27 años en agencias de servicios sociales gubernamentales en el Sur de la Florida como analista conductual sirviendo a poblaciones con necesidades especiales. Obtuvo su doctorado en psicología con especialidad en discapacidades del desarrollo de la Universidad de Vermont. Luego le fue concedida una beca postdoctoral en análisis conductual (ABA) por el Instituto Kennedy-Krieger, afiliado a la escuela de medicina de la Universidad Johns Hopkins. Está certificada por la Junta de Análisis Conductual (BACB®) y posee licencia de psicóloga en el estado de la Florida. Ha sido profesora adjunta de análisis conductual en Florida International University en Miami. Ha enseñado cursos de ética en el programa de maestría en ABA de la Universidad del Istmo en Guatemala y en ABAscool de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Haydee, como prefiere le llamen, ha ofrecido programas de capacitación profesional para maestros de educación especial en Pennsylvania State University y para personal de las instituciones para personas con discapacidades en el desarrollo en el estado de Virginia. También sirvió por dos términos como miembro de la Junta de directores de la Certificación de Análisis de Conductual (BACB®). Fue presidenta de la Asociación de Análisis Conductual de la Florida (FABA) y fue otorgada el premio de servicio público de dicha organización por sus años de labor en el campo de ABA. Frecuentemente ofrece talleres y presentaciones para educación continuada sobre ética y análisis conductual. Considera un compromiso profesional difundir la ciencia de ABA al mundo de habla hispana.
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All behavior-analytic intervention is individualized. The information on this page is for educational purposes and does not constitute clinical advice. Treatment decisions should be informed by the best available published research, individualized assessment, and obtained with the informed consent of the client or their legal guardian. Behavior analysts are responsible for practicing within the boundaries of their competence and adhering to the BACB Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts.