What is the policy regarding accepting gifts from clients?

• A. Accept gifts
• B. Do not accept gifts
• C. Accept gifts if they know the family
• D. Accept gifts if supervised

Answer: (B)

Maintaining professional boundaries is essential in behavior-analytic practice. Accepting gifts from clients or their families can create a sense of obligation or influence your decisions, which could compromise objectivity and how you implement the treatment plan. The safest and most consistent policy is to not accept gifts from clients, so the focus remains on the client’s best interests and the integrity of the intervention. If a family offers a token of appreciation, a polite decline and a discussion with your supervisor about how to handle the situation is the appropriate approach. The other options would blur boundaries or imply that gifts could be appropriate under certain conditions, which can lead to perceived or real bias and pressure in the therapeutic relationship.