Freya is a BCBA who is interested in studying functional communication training

Freya is a BCBA who is interested in studying functional
communication training in preschool-aged children. She wants to work
with a group of individuals diagnosed with autism between the ages of 3
and 5. She lives near a clinic where her nephew goes with an early
intervention program and is eager to see if this clinic will allow her
to work with these kids. She starts by meeting with the director and
asking if she can have permission to come in and observe. The director
says yes as long as she signs a non-disclosure agreement that is HIPPA
compliant, protecting the clients’ privacy. She is thrilled about this
opportunity.
She begins interacting with the children and gathering information
about how they are communicating. This information will serve as a
baseline for her study. She figures, if she can get a head start, this
will move up her timeline.
Discussion
Discuss the ethical dilemma here in regards to a behavior analysts’
responsibility in research. What should Freya do before she works with
these clients? What other ethical dilemmas is she faced with? Describe
the Code(s) to consider regarding this situation.