Clinical Informed Consent and ABA
Abraham Graber, Allison Maguire
Behavior Analysis in Practice, 8 January 2024
Open Access
Abstract
The practice of clinical informed consent in America is governed by over 100 years of case law. Although predominant ethics resources for behavior analysts offer some guidance regarding the provision of clinical informed consent, such guidance remains limited. The goal of this article is thus to expand the contemporary literature on clinical informed consent in behavior analysis by providing a historical and contemporary guide to relevant case law. The article will highlight seminal moments in the history of case law regarding clinical informed consent, discuss their applicability to the process of clinical informed consent in behavior analysis, and provide an enhanced understanding of the ethical and legal obligations related to informed consent in the therapeutic context.
Editor’s note: ABA stands for applied behavior analysis.
Center for Informed Consent Integrity 