Ethical Considerations for Interdisciplinary Collaboration with Prescribing Professionals

Abstract

Behavior analysts often work as part of an interdisciplinary\rteam, and different team members may prescribe\rdifferent interventions for a single client. One such intervention\rthat is commonly encountered is a change in medication.\rChanges in medication regimens have the potential to alter\rbehavior in a number of ways. As such, it is important for\rall team members to be aware of every intervention and to\rconsider how different interventions may interact with each\rother. These facts make regular and clear communication\ramong team members vital for treatment success. While\rworking as part of an interdisciplinary team, behavior analysts\rmust abide by their ethics code, which sometimes means advocating\rfor their client with the rest of the team. This article\rwill review some possible implications of medicinal interventions,\rpotential ethical issues that can arise, and a case study\rfrom the authors’ experience. Finally, the authors propose a\rdecision-making tree that can aid in determining the best\rcourse of action when a team member proposes an intervention\rin addition to, or concurrent with, interventions proposed\rby the behavior analyst.