This course provides Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) with a structured and practical framework for ethical decision-making in applied behavior analysis. Through the lens of the four BACB core principles—benefiting others, treating others with compassion and respect, behaving with integrity, and ensuring competence—participants will learn to identify and resolve complex ethical dilemmas using a simplified seven-step model adapted from Bailey and Burch (2014). Using real-world case studies, learners will apply this model to analyze ethical challenges, protect client welfare, and uphold professional integrity within their scope of practice under supervision.
This interactive training bridges ethical theory and applied practice, preparing RBTs to think critically, collaborate effectively with supervisors, and maintain the highest standards of ethical conduct in diverse clinical settings.
Author/Speaker
Trudy Georgio is an Assistant Professor of Applied Behavior Analysis at Bay Path University. She began her career in ABA in 2010 and has held every role within the service delivery system, from Behavior Technician to Board Certified Behavior Analyst Supervisor, across various settings, including home, school, clinic, and community. Trudy is committed to disseminating the science of behavior to the next generation of behavior analysts, drawing on her extensive clinical experience to enhance student learning. She earned her doctorate from Texas A&M University, where her work focused on teaching language to students with autism spectrum disorder. Her research interests include behavior-analytic strategies for complex verbal behavior, assent-based instruction, and joint attention training.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Define ethics and describe the four core principles of the BACB Ethics Code for RBTs.
- Explain how ethical decision-making in behavior analysis differs from other human service fields.
- Identify common ethical dilemmas encountered by RBTs and the associated risks to client welfare.
- Apply the seven-step ethical decision-making model to analyze complex case scenarios.
- Demonstrate appropriate communication and documentation practices when ethical issues arise.
- Differentiate between actions within and outside an RBT’s scope of competence and supervision.
- Reflect on ethical outcomes to strengthen future decision-making and professional accountability.
