What ethics code(s) are being violated in the dating relationship between a BCBA and an RBT?
The 1.11 Multiple Relationships, 1.13 Coercive and Exploitative Relationships, and 1.14 Romantic and Sexual Relationships (BACB, 2020) ethics codes are being broken in this situation.
Understanding Morality
What is morality?
Morality can be defined as a set of principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong behavior. It is the difference between what is perceived to be good or bad, right or wrong, in human conduct. Ethics, on the other hand, is the study of morality and the philosophical reasoning behind what constitutes ethical behavior.
Ethics and Morality
Ethics is the study of what constitutes morality—what is good or bad—in human behavior. This area of philosophy focuses on moral concepts. Philosophical morality is another name for ethics. A set of moral standards or laws known as "ethics" specify what is and is not acceptable. In general, ethics refers to the laws or codes of behavior that individuals use to decide whether a certain activity is right or wrong.
Violations of Ethics Codes in the Dating Situation
In the dating relationship between a BCBA and an RBT, several ethics codes are being violated. The first violation is the ethical code 1.11 on Multiple Relationships, which prohibits professionals from engaging in multiple relationships with clients, supervisees, or other individuals closely associated with their work. In this case, the BCBA and RBT are in a dating relationship, which constitutes a violation of this code.
The second violation is of the ethical code 1.13 on Coercive and Exploitative Relationships, which prohibits professionals from using their power or authority to coerce or exploit individuals under their supervision. By offering priority scheduling to the RBT in exchange for secrecy about their relationship, the BCBA is engaging in coercive behavior, thus violating this code.
Lastly, the ethical code 1.14 on Romantic and Sexual Relationships clearly states that professionals should not engage in romantic or sexual relationships with current clients or supervisees. The relationship between the BCBA and the RBT falls under this category, making it a violation of this ethics code.
In conclusion, the dating relationship between the BCBA and the RBT is a clear violation of multiple ethics codes set forth by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB).