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. 2016 Aug 30;9(4):299-308.
doi: 10.1007/s40617-016-0144-x. eCollection 2016 Dec.

Taking Full Responsibility: the Ethics of Supervision in Behavior Analytic Practice

Tyra P Sellers  1 , Shahla Alai-Rosales  2 , Rebecca P F MacDonald  3
Affiliations

Taking Full Responsibility: the Ethics of Supervision in Behavior Analytic Practice

Tyra P Sellers et al. Behav Anal Pract. .

Abstract

The supervision of professionals in the field of behavior analysis is multifaceted. The BACB® Professional and Ethical Compliance Code for Behavior Analysis provides guidance for effective supervisory practices, as supervision impacts both the supervisee and the consumers. The purpose of this article is (1) to discuss rationales and consequences relative to supervision issues, (2) to provide directions for professional development in each of the seven identified supervisory areas within the code, and (3) to set the occasion for critical discourse relative to supervision. Case examples are used to illustrate each of the seven supervisory subcomponents of the "Behavior Analysts as Supervisors" section of the Code. A rationale is provided for each component, as well as a discussion of possible undesirable consequences resulting from not following the rule. While the code provides clear expectations of the desired behavior, this article explores more of the subtle nuances inherent in each section of the supervision code, with the goal of achieving a better understanding of the Code and enhancing supervisory skills.

Keywords: Ethics; Mentoring; Supervisee; Supervision; Supervisor; Supervisory.

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Conflict of interest statement

Compliance with Ethical Standards Funding No funding was received for this project. Conflict of Interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. Ethical Approval This article does not contain any studies with human participants performed by any of the authors.

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