We've decided to give you access to some free RBT® practice exam questions. These questions were hand-picked by us as the most commonly missed questions from our RBT® mock exam. There will also be an answer key down below with explanations so you can learn these concepts.
We don't want you to be blindsided by the RBT® certification exam. As you prepare for this important step in your career, we've got your back.
Think of this as your very own mini ABA study session! Together, let's aim to enhance your understanding and boost your confidence in the field of ABA.
So, let's dive in and unravel these questions together. I have no doubt that you'll pass the test the first try if you can understand these concepts.
Quiz yourself on these questions, then scroll down to see the answers and explanations! (No peeking!)
1. You are conducting matching to sample trials with Yolanda, helping her learn to match identical shapes. You conduct 10 trials per session. What measure would be most appropriate to use?
A. Rate
B. Percent of occurrence
C. Duration
D. Whole interval recording
2. During a meeting with your behavior analyst, you discuss the concept of "Discriminative Stimulus" using technical terminology. Which of the following explanations would most likely align with your discussion?
A. A stimulus in the presence of which a given behavior has been reinforced and absence of which the behavior was not reinforced
B. The stimulus used in a reinforcing contingency delivered following the behavior of interest
C. An environmental condition or stimulus change occurring before a behavior of interest
D. An environmental variable that increases or decreases the reinforcing effectiveness of a stimulus
3. Brie’s mother is teaching her to shoot a basketball. Brie currently refuses to even hold the ball. Assuming Brie’s mother is using shaping to teach this behavior, what would be the first step Brie does to teach this behavior?
A. Create a contingency contract
B. Create a task analysis
C. Prompt using physical prompts and provide reinforcement at each step completed
D. Reinforce Brie touching the ball
4. Which of the following best describes a behavior chain?
A. Various methods used for linking specific sequences together
B. Behaviors that may look different, but all result in the same reinforcement
C. A specific sequence of discrete responses ending with reinforcement
D. Breaking up a complex skill into smaller, teachable units.
5. Which of the following is a strategy for achieving response maintenance?
A. Slowly decrease the intrusiveness of interventions.
B. Tell the individual that they need to keep doing well, even when interventions are not in place
C. Maintain interventions present throughout the individual’s life
D. Slowly increase the intrusiveness of interventions, such as increasing the amount of reinforcement the individual earns.
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Did you write down your answers? Check if you got them right down below, and don't forget to read the explanations!
1. You are conducting matching to sample trials with Yolanda, helping her learn to match identical shapes. You conduct 10 trials per session. What measure would be most appropriate to use?
A. Rate
B. Percent of occurrence
C. Duration
D. Whole interval recording
Explanation: Correct answer is B. Let's break down this question!
To determine why answer choice B, "Percent of occurrence," is the most appropriate measure in this scenario instead of the other potential answers, let’s break down each answer.
A. Rate – This is NOT the correct answer. Rate is used to measure free operant behavior to determine how often the behavior occurs. For example, measuring how often a person yells each day you work with them. The individual can yell at any time, thus rate will typically be measured.
B. Percent of occurrence: This option is CORRECT. Because there were 10 fixed opportunities for correct responding, it makes sense to want to know how many correct responses occurred during those 10 trials. This will give you a percent.
C. Duration – This is NOT the correct answer. Duration is used when you are looking at how long the behavior occurs.
D. Whole interval recording – This is NOT the correct answer. Let’s look at whole interval recording in an example so you can see how it does NOT apply to this question. You want to see how often a client yells. You do this by creating 30 second intervals. If the client yells throughout the entire interval, you select “yes”, if they don’t yell for the entire 30 second interval you select “no”. If he yelled through 5/10 intervals you can say he yelled during 50% of intervals.
...
2. During a meeting with your behavior analyst, you discuss the concept of "Discriminative Stimulus" using technical terminology. Which of the following explanations would most likely align with your discussion?
A. A stimulus in the presence of which a given behavior has been reinforced and absence of which the behavior was not reinforced
B. The stimulus used in a reinforcing contingency delivered following the behavior of interest
C. An environmental condition or stimulus change occurring before a behavior of interest
D. An environmental variable that increases or decreases the reinforcing effectiveness of a stimulus
Explanation: Let’s break down this question! "A" is the correct answer here.
