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Ethical Considerations for Interdisciplinary Collaboration with Prescribing Professionals

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Abstract

Behavior analysts often work as part of an interdisciplinary team, and different team members may prescribe different interventions for a single client. One such intervention that is commonly encountered is a change in medication. Changes in medication regimens have the potential to alter behavior in a number of ways. As such, it is important for all team members to be aware of every intervention and to consider how different interventions may interact with each other. These facts make regular and clear communication among team members vital for treatment success. While working as part of an interdisciplinary team, behavior analysts must abide by their ethics code, which sometimes means advocating for their client with the rest of the team. This article will review some possible implications of medicinal interventions, potential ethical issues that can arise, and a case study from the authors’ experience. Finally, the authors propose a decision-making tree that can aid in determining the best course of action when a team member proposes an intervention in addition to, or concurrent with, interventions proposed by the behavior analyst.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Western Michigan University, Mail Stop 5439, Kalamazoo, MI, 49008, USA

    Mindy K. Newhouse-Oisten, Kimberly M. Peck, Alissa A. Conway & Jessica E. Frieder

Authors
  1. Mindy K. Newhouse-Oisten
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  2. Kimberly M. Peck
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  3. Alissa A. Conway
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  4. Jessica E. Frieder
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mindy K. Newhouse-Oisten.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Appendix

Appendix

Included here is a general set of questions that can be tailored for each client as necessary. This list in not exhaustive, and behavior analysts should take care to individualize for each client.

  • How did the client sleep last night?

  • How is the client eating, any changes in diet?

  • Any changes in activity level?

  • Any changes in other treatments or services (e.g., medications, therapeutic services)?

  • Has the client shown any symptoms of illness or injury?

  • Are there any new behaviors of concern?

  • Have any existing target behaviors occurred in situations different than typical?

  • Have there been any schedule/routine changes (e.g., toileting, hygiene/cleanliness, school changes)?

  • Have there been any changes in living conditions (house rules, roommates)?

  • Have there been any unusual stressors (e.g., death in family, parent separation, residential move, staffing/provider changes, probe in more detail based on client history and response)?

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Newhouse-Oisten, M.K., Peck, K.M., Conway, A.A. et al. Ethical Considerations for Interdisciplinary Collaboration with Prescribing Professionals. Behav Analysis Practice 10, 145–153 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-017-0184-x

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