M11

Read each scenario and respond to each with what exactly should be done and why. Provide a detailed explanation for the course of action you are recommending.

1. Nice Necklace for You

You live and work in Dubai, and provide in home ABA services for families that are of Emirati descent. When you are in a family’s home, they offer you a piece of jewelry as a token of their appreciation. You estimate the value of the necklace at over $100 US dollars. The ethics code states behavior analysts would refrain from accepting anything as a significant (over $10 value) gift, as this could constitute a “dual relationship.”

What exactly should you do and why?

I will refuse the gift and let them know it is part of my ethic and if I accept the gift it will not be in compliance with my code and could even lead to the revoking of my license. It will also get in the way of my profession. But I truly appreciate the gift and will accept any other gift that cost less. Or better still send the gift to my company as it could be use for staff appreciation.

2. Faith based food restriction

You are a direct care staff who starts working with a family that has faith-based food restrictions. You see another direct care staff member giving the child the food they are not supposed to have according to their faith, but the other direct care staff is saying that she just “doesn’t get these religious restrictions”.

You feel uncomfortable, what would you do and why?

I will ask the staff to stop and stress the importance of sticking to the religious belief and retrain the staff utilizing the food protocol. I will stay there and make sure the client doesn’t digest any other food apart from the one in his protocol. If the direct care staff insist I will let the supervisor know.

1. Translator

You are a behavior analyst at an IEP meeting with a Spanish speaking family. At the last minute, the interpreter cancels. The family speaks very limited English, and you and the rest of the professionals at the meeting do not speak any Spanish. The head of the IEP meeting decides that because this interpreter has cancelled multiple times and there is a deadline approaching, the meeting should be held as planned and should not be once again rescheduled for another time. The meeting proceeds, and although you try to explain your portion in parent friendly language, it does not appear that the parents fully understand. You feel pressure to continue from the rest of the team, and no one else seems to be concerned about this issue.

What exactly should you do and why?

I will conduct my meeting with focus on facial expression. I will go slowly and ask the family questions that will help me know if there is understanding on what I’m presenting. I will ask them to write down their concerns from the meeting or tell me what they understand from the meeting .

4. Sleeping soundly

You are an RBT attending an initial meeting with your behavior analyst in the US starting services with a family from Japan. In the intake, the behavior analyst asks about feeding, sleeping, dressing. The parents mention that their 6-year-old sleeps with them, and the behavior analyst indicates that independent sleeping will be a goal, and that it is not developmentally appropriate to sleep together at this age. The family is startled, but does not raise any objection.

What exactly should you do and why?

If I am permitted by my Behavior Analyst, I will help elaborate to the family on the importance of independent sleeping and let them know some cultural differences. For some cultural, it is ok to sleep with your kid in the same room while others finds it is very disturbing.

5. Appropriate dress and interaction

An Orthodox Jewish family has requested home-based services for their child with autism. Upon arriving at the home, the female behavior clinician attempts to shake the hand of the child’s father, and the father does not respond. Later, the mother calls the clinician and suggests that she dress more modestly next time, and that she refrained from shaking her husband’s hand in their home.

What exactly should you do and why?

I will respect the view of the wife and try to reframe from things the family wouldn’t appreciate to accomplish my goals.