| What is the problem? | Which ethical standards pertain to this problem? | Consider dimensions of the problem | Courses of action / potential consequences | Select course of action | Implement and evaluate the course of action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
The supervisee is not responding to supervision, ignoring feedback, failing to implement recommendations, and avoiding accountability. This creates concerns about effective supervision, client care, and ethical responsibilities. Christine is also facing pressure from the employer to tolerate ineffective performance because the company is short-staffed. | Relevant BACB ethics codes include maintaining effective supervision, providing appropriate feedback, ensuring supervisee competence, and protecting clients from ineffective services. Codes related to supervisory delegation, communication of supervision conditions, and interrupting services when necessary may also apply. | The problem affects multiple areas, including client welfare, supervisee competence, workplace expectations, and ethical obligations. The supervisee’s lack of responsiveness may negatively impact treatment integrity and client outcomes. Christine must also consider documentation, prior feedback attempts, employer pressure, and the potential risk of continuing ineffective supervision. | Christine could increase documentation, schedule a formal meeting, clearly restate expectations, and develop a performance improvement plan. She may also consult with another BCBA or ethics resources. If the supervisee continues to be noncompliant, supervision or employment responsibilities may need to be modified or terminated. Failing to address the issue could place clients at risk and create ethical concerns for the supervisor. | Christine should formally address the issue with the supervisee by reviewing expectations, documenting concerns, and outlining specific corrective actions and timelines. She should communicate professionally with the employer while prioritizing ethical responsibilities and client welfare. | Christine should monitor the supervisee’s responsiveness and implementation of feedback over time using documentation and follow-up meetings. If improvement occurs, supervision can continue with ongoing support and accountability. If the supervisee remains unresponsive, Christine should take further action consistent with BACB ethical guidelines to protect clients and maintain ethical supervision practices. |
Supervisor supervisee relationship | Effective supervision, feedback | Personal issues, lack of professionalism | Switch supervisors | Switch supervisors | Feedback |
A trainee is unresponsive to her, questions her, and not applying feedback | 4.09 | Could there be other outside factors affecting her application of interventions. | confront the RBT, provide a Performance plan in effect | Provide concrete written feedback to implement next session | provide additional feedback through motivation |
The supervisee is unresponsive, not responding to emails, not applying the feedback that has been given and not accepting accountability when confronted about the changes that have no been made. | This pertains to the ethical stand of failure to follow supervision requirements. As well as not following the supervision contract that should have been explained at the beginning of supervision. | Risk to the client, not understanding behavior analytic terms/interventions, not being able to accept feedback, not taking responsibility, poor supervision modeled in the future when trainee becomes supervisor. | Go over the contract the was explained at the beginning of the supervision period. Give articles about behavior analytic interventions. Document all attempts to find a solution. Reteach, how to communicate as well as when to respond. This also would include deadlines and accepting feedback. If necessary supervison contract can be terminated, | Explain supervision contract expectations and requirements. Document all attempts to find a solution. Reteach, how to communicate as well as when to respond. This also would include deadlines and accepting feedback/how to respond to feedback. | Continue delivering feedback to see if trainee has applied feedback, and taken a different approach to accepting feedback. Monitor progress for implementing behavior analytic interventions after feedback has been given. Set deadlines and monitor if deadlines were met. Document changes that were made and continue with supervison. |
Christine's supervision of an RBT is ineffective because the is unresponsive. | 4.08 Performance Monitoring and Feedback | Christine's employer tells her to work it out because they can't afford to lose an RBT. | The RBT could be moved to another supervisor. | Christine should talk to the RBT to explore options for a different supervisor or to come to an understanding that will allow the current relationship to be effective. | If that course of action does not improve the relationship, Christine should go back to her employer about the ethics violation. |
The supervisee is not meeting expectations or responsibilities of supervision and the the employer is not doing anything about it as well | Not meeting supervision standards and terminating supervisory relationship | Speak to colleagues and get their suggestions on what to do in this situation | Meet with supervisee and tell them if these things are not corrected by a specific date then you will have to terminate supervision | Meet with supervisee and tell them if these things are not corrected by a specific date then you will have to terminate supervision | Meets eithical standards |
