These answers draw in part from “Dealing with Difficult People” by Jon Bailey, PhD, BCBA-D (BehaviorLive), and extend it with peer-reviewed research from our library of 27,900+ ABA research articles. Clinical framing, BACB ethics code references, and cross-links below are synthesized by Behaviorist Book Club.
View the original presentation →Take immediate action. Remove the supervisee from unsupervised client contact until the scope of fabrication is determined. Review all data the supervisee has collected for signs of fabrication, including suspiciously consistent patterns and data that do not match video records. Revise treatment plans for affected clients based on reliable data sources. Document the discovery thoroughly. Address the fabrication through your organization's disciplinary process and consult with your compliance department about reporting obligations. Depending on severity, reporting to the BACB may be necessary.
First, document the specific pressure and how it conflicts with ethical practice. Then, communicate your concerns to your direct supervisor in writing, referencing specific ethics code provisions. If the pressure continues, escalate to organizational leadership. Request a meeting to discuss how clinical quality and productivity targets can be balanced. If the organization is unwilling to modify expectations that compromise client welfare, consult with an ethics advisor about your options. Retain documentation of all communications in case further escalation becomes necessary.
Before labeling a caregiver as disengaged, conduct a functional assessment of their participation. Investigate whether they understand the procedures, whether the procedures fit within their daily capacity, whether treatment goals align with their priorities, whether your communication style is accessible and respectful, and whether life stressors are temporarily limiting their bandwidth. A caregiver who does not implement procedures because they are overwhelmed is fundamentally different from one who disagrees with the treatment approach. Each situation requires a different clinical response.
Document specific instances where supervision fell short of professional standards, including missed sessions, lack of feedback on clinical work, and failure to address questions about challenging cases. Request a meeting to discuss your supervision needs, framing the conversation around your professional development and client outcomes rather than personal criticism. Put your requests in writing and follow up. If direct advocacy does not improve the situation, escalate through organizational channels. You are ethically entitled to supervision that supports quality clinical practice.
A colleague being personally difficult but professionally competent is an interpersonal matter. A colleague whose behavior compromises client welfare, violates professional standards, or reflects dishonesty in their professional capacity crosses into ethical territory. Specific triggers for formal action include observing a colleague misrepresent their qualifications, provide services outside their competence, engage in dual relationships that impair objectivity, or deliver services that are harmful to clients. The ethics code requires you to attempt resolution directly first, then escalate if direct resolution fails.
Recognize that difficult professional relationships are an occupational reality rather than a personal failing. Build a peer consultation network where you can discuss challenging situations confidentially. Use the ethics code as a decision-making framework rather than trying to resolve every situation through personal negotiation. Set boundaries around your availability and energy. Seek supervision or mentorship from experienced practitioners who can model effective conflict navigation. If chronic workplace stress is affecting your clinical performance, that is a signal to evaluate whether the organizational environment is sustainable.
Self-awareness about your own contributions to professional conflict is essential. If you receive feedback that your behavior is creating difficulties for colleagues, supervisees, or families, treat that feedback as data rather than dismissing it. Examine whether your communication style, expectations, or interpersonal approach may be contributing to the dynamic. Seek honest feedback from trusted colleagues. Consider whether burnout, caseload stress, or organizational pressure is affecting how you interact with others. The same behavioral self-assessment skills you apply to clients can be applied to your own professional behavior.
Document objectively, recording dates, times, specific behaviors observed, context, and any relevant communications. Separate observations from interpretations. Include your response to each incident and the outcome. Store documentation securely and confidentially. If the situation involves potential legal implications such as insurance fraud or client harm, consult with your organization's compliance or legal team about documentation requirements. Written documentation created contemporaneously with events carries more weight than after-the-fact reconstructions.
Yes, but culture change requires deliberate effort at the leadership level. Organizations can reduce difficult situations by establishing clear ethical expectations during onboarding, creating accessible channels for raising concerns without retaliation, maintaining reasonable caseloads and supervision ratios, fostering a culture of open communication and feedback, and addressing problems promptly rather than allowing them to fester. Organizations that invest in their culture experience fewer interpersonal conflicts, lower turnover, and better client outcomes.
While specific resource recommendations from the session should be accessed through the course itself, the general framework involves thorough knowledge of the BACB Ethics Code, use of structured ethical decision-making models that walk through stakeholder identification and option evaluation, consultation with experienced colleagues or ethics committees, and documentation throughout the process. The BACB also provides guidance documents and a mechanism for requesting ethics consultation when practitioners face complex dilemmas.
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Dealing with Difficult People — Jon Bailey · 1 BACB Ethics CEUs · $20
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280 research articles with practitioner takeaways
279 research articles with practitioner takeaways
258 research articles with practitioner takeaways
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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.