Research is fundamental to applied behavior analysis. It provides foundation for the processes involved, and research provides evidence for applying specific interventions and treatments to a particular behavior. The ethical considerations when conducting research are as critical as they are in the day-to-day activities of professional behavior analysts. Even if you don’t decide on a career in applied behavior analysis research, you still may end up being involved in research at some level. Ethical codes from the BACB and other professional behavior analyst organizations include guidelines for conducting research.
In this Discussion, you will examine ethics in research. You will consider a research question involving a technique to improve behavior in children with autism, and you will discuss the best practices to make certain that each step in the study is done ethically.
To prepare:
- Review the readings and the required media programs found in this week’s Learning Resources to gain an understanding of ethics in research. Note: It will be critical for you to review all the media for this week to complete this Discussion.
- Consider the following problem and research question:
Problem: You have noticed a technique, Technique A, not commonly used that appears to increase the frequency of social interaction behavior.
Research Question: Does Technique A increase the frequency of social interaction behavior in children with autism?
- Next, consider the following:
- How would you go about evaluating this in a more systematic manner?
- What steps would you involve in this process? Your goal is to eventually publish your results. Focus on the process and not any specific research technique. (Note: You will need to include ethical considerations for research [i.e., Institutional Review Board, protection of participants, and informed consent].)
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