Non responsiveness of supervisor | providing quality services to client | If possible provide in person supervision, this way the tech may have to interact or talk to the BCBA | Have a meeting or remover RBT from case because correct application of programs are not being ran | Have a meeting or change caseas | Check in in 2 weeks to make sure program has been implemented correctly |
A lack of progress from a supervisee and a lack of communication as to why | 4.01 compliance with supervision requirements | This has serious implications for the continuation of their supervision as it is in direct conflict with the ethics code and attempts to remediate have been unanswered. | A meeting needs to be had to readdress expectations of the supervisory relationship and the actions that will need to happen should the pattern of behavior continue. | Regardless of short staffing it is the ethical obligation of both the supervisor and supervisee to maintain that code. | Make a performance improvement plan and set goals for improvement for the supervisee to meet and review it at supervision meetings. |
The supervisee is unresponsive, not replying to communication, and not following supervision feedback or recommendations. | Related to effective supervision, professional communication, and ensuring supervisees receive and respond to supervision. | There is poor communication, lack of responsiveness, and resistance from the supervisee. The employer is also not supporting the supervisor due to staffing issues. | Christine could document all communication, give formal written feedback, set clear expectations, and follow termination procedures if needed. If no action is taken, supervision quality and compliance may be compromised. | Christine should provide formal written feedback and set clear expectations for communication and participation in supervision. | She should document all attempts to contact the supervisee, clarify expectations, and monitor whether the supervisee improves. If not, she may need to consider ending supervision ethically. |
The supervisee is consistently unresponsive, not following feedback, and avoiding accountability, which is interfering with effective supervision and client care. | This involves ensuring supervisees are appropriately trained and responsive to feedback, as well as maintaining professional responsibility to provide effective supervision and protect client outcomes. | There is ongoing lack of communication, resistance to feedback, and minimal behavior change. Additionally, workplace pressure to retain staff is influencing how the issue is being handled. | Christine can set clear expectations, document concerns, increase structure in supervision, or escalate the issue. If not addressed, client care and supervisee competency may be compromised. | She should set clear, measurable expectations, document performance, and communicate concerns formally while providing structured support. | Christine should track responsiveness and performance over time and follow up regularly. If there is no improvement, she may need to escalate or modify the supervisory relationship. |
Supervisee is unresponsive to supervisor | |||||
Ineffective supervision due to trainee's unresponsiveness | Effective supervision, ensuring fidelity in treatment, professionalism | Could have impacts on the clients given the lack of fidelity. Further, the supervisee is not able to show improvements. | Client harmed, professionalism/reputation hurt | Meeting with the supervisee to clarify roles and expectations moving forward, looking at the contract to discontinue supervision if progress is not made | Contact supervisor with documentation and action plan |
There is a breakdown of supervisory relationship-organizational barriers and unresponsiveness stands in the way. | Supervisory delegation, feedback and reinforcement, accountability in supervision, interrupting or discontinuing services, competence, organizational responsibility | Threat to client care, accountability failure, competence and ethical breakdown of supervisor, barriers to system and organization, imbalance of power and roles, ethical drift is a risk. | She can address the supervisee’s performance directly, implement a structured improvement plan, escalate concerns with documentation, adjust the supervisee’s responsibilities, or ultimately step back from supervising him, with each option carrying consequences for client safety, supervision quality, and her ethical obligations depending on whether the supervisee improves or the organization continues to block corrective action.** | Have a direct, clear meeting with the supervisee to restate expectations and require immediate, consistent responsiveness moving forward. | Hold a direct meeting to restate expectations and then watch for consistent communication and follow‑through over the next couple of weeks to see if the behavior improves. |
RBT is not responsive | Communication | Admin is not letting her let go of the RBT that is not doing well which could result in poor client outcomes | firly tell admin that thsi is a problem and ask if they can implement disciplinary measures and help with bst | Train | Admin listens and provides a written warning to RBT |
