E.9: Engage in cultural humility in service delivery and professional relationships.
Free practice questions for this part of the BCBA, with an explanation for every option.
Which statement best describes cultural humility?
- A. Matching clients with practitioners of the same cultural backgroundIncorrect. Matching backgrounds can sometimes help, but it does not replace humility on the practitioner's part.
- B. A lifelong process of self-reflection and learning that recognizes the limits of one's own cultural perspective and treats clients as experts on their own cultureCorrect. Cultural humility is an ongoing, reflective stance, not a fixed endpoint of knowledge.
- C. Memorizing facts about the customs of different cultural groups until reaching masteryIncorrect. Knowing facts about cultures can lead to stereotyping and suggests there is an endpoint to reach.
- D. Treating all clients the same, without regard to cultureIncorrect. Ignoring culture overlooks things that matter to the client and the family.
A BCBA wrote a goal for a 6-year-old to eat rice with a spoon. During a home visit, she learns that the family traditionally eats with their hands. Which response best shows cultural humility?
- A. Drop all mealtime goals to avoid cultural conflictIncorrect. Avoiding the topic is not humility. The family may still have meaningful mealtime goals.
- B. Acknowledge her own assumption, ask the family about their mealtime practices and priorities, and revise the goal with themCorrect. Reflecting on her assumptions and treating the family as the experts on their practices is cultural humility in action.
- C. Explain to the family why using a spoon is more hygienicIncorrect. This assumes her own practice is better instead of learning from the family.
- D. Keep the goal, since using utensils is a standard self-care skillIncorrect. This puts the BCBA's cultural norms ahead of the family's values.
A BCBA trainee rarely asks questions or disagrees during supervision. In conversation, the supervisor learns that in the trainee's culture, openly questioning a superior is seen as disrespectful. What should the supervisor do?
- A. Reflect on her own assumptions about what engagement looks like, ask the trainee how she prefers to communicate, and offer other ways to raise questions, such as written questions before meetingsCorrect. Cultural humility in supervision means examining one's own assumptions and adapting together with the supervisee.
- B. Tell the trainee she needs to adopt a more assertive style to succeed in the fieldIncorrect. This imposes the supervisor's cultural norms instead of looking for ways to adapt.
- C. Record low engagement in the trainee's performance evaluationIncorrect. This penalizes a culturally shaped communication style without understanding it.
- D. Assume the trainee understands everything, since she doesn't ask questionsIncorrect. Silence is not evidence of understanding. Supervisors monitor performance directly.