The Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts, explained

What does the Ethics Code actually cover?

People often picture the Code as a list of things not to do. In practice, most of it describes ordinary professional decisions: whether to take a case, how much service to recommend, what to write in a note, what to delegate, what to post. The areas below are a plain-language orientation written for this guide — the authoritative wording is the Code published by the BACB and linked in the sources.

Where do most ethics problems actually start?

Rarely with a dramatic decision. Far more often they start with drift: a service level set by what was authorized rather than what was needed, a note written four days late, a task delegated because someone called out sick, a friendly relationship that slowly stopped being professional. Each step is small and defensible on its own, which is exactly what makes a periodic review worth doing.

• Review your own practice on a schedule, not only after something goes wrong.
• Rehearse the hard conversations before you need them — the wording is most of the difficulty.
• Treat dilemmas as discussions, not quizzes; the reasoning matters more than the verdict.
• If you supervise, rate what you have observed rather than what the trainee can describe.

Our free ethics self-review walks you through all six areas — rate each everyday practice, see where to focus first, then work through invented dilemmas like billing pressure or a babysitting request and have an AI coach press on your reasoning. No account needed; ratings stay in your browser until you choose to keep them.

How does ethics continuing education fit in?

Recertification requires a portion of continuing education in ethics, alongside a supervision requirement for those who supervise. The number of units and what qualifies are set by the BACB and change between cycles, so confirm the current figures in the handbook that applies to your certification rather than relying on any third-party summary, including this one. A self-review is a useful way to pick ethics CE that targets a real gap instead of whatever is on sale.

Using the Code in supervision

Ethics is one of the hardest supervision topics to make concrete. Rating a trainee's observed practice area by area turns it into specific targets, and a shared dilemma gives you both something to argue about that is not a live case. It also produces a record of the conversation, which is worth having.

What if I think someone has violated the Code?

Start by checking what you actually know versus what you infer, and consider whether a direct conversation is possible and safe. Reporting obligations and the process for raising a concern are defined by the BACB and, where employment is involved, by your organization. Neither this guide nor our tools decide whether something is a violation — that is not something a checklist or an AI can do.