Presentation
Matt’s Not-at-all Inclusive List of Strategies for Mitigating Conflicts of Interest
Financial Conflicts of Interest
- Disclose conflicts of interest (COIs), even if you are unsure if they are conflicts of interest.
Romantic and Sexual Relationships
- Disclose your relationship as soon as possible. You do not owe anyone any extra details.
- Recognize that disclosure can become very tricky in the event the relationship comes in the form of an affair.
- Understand your organization’s relationship policy in addition to any standards from any credentialing or licensing bodies to which you are beholden.
- If the relationship predates hiring, it should be disclosed immediately.
- Failure to disclose a relationship may have harmful and longstanding effects on your career, including termination from your employer.
- Parties privy to knowledge of an undisclosed relationship may also be at risk for disciplinary action from their employer.
Always A Good Idea
- If you are unsure if a COI should be disclosed or not, just disclose it.
- It is better to be overly transparent than not transparent enough.
- Evaluate, document, and monitor the potential negative effects the COI may create and the potential negative effects.
- If necessary, create a documented plan to mitigate the potential negative effects of that COI.
- Evaluate the plan on an appropriate basis to ensure that plan meets its stated goals.
- Seek advice from a trusted colleague.
Matt’s Not-at-all Inclusive List of Strategies for Mitigating Multiple Relationships
Proactive Strategies
- Avoid the multiple relationship. This is not always possible, and avoiding the multiple relationship may not always be the best option.
- Identify and acknowledge the presence of the multiple relationship.
- Do not ignore the multiple relationship and pretend it will go away.
- Identify and acknowledge the possible risks of the multiple relationship. Disclose those potential risks in writing.
- Create a plan for managing and monitoring the multiple relationship. Put this plan in writing.
- Always communicate the capacity in which you are acting in order to keep boundaries clear.
- Continuously monitor mitigating measures and make revisions to those measures based on the data you collect.
- Consult with an independent 3rd party when appropriate.
Reactive Strategies
- Acknowledge and document challenges caused by the multiple relationship the moment it becomes apparent.
- It is desirable if all affected parties work together to mitigate challenges.
- Consider if an independent 3rd party (e.g., mediator) may be needed.
- Always seek advice and guidance from trusted colleagues.
Always A Good Idea
- Carefully document your activities and store documentation in a safe and secure location so you can access them later (often months or years later).
- Seek advice from a trusted colleague.
References
Behavior Analyst Certification Board. (2020). Ethics code for behavior analysts. https://bacb.com/wp-content/ethics-code-for-behavior-analysts/
Bottema-Beutel, K., & Crowley, S. (2021). Pervasive undisclosed conflicts of interest in applied behavior analysis autism literature. Frontiers in Psychology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.676303
Gorman, D. M. (2018). Can we trust positive findings of intervention research? The role of conflict of interest. Preventative Science, 19, 295-305.
Miller & Chevalier. (2024). Michigan State University independent investigation report. Author. https://msu.edu/-/media/assets/msu/docs/issues-statements/msu-independent-investigation-report–feb-28-2024–redactedupdated-links.pdf
Normand, M. P., & Donohue, H. E. (2022). Research ethics for behavior analysts in practice. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 16, 13-22. doi: 10.1007/s40617-022-00698-5