Ethics and Professionalism

Understanding the foundations of ethical thinking and different perspectives and rationale for ethical decision-making within a behavioural framework is essential when working with people who have autism. Students are introduced to professional codes of ethics that are essential for ethical practice. They learn how to think critically and apply general ethical principles to particular situations through the use of case studies, practice vignettes, structured exercises, and group discussions. Students are provided with the basis for developing ethical guidelines for practice, examining areas related to legislative acts, an overview or the Behaviour Analyst Certification Board (BACB)® guidelines of responsible conduct for a behaviour analyst, and the Ontario Association for Behaviour Analysis (ONTABA/ABA) standards of practice. Students also learn how to evaluate their own professional expertise and limitations for ongoing professional development planning.