Recognizing and Resolving Conflicts of Interest

A conflict of interest exists whenever an RBT has a personal stake — financial, social, or familial — that could reasonably bias their clinical judgment or behavior toward a client. The BACB Ethics Code requires identifying, disclosing, and resolving these conflicts proactively.

Common Conflicts of Interest in ABA

  • Financial: Receiving gifts, services, or money from a client family beyond agency-authorized payment
  • Familial: Being related by blood or marriage to a client
  • Social: Being friends, neighbors, or social acquaintances with a client family
  • Romantic: Any romantic or sexual interest in a client family member (caregivers, adult siblings)
  • Employment: Working a second job (babysitting, tutoring) for a client family
  • Business: Having a financial stake in a vendor or product recommended for the client
  • Personal advocacy: Strong personal beliefs (religious, political) that conflict with treatment goals

Disclosure Is Always First

The instant you identify a potential conflict — even one that might seem minor — disclose it to your supervisor. Disclosure is not the same as admission of wrongdoing; it is the responsible action that allows the BCBA to evaluate whether a reassignment, a removal, or a documented mitigation plan is appropriate.

Resolution Options

Most conflicts can be resolved one of three ways: (1) elimination — the RBT stops the external relationship, (2) reassignment — the RBT is moved to a different client, or (3) documented mitigation — a written plan that limits the conflict's effect, used when complete elimination isn't possible (e.g., the only available RBT in a rural area).

The "Reasonable Person" Standard

The question isn't "is your judgment actually compromised?" It's "would a reasonable person looking at this situation believe your judgment could be compromised?" If the answer is yes, the conflict exists and must be disclosed.