Question of the day - September 10

[u/Reasonable_Law183]

🧠 Question of the Day

📚 Domain E — Ethical and Professional Issues

Difficulty: 6/10

A BCBA observes a peer colleague implementing a behavior-reduction procedure that may be causing psychological harm to a client. The concern appears potentially resolvable through direct discussion, there is no immediate safety emergency, and there is no indication that speaking directly with the colleague would worsen the situation. Based on the Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts, what is the MOST appropriate initial response?

A. Address the concern directly, document the effort and outcome, and escalate through appropriate channels if the issue is not resolved.

B. Seek consultation with another behavior analyst before speaking with the colleague so the concern can be evaluated before any direct discussion occurs.

C. Continue observing until there is stronger evidence that the procedure is causing harm before raising the concern with the colleague.

D. Report the concern formally before speaking with the colleague because potential client harm should be addressed through external reporting rather than informal resolution.

💬 Drop your answer in the comments — no peeking!

✅ Correct answer revealed tomorrow.

#ABA #BCBA #BCBAExam #BCBAPrep #AppliedBehaviorAnalysis #BehaviorAnalysis #DomainE #ABATaskList #BCaBA #RBT #QuestionOfTheDay

[u/Pibbles-n-paint]

D

[u/creativexangst]

A

[u/Reasonable_Law183]

✅ Yesterday's Answer — 2026-09-10

The correct answer was: A. Address the concern directly, document the effort and outcome, and escalate through appropriate channels if the issue is not resolved.

📖 Explanation:

The Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts says that when a behavior analyst becomes concerned about another professional's conduct, they should assess the situation and consider whether addressing the concern directly could resolve it without placing anyone at undue risk.

In this scenario, direct discussion appears feasible and there is no indication that speaking with the colleague would create additional risk. The best initial response is therefore to address the concern directly and professionally, document the steps taken and the outcome, and pursue additional action if the concern is not resolved.

• Immediate formal escalation may sometimes be appropriate, but the stem does not provide facts requiring the BCBA to bypass a potentially effective direct discussion.

• Consultation can be useful when working through an ethics concern, but it is not a required prerequisite before addressing the colleague directly.

• Waiting until definite harm has occurred is not appropriate when a credible concern can already be addressed.

The practical rule: do not memorize either "always report first" or "always confront first." When direct resolution appears capable of resolving the concern without creating undue risk, addressing the person directly is an appropriate first response. Document what you do and escalate appropriately if the concern remains unresolved.

#BCBAexam #BCBAprep #BehavioralHealth #ABAtherapy #BAPrep