Controversial Treatments
Student’s first and last name
Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Capella University
PSY 7710: Ethics for Behavior Analysts
Instructor Name
Assignment Due Date
Controversial Treatment
Chelation Therapy for Autism Spectrum Disorder
One of the most discoursed alternative treatment strategies is chelation, which some professionals who diagnose children with autism promote. Chelation treatment involves the intake of chelating agents that are thought to remove heavy metal excesses from the body (Smith et al., 2022). Despite the lack of medical evidence or the statement that it is not a behavior analytic method, some highly qualified professionals and other alternative medical practitioners still endorse it.
Chelation treatment is an important means of the body of heavy metals removal, especially mercury, by means of chelating agents like Dimercaptosuccinic (DMSA). Proponents of chelation therapy maintain that mercury toxicity from vaccines or exposure to the environment may play a role in the manifestation or the worsening of the symptoms in children with ASD (James et al., 2015). Nevertheless, conventional medicine rejects such a theory by claiming that there is still no scientific evidence on the effectiveness of chelation therapy and some possible side effects like kidney toxicity and others. The controversy around chelation therapy as an application of autism spectrum disorders symptoms highlights the critical role of inspections of non-evidence-based procedures, ethical issues, and communication with related parties in the field of behavior analysis.
Pros and Cons of Controversial Treatment
Chelation may help when mercury and other heavy metals inhibit autism development in certain individuals through the removal of these heavy metals. Candidates point out that the reduction in the mercury concentration, which is classically known as the major environmental and heavy metal pollutant, shows the adaption of behavior, communication, and general functioning of people with autism. (James et al., 2015). On the other hand, though there is still no scientific evidence linking the use of chelation therapy with the improvement of ASD symptoms, standard medical organizations also warn against this kind of treatment for children because it is not effective and entails risks.
The chelation therapy, however, has problematic side effects, including risks associated with the use of chelating agents. The dangers emanating from low-grade antibiotics comprise renal toxicity, allergic reactions, and loss of important minerals in the body, all of which can give rise to severe health problems (James et al., 2015). Moreover, besides the fact that chelation therapy may divert attention and resources from the evidence-based solutions for ASD that lead to some kids being delayed or prevented from accessing the necessary treatments, they have been found to be effective. Thus, for every advantageous effect, the possibility of negative effects and no existing evidence to support this for ASD indicate that caution is necessary before chelation therapy treatment can be viewed as useful in ASD.
Evaluation of Ethics
The examination of chelation treatment of ASD through the BACB ethics codes may lead to several codes that may be considered in determining the appropriateness of the therapy. The first Code about Maintaining Competence shows that behavior analysts must always be updated about evidence-based interventions (BACB, 2020). Notwithstanding the lack of empirical evidence on the efficacy of chelation therapy in treating ASD, it is against the medical code of ethics. Additionally, Code 2, Effective Treatment, draws attention to the necessity of employing evidence-based interventions (BACB, 2020). As chelation therapy does not fulfill the promise of providing an effective treatment for ASD patients, ethical concerns that treatment is not benefitting the individual arise irrationally. Lastly, Code 3, Responsibility to Clients, emphasizes that towards clients goes beyond consumer satisfaction and entails ensuring their general welfare (BACB, 2020). Chelation therapy being endorsed by counselors while it lacks scientific basis and is potentially harmful contradicts the code by exposing clients to ineffective or dangerous intervention methods.
From my point of view, I consider it a morally questionable option for ASD because of no empirical data available, possible dangers, and lack of clinical results. Ethical undertakings of behavior analysts start with applying treatments that are evidence-based, reliable, and harmless to patients. Considering the lack of scientific evidence that chelation can probably solve any symptoms of ASD, it does not meet the principles of the BACB ethics policy. In contrast, I suggest the application of the experimental data in the option of effective solutions for people with autism, the implementation of which is held through valid procedures and implemented by using a moral code in the behavior analysis.
Effective Evaluation
The evidence-based evaluation of effective treatments in order to determine the treatment’s validity is achieved through a systematic approach and scientific inquiry. The researchers apply scientific ways of knowing through methods such as single-case experiments, randomized controlled trials, and systematic reviews to establish the effectiveness of the interventions. For example, researchers utilize behavior analytical methods such as functional behavior assessment (FBA) and applied behavior analysis (ABA) interventions where empirical designs are developed to find causation within the intervention strategies and behavioral outcomes (Jeong & Copeland, 2019). This includes completing a comprehensive assessment for each individual, looking for measures and the benefit of intervention based on the results of functional assessment, while progress is assessed on a constant basis through data collection and analysis. Besides the evaluation, behavior analysts critically analyze the literature in use, focusing on such things as research design, participants’ involvement, and outcome measures to establish the strength of the empirical evidence in support of a particular intervention. These techniques enable behavior analysts to distinguish interventions based on scientific evidence from those treatments that are not experimentally supported.
Communicating with Colleagues and Families
The communication of the value of empirically established methods to managers implies delivering evidence showing the efficiency of these programs. Behavior analysts can disseminate relevant research articles, attend professional development workshops, and be among the practitioners whose discussion revolves around the power of evidence-based practices in influencing clients’ outcomes. Collaboration with fellow practitioners on the scrutiny of literature and the sharing of insights can occasion the creation of a culture of evidence-based practice in the field. Sharing information with professionals in their field is a vital tool that assists in acquiring new scientific achievements and in bringing a higher practical value to an evidence-based approach (Melvin et al., 2020). On the other hand, it is crucial when communicating with family to present information in a clear, easily understandable format and focus on the positive effects of evidence-based interventions for their loved ones. The use of plain language, giving examples, and dealing with doubts will increase the understanding and involvement of readers. Family discussions may comprise looking for treatment prospects, talking about accomplishment, and soliciting input to do certain methods that are in step with the family values.
Conclusion
To conclude, supporting evidence-based approaches is fundamental for better reducing the negative impact of behavior analytic practices, which have shown to be crucial for the well-being of served individuals. Professionals take part in such educational discussions and present their research results as a way to create ongoing learning patterns and remodel the profession’s way of thinking. In the same way, communication with families regarding the advantages of the effectiveness-based approaches gives the family the option of making informed decisions without denying respected values and preferences. One of the main ways in which behavior analysts follow an ethical set of standards is by applying the evidence-based approach, which guarantees the effectiveness of their services. Teamwork with different professions allows us to exchange various opinions and work interdisciplinaryly for the health of our clients.
References
Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB). (2020). Ethics code for behavior analysts. https://bacb.com/wp-content/ethics-code-for-behavior-analysts/
James, S., Stevenson, S. W., Silove, N., & Williams, K. (2015). Chelation for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2016(10). https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.cd010766.pub2
Jeong, Y., & Copeland, S. R. (2019). Comparing functional behavior assessment-based interventions and non-functional behavior assessment-based interventions: A systematic review of outcomes and methodological quality of studies. Journal of Behavioral Education, 29(1), 1-41. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10864-019-09355-4
Melvin, C. L., Harvey, J., Pittman, T., Gentilin, S., Burshell, D., & Kelechi, T. (2020). Communicating and disseminating research findings to study participants: Formative assessment of participant and researcher expectations and preferences. Journal of Clinical and Translational Science, 4(3), 233–242. https://doi.org/10.1017/cts.2020.9
Smith, L., Byrne, H. L., Waddington, D., & Kuncic, Z. (2022). Nanoparticles for MRI-guided radiation therapy: A review. Cancer Nanotechnology, 13(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12645-022-00145-8