Ethical Considerations of Behavioral Feeding Interventions

Abstract

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often display repetitive and restrictive patterns of behavior, which can be seen in food selectivity and other feeding problems. Feeding problems in children with ASD not only lead to medical complications for the child but also can lead to increased caregiver stress. In order for behavior analysts to ensure adherence to the Professional and Ethical Compliance Code for Behavior Analysts, many factors need to be addressed prior to and during feeding assessments and interventions. The need for interdisciplinary collaboration and ethical situations that may arise are reviewed. The purpose of this article is to assist the behavior analyst in determining best practices for feeding assessments and interventions while maintaining ethical compliance.

Keywords: ethics; feeding assessment; feeding intervention.

Fig. 1

Rubric for Assisting Clinicians Prior to Implementing a Feeding Intervention With a Client

Fig. 2

Decision Tree Provided by Brodhead (2015) for Assessing Nonbehavioral Interventions. Note. From “Maintaining Professional Relationships in an Interdisciplinary Setting: Strategies for Navigating Nonbehavioral Treatment Recommendations for Individuals With Autism,” by M. T. Brodhead, , Behavior Analysis in Practice, 8, p. 73 (https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-015-0042-7). Copyright 2015 by Springer Nature Customer Service Centre GmbH. Reprinted with permission.