A is correct. Notice that this definition uses “technical” terminology. This means it uses language that the behavior analyst and behavior technician may use when discussing interventions, though probably not how you would talk with parents or families of people receiving services.
B is NOT correct. B provides a technical definition, but for the wrong term! The term answer choice B is giving is “Reinforcer”. Remember, the discriminative stimulus (or SD) occurs BEFORE the behavior of interest.
C is NOT correct, but is very close. It is a stimulus that occurs prior to the behavior of interest, but this is not complete. It is missing a crucial component that in the presence of the stimulus, the behavior is reinforced. In the absence of the stimulus the behavior is not reinforced.
D is NOT correct. D provides a technical definition, but for the wrong term! The term answer choice D is giving is “Motivating Operation”.
....
3. Brie’s mother is teaching her to shoot a basketball. Brie currently refuses to even hold the ball. Assuming Brie’s mother is using shaping to teach this behavior, what would be the first step Brie does to teach this behavior?
A. Create a contingency contract
B. Create a task analysis
C. Prompt using physical prompts and provide reinforcement at each step completed
D. Reinforce Brie touching the ball
Explanation: Correct answer is D. Let's dissect this question!
First, the question is asking about shaping. How do you use shaping as an intervention? It’s fairly simple. You start at where the behavior is currently at, and gradually increase the requirement for reinforcement. In this scenario, it may start by reinforcing Brie just touching the ball. After this, you may reinforce Brie touching the ball for a few seconds, then require Brie to hold the ball. Keep on this pattern, slowly shaping the behavior until Brie shoots the basketball. The other answers such as using a contingency contract or task analysis are not applicable. If you were using chaining, you would create a task analysis, then use prompts and reinforce at each step completed. However, since this is shaping, the approach is slightly different.
...
4. Which of the following best describes a behavior chain?
A. Various methods used for linking specific sequences together
B. Behaviors that may look different, but all result in the same reinforcement
C. A specific sequence of discrete responses ending with reinforcement
D. Breaking up a complex skill into smaller, teachable units.
Explanation: Correct answer is C.
This question is challenging! Remember, the behavior chain is the sequence of behaviors (not the intervention). The intervention using a behavior chain may include a task analysis (like answer D), or a chaining procedure. The behavior chain itself is just the sequence of small behaviors. Think of tying a shoe. Tying a shoe requires many behaviors linked together, when completed results in the reinforcement of having shoes on and tied.
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5. Which of the following is a strategy for achieving response maintenance?
A. Slowly decrease the intrusiveness of interventions.
B. Tell the individual that they need to keep doing well, even when interventions are not in place
C. Maintain interventions present throughout the individual’s life
D. Slowly increase the intrusiveness of interventions, such as increasing the amount of reinforcement the individual earns.
Explanation: A is the correct choice.
In the context of behavior analysis, "response maintenance" refers to the ability of an individual to continue demonstrating a desired behavior after the intervention or treatment plan has been implemented and is no longer as intensive or intrusive as it was initially. Response maintenance is a key aspect of behavior change programs, as it indicates the durability of the newly acquired behavior.
A. This is the correct strategy for achieving response maintenance. It involves gradually reducing the intrusiveness of interventions or fading them over time. This approach helps the individual become more independent and ensures that the behavior remains even when the intervention is less intensive. It's an essential part of promoting long-term, sustainable behavior change.
B. This option involves verbal prompting but doesn't address the fading or reduction of interventions. Verbal prompting alone is unlikely to ensure response maintenance, as it relies on continued external cues, which are unlikely to continue.
C. This approach suggests keeping interventions in place indefinitely, which is not in line with the goal of response maintenance. While some individuals may require ongoing support, the ideal outcome is for the individual to become self-sufficient in the targeted behavior without the constant presence of interventions.
D. Increasing the intrusiveness of interventions contradicts the concept of response maintenance. The goal is to reduce the intensity and intrusiveness of interventions over time as the individual becomes more proficient in the desired behavior. Increasing intrusiveness would typically be counterproductive and not conducive to maintaining the response once the interventions are removed.
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