Christine is struggling with a noncompliant RBT supervisee who ignores feedback, fails to communicate, and does not implement recommendations, creating a challenge to providing effective supervision while balancing ethical obligations and employer pressures. | The problem involves Christine’s supervisee being unresponsive to supervision, ignoring feedback, and failing to communicate, which challenges her ability to provide competent and ethical supervision as required by BACB standards. | The problem includes multiple dimensions: the supervisee’s noncompliance and poor communication, Christine’s inexperience handling resistant supervisees, organizational constraints limiting intervention, and potential risks to client care and professional ethical obligations. | Possible courses of action include addressing the supervisee directly with clear expectations (risking conflict but promoting accountability), documenting issues and escalating to administration (may preserve ethics but strain relationships), providing additional training or support (may improve performance but delay resolution), or limiting the supervisee’s client contact until improvement occurs (protects clients but could exacerbate staffing challenges). Each option carries ethical, professional, and practical consequences. | The selected course of action is for Christine to document all supervisee performance issues, clearly communicate expectations and consequences to the supervisee, provide targeted feedback and additional support, and involve administration as needed to ensure accountability, ethical practice, and client safety. | Christine implements the plan by documenting supervisee issues, providing clear feedback with expectations, and offering support. She monitors the supervisee’s responsiveness and progress, evaluates whether the supervisee improves, and adjusts supervision strategies or escalates to administration if necessary to ensure ethical compliance and client welfare. |
The supervisee is not responding to communication, is failing to implement feedback, and is not meeting supervision expectations. | 4.06, 4.01, 3.01, 1.04 | This situation involves the supervisee, the supervisor, clients, and the organization. | Ignore the issue. Consequence: Continued poor performance, risk to clients, ethical violations. Provide additional feedback and support. Consequence: May improve performance but requires time and structure. Implement a formal performance improvement plan. Consequence: Clear expectations, accountability, and documentation. | The supervisor should implement a structured plan that includes clear expectations, documented feedback, and measurable performance goals. | The supervisor will schedule a formal meeting with the supervisee to review expectations, provide written feedback, and outline required changes. Ongoing performance will be monitored through direct observation and documentation. |
The supervisee is not responding to the BCBA | Responsibility to supervisees and clients | How to get the supervisee to engage | Find reinforcers and consequences that will motivate the supervisee | ||
poor communication | professional conduct | not able to provide supervision | provide and review contract | provide a warning and then dismiss | ongoing |
The supervisor did attempt to bring up to a colleague for assistance since she has not dealt with this previously. | The supervisor must continue to document her efforts with the supervisee and the company. | The supervisor is able to document her efforts and sometimes thats all that can be done from her end. | |||
Poor performance | 4.10 Evaluating Effects of Supervision and Training | Affects client progress if supervisee is not performing | Performance plan to adhere to supervision contract; monitoring and terminating if necessary | Performance plan to adhere to supervision contract; monitoring and terminating if necessary | Develop guidelines for supervisee to adhere to with plenty of warning regarding next steps if requirements are not met |
Trainee is nonrespnsive | Supervision requirements based on the hours worked | The BCBA not only needs to address the ethical standards she needs also to begin progressive discipline | Using the FRISK manual, start with verbal reprimand and next steps. Should trainee continue not engaging and being defensive, provide a counseling memo and then follow progressive displine policy to move towards termination | FRISk write up process which also includes expectations as they relate to ethical guidelines | If they do not meet basic expectations that could result in losing licensure, then they need to be terminated |
Unresponsiveness from RBT | 2.02 RBTs follow the direction of their supervisors, accurately implement behavior-technician services, and accurately | Consult with and outside collegue for advice, review ethical considerations, | Discuss ethical responsibility with supervisor | If supervisor is not receptive-address with their supervisor | Evaluate if course of action was effective-does anything need to be changed or done differently in the future? |
concerns regarding feedback are not being implemented | 4.08 performance monitoring and feedback | ||||
unresponsive supervisee | |||||
The supervisee is not responding to supervision, ignores feedback, and fails to implement recommendations, which interferes with effective supervision. | BACB Ethics Code Accountability in Supervision and Providing Effective Treatment. | Lack of communication, resistance to feedback, impact on client services, and organizational pressure to keep the RBT despite performance issues. | Increase documentation of feedback, address expectations clearly, provide additional training or performance feedback, and escalate concerns to management if behavior continues. | Christine should clearly communicate expectations, document supervision and feedback, and address noncompliance with the supervisee and employer. | Monitor the supervisee’s responsiveness, review implementation of feedback during supervision sessions, and reassess progress or take further action if performance does not improve. |
| What is the problem? | Which ethical standards pertain to this problem? | Consider dimensions of the problem | Courses of action / potential consequences | Select course of action | Implement and evaluate the course of action |
