ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a clear and detailed list of the obligations of behavior analysts who treat clients using behavioral procedures. Behavior analysts start by prioritizing clients’ rights as well as their needs for treatment. There must be accuracy in billing and reporting, and the fees need to be fair and duly represented to clients. Communicating about services should be done in the language of the client. Involving clients and stakeholders in the selection of goals, assessments, and behavior-change interventions is also required. Collaborating with colleagues and compromising on treatments when it is in the best interest of clients is advised. Behavior analysts need to obtain informed consent before implementing a treatment. Medical needs should be considered when doing an assessment, and a medical referral should be sought if there is any likelihood that there are medical or biological factors present. Being conceptually consistent in the selection, design, and implementation of assessments and behavior-change interventions is a central theme of behavior analysis. Collecting and using data for making decisions about continuing or modifying treatments and continually evaluating interventions is a must for our field.
